Russian authorities are enforcing a curriculum in occupied Ukrainian territories that indoctrinates children with loyalty to the Russian state, affecting over 582,000 students.
In temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the Russian government has imposed its educational curriculum on nearly 2,000 schools, profoundly affecting the education of over 582,000 children. This significant change not only alters the academic landscape but also seeks to erase Ukrainian identity, forcing children into a system that prioritizes Russian ideology and values. According to Tetiana Lychko, data coordinator at the Centre for Civil Education Almenda, this strategy is part of a broader policy focused on the militarization of education in these regions.
The new programs incorporate military personnel and religious representatives into the education system, not only in terms of curriculum content but also through extracurricular activities. Schools are adopting subjects designed to foster a sense of loyalty to Russia, promoting themes of patriotism and allegiance to the state over Ukrainian heritage. By instilling these ideologies at a young age, Russian authorities aim to reshape the identity of future generations in these territories, effectively integrating them into Russian cultural and social frameworks.
Lychko emphasizes that Ukrainian children in these areas are denied fundamental rights, including the ability to choose their language of instruction or the educational content they engage with. This situation raises serious concerns regarding the future of Ukrainian cultural identity and the rights of children in occupied territories, as they are forcibly subjected to a system that aims to eradicate their local history and replace it with a homogenized Russian narrative.
