How the state provides Ukrainian children abroad with access to education: results of the Audit Chamber audit
The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is taking steps to ensure the educational rights of Ukrainian children abroad, but is not empowered to influence educational processes outside the country.
The Accounting Chamber conducted a compliance audit on ensuring the opportunity for Ukrainian children living in European countries to receive Ukrainian school education. The audit covered the activities of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine from January 2022 to May 2025. The event was carried out within the framework of a coordinated international audit, which was carried out jointly with the supreme audit institutions of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania and the state of Hesse (Germany). Responsible for the control measure – Head of the Accounting Chamber Olga Pishchanska.
In general, according to the auditors' conclusions, despite the general compliance of the actions of the Ministry of Education and Science with the guiding requirements, there are systemic gaps that do not allow ensuring the full realization of the right to education for hundreds of thousands of children who found themselves abroad due to martial law.
LACK OF PROPER ACCOUNTING OF SCHOOL STUDENTS
According to the European Commission, from the beginning of the introduction of martial law in Ukraine until April 2025, more than 917 thousand Ukrainian students were included in the school systems of EU countries. However, according to the Council of Europe Report, in the second half of 2023, a significant part of Ukrainian school-age children abroad did not have access to formal education.
The audit found that the Ministry of Education and Science does not keep records of Ukrainian school-age children abroad, does not have accurate data on institutions abroad where they teach in the Ukrainian language, and information about children outside the education system.
Due to the lack of the necessary powers and institutional ties, the Ministry of Education and Science is able to record only schoolchildren who are in the Ukrainian education system.
According to the data of the Automated Information Complex of Educational Management (AICOM),at the beginning of 2025, 362.3 thousand students, while abroad, studied in Ukrainian schools remotely.
The lack of accurate data on all Ukrainian students abroad – one of the key problems of guaranteeing their rights. At the same time, some children are abroad and are not covered by education in either the Ukrainian or foreign education systems.
The Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Education, Science and Innovations recommended in June 2023 to create an up-to-date database of those seeking education abroad. This recommendation has not yet been implemented.
LACK OF ACCOUNTING OF UKRAINIAN EDUCATION CENTERS ABROAD
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, there are over 400 educational centers operating outside the country with instruction in the Ukrainian language, created mainly at the initiative of Ukrainian communities abroad. These institutions operate without state support, but receive methodological support and educational literature from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine through diplomatic institutions of Ukraine.
At the same time, the Ministry of Education and Science does not properly record such centers, which leads to a lack of accurate information on the number of students covered by such education. Because of this, the state does not have a complete picture of the institutions where instruction is provided in the Ukrainian language or where the Ukrainian language is taught. In addition, there are no international agreements that would regulate the exchange of information about Ukrainian children abroad, which limits the state's ability to ensure their educational rights.
DISTANCE LEARNING – IN THE RISK ZONE
For many Ukrainian children who simultaneously study in schools in host countries and in the Ukrainian education system, the academic load is excessive. In order to reduce it, in 2023, the Ministry of Education and Science introduced reduced training in the so-called Ukrainian studies component - these are subjects that are not covered in foreign school programs, in particular, the Ukrainian language, literature, history of Ukraine, geography. The corresponding training lasts 6-8 hours a week, contributes to the preservation of national identity and at the same time does not overload students.
This educational form does not fully comply with state standards and requires regulatory regulation.
So in August 2024, the Ministry of Education and Science approved a new procedure, which provides that from the beginning of the 2025/2026 academic year, distance learning for students abroad will include only the study of the Ukrainian studies component. This approach created the risk of losing the opportunity for more than 180 thousand children to receive Ukrainian education in a full-fledged distance learning format.
Following the remarks of the Accounting Chamber, the Ministry of Education and Science took measures to eliminate the identified shortcomings. A draft amendment to the relevant regulatory act was prepared, which is currently under state registration with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. The changes should ensure the continuity of distance learning for Ukrainian students who are forced to stay abroad.
INTERNATIONAL UKRAINIAN SCHOOL NEEDS CAPACITY EXPANSION
One of the tools for ensuring access to Ukrainian education for children abroad is the State Lyceum "International Ukrainian School" (IUS),where education is provided in an external form. In 2022-2025, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine took a number of measures to strengthen the capacity of this institution: the number of external students increased almost threefold, the geography of partner organizations expanded, and the school's staff was increased. However, even under such conditions, as of the beginning of 2025, only about 9 thousand students study at IUS.
The functional capabilities of IUS currently remain limited. The school has not yet implemented a full-fledged distance learning form, which does not comply with the provisions of its own Charter. In addition, the lack of proper premises, delays in approving strategic documents, in particular the new Strategy of the MUS, complicate the development of the institution. All this significantly limits the institution's ability to provide affordable education to Ukrainian children abroad.
Following the audit results, the Accounting Chamber provided the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine with six recommendations regarding:
- improving the collection, recording and exchange of information about school-age children abroad to facilitate their better support and integration;
– increasing the accessibility of Ukrainian education for Ukrainian students abroad in order to preserve their national identity;
– improving interdepartmental interaction and international cooperation of the Ministry of Education and Science to ensure the right to education of Ukrainian children abroad;
– expanding the functional and institutional capacities of the Ministry of Education and Science to provide education to a larger number of Ukrainian children abroad.
«The Ministry has taken a number of steps to improve the situation with access to education for Ukrainian children abroad. However, the department did not analyze the results of its activities, and this did not contribute to strengthening the relevant state policy. I want to emphasize – we will monitor the implementation of our recommendations not in form, but in essence. The implementation of these recommendations should significantly contribute to fundamental changes in the education system of Ukrainian children abroad. These children should be provided with the opportunity to both receive education and maintain contact with their homeland, – noted the Head of the Accounting Chamber, Olga Pishchanska. In turn, the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Nadiya Kuzmychova, who was present at the meeting, noted that the audit took into account the previous achievements of the Ministry in terms of accounting for schoolchildren, educational centers, and standardization of the activities of the Ministry of Education and Science. She noted that the Ministry of Education and Science supports the recommendations provided and intends to implement them.
The report and decisions of the Accounting Chamber will be sent to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and published on the official website of the institution.
Control measures of other countries participating in the international coordinated audit regarding ensuring the right to education of Ukrainian children in schools in European countries are still ongoing. The Accounting Chamber will announce the signing of the Joint Report on the international audit in addition.
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