On May 8-11, 2023, a delegation from Education International, a global union federation of 383 affiliated organizations of teachers and educators from around the world, and the American Federation of Teachers, which unites 1.7 million members, visited Ukraine at the invitation of the Trade Union of Education and Science of Ukraine. The purpose of the visit of international colleagues is to study the situation in the country's education sector and the challenges that Ukrainian educators face on a daily basis during the war.

At the beginning of April 2023, the representatives of the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine participated in the events organized by the trade union organizations of the UK and Ireland.

One year ago, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which resulted in huge human losses, displacement of the population, humanitarian crisis, destruction of critical infrastructure, educational and medical facilities, and global changes in the lives of Ukrainians.

According to a GoGlobal study, 54% of Ukrainian teachers experience professional burnout, and 75% of schoolchildren show signs of stress.

From the first days of the full-scale war in Ukraine, a massive wave of internally displaced persons from all over the country have fled to the western regions. A considerable number of these people, including the members of trade union, were settled in educational institutions.

Data as of December 24, 2022 on damage (destruction) of property and premises of research and higher education institutions is as follows: not damaged – 228, partly damaged – 91, totally damaged – 4, data missing – 11 (located at temporary occupied areas).

According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as of December 20, 2022 the number of refugees fled Ukraine for other countries since 24.02.2022 is more than 16,6 million persons.

Russian invasion to Ukraine has caused a set of serious problems in Ukrainian education. First of all, this concerns the forced displacement of a significant number of the Ukrainian population and the destruction and damage to educational institutions as a result of hostilities.

More than 8 months, the full-scale war of Russia against the Ukrainian people has been going on.

Statement of the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine Regarding Unacceptability of Pressure on Teachers in the Temporarily Occupied Territories