Story of a School: Rebuilding for the Future

With the support of UNOPS and the European Union, the school is being restored, offering a beacon of hope amid the ongoing challenges.

In the heart of Kharkiv, a school that once brimmed with life and energy has become a quiet monument to the challenges faced during war. The courtyard, where children used to joyfully ride their bikes, now lies mostly silent. Once, the playground was a hub of activity, hosting a unique cycling program that engaged students, teachers, and even the head teacher, Alla Zub. Some students became local champions, their victories celebrated by the entire school community.

But today, two and half years after Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine, the scene has drastically changed. The playground stands mostly empty, with only a few local children who still live nearby occasionally visiting. It serves as a quiet testament to the devastating  impacts  the war has had on  this school and the surrounding communities.

In total, the school has been struck three times. The most devastating strike occurred in August 2022. Missiles hit the building – shattering windows, damaging walls and destroying the ceiling. Thankfully, the building was empty, sparing lives but leaving behind destruction and a deep sense of uncertainty. 

“This was about a month into the invasion – a terrible time for Kharkiv. We were scared and confused, not sure what to do,” recalls Alla Zub, the head teacher.

This school once educated over 770 students, including children with disabilities. The facilities were equipped to ensure a comfortable learning environment for every student, including an accessible elevator. Today, many students are scattered across different parts of the world,  while some now attend makeshift classrooms in the Kharkiv metro. Both the students and staff alike, including  Alla, long for the day they can return to their beloved school.

“I am in touch with many of the families, and I can tell how much they want to go back to normal,” says Alla.

“Going to school and socializing with your peers is such an essential childhood experience. It pains me to see how kids are being deprived of it. Ever since the Covid[-19] pandemic four years ago, we’ve had to deal with constant disruption, and it takes a toll on everyone involved: children, parents and teachers.”

Despite the destruction, and the disruption to many lives, hope has not been lost. Thanks to the School Repairs in Ukraine project, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNOPS, the school has been repaired. Damaged windows and doors have been replaced, classrooms renovated, and new modern furniture installed. The building, now restored, stands ready to welcome students once more, even if the day of their returns remains uncertain.  

The restoration of this school is part of a broader effort to repair educational facilities across Ukraine. The project has already completed work on 26 schools in four regions, with plans to restore over 75 schools in total. 

"Education is the cornerstone of development and prosperity, which is why the EU is committed to ensuring that Ukrainian children have access to quality learning, despite all the challenges posed by Russia's invasion," says Marianna Franco, Head of the European Union Humanitarian Aid Office in Ukraine.

"We believe that schools need to be repaired as soon as possible. We are also supporting the establishment of appropriate shelters so that learning environments are as safe as possible and children in Ukraine can pursue their dreams and ambitions".

For now, the school remains empty, maintained by a skeleton staff. The older students continue their education online, which has proven difficult due to unreliable technology and frequent power outages caused by ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. 

Younger students face the choice between online learning or attending classes in the city’s metro stations – a solution that requires families to navigate logistical hurdles and anxieties related to travelling further distances in a war zone.

Yet, in the silence, there is still hope. 

“The repairs give me, and I hope others too, a sense of hope for the future. We are one step closer to normality, closer to the way things used to be,” reflects Alla. 

This initiative, which represents a significant investment in Ukraine's future, aims to create safe, welcoming environments where children can continue their education without interruption.

“Schools are often at the heart of their local communities, and so helping repair them is a great privilege for us. This project still has much work to do, but the team remains committed to completing our support to all our nominated schools to the highest degree of quality, as quickly as possible,” explains Paul Cruickshank, Senior Project Manager. 

“At all times, we remain keenly aware that the sites we work at are part of a critical social fabric," he adds.

As the school looks forward to welcoming its students back, the community holds onto the hope that one day, the laughter and energy of the children will once again fill the courtyard. Until then, the building stands as a testament to the resilience of a community that refuses to let war extinguish its spirit.

About the project

The Schools Repairs in Ukraine project, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNOPS, aims to repair educational facilities that have been damaged during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This $30 million initiative is being implemented in  the regions of Chernihiv, Kyiv, Sumy and Kharkiv, focusing on schools requiring light to medium repair work.

The primary objective of the project is to provide access to repaired school facilities which will increase the proportion of children receiving face-to-face education. By rehabilitating more than 75 schools, the project will help restore facilities to a safe and welcoming environment where children can continue their education without interruption.