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Calls for Ukrainian GCSE Amid Concerns over Language Education for Refugees in the UK

In a notable development, Ukrainian officials are urging the UK government to provide teenage refugees from their war-torn nation the opportunity to take a GCSE in the Ukrainian language. This plea comes in response to reports indicating that some students are being encouraged to pursue a GCSE in Russian instead.

Ukraine’s education ministry has addressed a letter to the UK education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, asserting the necessity of reinstating a GCSE in Ukrainian. The letter highlights significant concerns regarding the pressure many Ukrainian children face from educational staff to enroll in Russian GCSE courses due to the absence of Ukrainian options.

This issue has gained traction among the Ukrainian community in the UK, with thousands signing a petition demanding the immediate introduction of a Ukrainian GCSE. Advocates argue that proficiency in their native language is vital for the preservation of Ukraine’s independence and identity, as well as for the future well-being of vulnerable young refugees settling in the UK.

The Department for Education (DfE) has acknowledged the situation and agreed to meet with education officials from Ukraine to explore potential resolutions. However, the DfE has maintained that the decision to reintroduce a GCSE in Ukrainian ultimately rests with examination bodies.

The GCSEs for Ukrainian were phased out in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland in 1995 due to insufficient demand. Since then, the UK has witnessed an influx of approximately 34,000 Ukrainian children, many of whom arrived with their families after Russia’s aggressive maneuvers began in February 2022.

Students have expressed frustration over being recommended to take Russian at GCSE level, feeling disconnected from their heritage. Vitalii, an 18-year-old refugee who relocated to London from Chernivtsi, shared his experience of being advised to study Russian despite his preference for Ukrainian. “I want to show my identity as a Ukrainian,” he stated emphatically.

Similarly, Liubov, who settled in Guildford with her family while her father remained in Ukraine to fight, expressed her hopes for Ukrainian language options. She recounted the anxiety she felt regarding her educational path and how studying Russian was not the preferred choice she envisioned for herself or her brother, who also wishes to take a GCSE in Ukrainian.

Inna Hryhorovych, head of St Mary’s Trust, which operates a network of 13 Ukrainian language schools across the UK, has been a longstanding advocate for the GCSE’s reintroduction. She expressed her dismay over the slow progress in addressing this critical issue and emphasized the psychological impact on students asked to study a language associated with their conflicts.

Hryhorovych has offered resources to assist education authorities in updating the curriculum for a Ukrainian GCSE, yet tangible progress has been limited. She noted that students are also eager to pursue A-levels in Ukrainian, anticipating a return to their homeland where proficiency in their language will be essential for future education and careers.

A representative from the DfE stated that they are collaborating with awarding organizations to support Ukrainian students in obtaining qualifications that would complement their studies in the UK. They have also offered to engage with Ukrainian educational authorities to explore additional means of support.

Vitalii expressed concern over the discrepancy between the UK’s willingness to provide military assistance to Ukraine and its hesitance to facilitate language education. “In the long term, language is crucial for Ukraine,” he remarked as he shared his aspirations of becoming an architect to contribute to the rebuilding of his home country in the future.

Liubov added that establishing a GCSE program in Ukrainian could significantly bolster the confidence of Ukrainian students in the UK, given their potential to excel in their native language. “It’s challenging for children adjusting to a new education system, so having a subject they can succeed in would help them feel more assured,” she concluded.

Source
www.theguardian.com