International inspection to ensure quality education for Ukrainian refugee children

Source: Accounting Chamber of Ukraine

Inspectors from Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia are joining forces to examine the accessibility of “quality education” for Ukrainian schoolchilden who found refuge in other countries.

The Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of these countries have agreed to conduct an coordinated audit ito assess how the right to education is being upheld for Ukrainian children in European schools.

The audit’s methodologies and objectives were discussed by the country representatives of the SAIs during a meeting in Rzeszów, Poland, on July 30-31. The event was hosted by Marian Banaś, President of the Supreme Audit Office of Poland, with the Ukrainian delegation led by Olga Pishchanska, Head of the Accounting Chamber.

Welfare of refugee children is a pressing issue as over 2 million Ukrainian children have left Ukraine since Russia’s Feb.24 invasion, according to Ukraine’s education commissioner.  The rough estimates show that some 800,000 children enrolled into the EU schools during the 2022-2023 academic year but it is still unclear how many Ukrainian children are currently unable to access education.

“It is strategically crucial for families who fled due to the war to maintain their connection to Ukraine and return after our victory, ensuring Ukrainian children can easily reintegrate into our society. The only way to preserve a sustainable connection with these children now is to guarantee them continuous access to the Ukrainian education system, which upholds their national identity. We also need to understand how many Ukrainian children have access to education abroad and the quality and effectiveness of this education. Our goal is to engage those not currently in school and identify any obstacles they face,” Pishchanska stated.

During the meeting, the parties discussed possible audit policies and methods. In 2023, Poland’s SAI conducted an audit on the education of foreign children in Polish schools, identifying gaps in tracking children who are in Poland but not attending school.

The new audit will focus on ensuring Ukrainian schoolchildren’s access to education in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Concurrently, the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine will assess if Ukraine’s education ministry has facilitated online learning for these children and analyze the readiness of the domestic education system to welcome them back.

The countries involved in the campaign have also established a coordination working group, led by representatives from Poland.