UN
Children across Ukraine are facing growing interruptions to their education as continued attacks and frequent air-raid warnings disrupt classrooms nationwide, according to new figures released by UNICEF.
Between September and October 2026, air-raid alerts occurred on 65.9% of school days, compared with 37.4% during the same period in 2025.
Since the beginning of the 2026–2027 academic year, Ukrainian children have experienced an average of 34 hours of air-raid warnings during school time, representing more than 13% of scheduled learning hours.
In some heavily affected regions, including Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk, students have faced more than 60 hours of school-time alerts.
The disruptions extend beyond lost classroom time. Repeated evacuations, uncertainty and prolonged periods in shelters can affect children’s concentration, emotional well-being and access to consistent learning.
UNICEF continues to support safe educational environments through improved school shelters, mental health assistance and learning recovery programs.
The situation underscores the importance of protecting children’s right to education during armed conflict and strengthening systems that allow learning to continue safely in emergencies.
