Ukrainian Children Begin School Year in Underground Classrooms for Safety

  Photo:AP

This September, thousands of Ukrainian children experienced their first day of school not in sunlit classrooms, but deep underground. In cities like Kharkiv, close to the Russian border, schools have moved below the streets to protect students from frequent air raids and bomb threats. For these children, the school bell now signals not just learning but a symbol of safety and determination. The image of children holding hands as they descend to their underground classrooms shows the new reality for families struggling to keep education alive during a time of war.

How Underground Schools Became Necessary

Since the war in Ukraine escalated in 2022, many school buildings have been damaged or destroyed by airstrikes and shelling. In places where the threat remains high, sending children to regular schools above ground is simply too dangerous. Local governments and parents worked together to create underground classrooms, some three floors down, and in some cases even turning subway stations into places of learning.

In Kharkiv alone, nearly 17,000 students have started to study in these special facilities built for safety. For many parents, the decision to send children underground was not easy. Many had already lost faith that their children would ever experience “normal” school again. But these new underground schools offer hope—a space where children can learn, play, and share their lives with classmates even in the middle of a war.

The New Classroom Experience

The underground schools are clean, bright, and well-lit, even if windows are nowhere in sight. Desks, chairs, whiteboards, and even decorations fill the rooms to create a warm, welcoming environment. The schools run on tight schedules, often dividing days into shifts so that every child can spend time there. Each morning, children quickly move underground guided by teachers and parents, sometimes holding hands as they go down the stairs for safety.

While these new classrooms are different, the lessons continue. Teachers say students are eager to learn, drawing, answering questions, and even laughing and playing during breaks. Despite the threat above ground, the underground school provides a sense of normalcy—a reminder that childhood and learning cannot be stopped, even by war.

The Impact on Children and Families

For many families, starting the school year in a bunker was unimaginable a few years ago. Parents describe their emotions: relief that their children are safe, sadness at how much has changed, and pride that their children continue their studies despite danger. Some children, such as those in the village of Bobryk, have never known a different school experience—they have spent their entire early school life underground.

Teachers worry about the long-term effects. Space is tight in many underground schools, with only thin plastic sheets dividing classrooms. Play areas are small, and the lack of windows means children miss out on natural sunlight and fresh air. Still, teachers and community leaders insist it is better for children to be together, learning in person, than alone at home or forced to move far away.

Community Resilience and Hope

The opening of underground schools is a sign of the remarkable strength shown by Ukrainians. Communities have adapted quickly, transforming metro stations and basements into places of learning. Volunteers help to decorate and brighten up the spaces, while parents and teachers bring flowers and small gifts to mark the first day. Even older students, once unsure about learning in a basement, say they are happy to see their friends and teachers in person.

Despite all the hardship, Ukrainian families and educators want to give every child the chance to dream about the future. They want to make sure no generation loses the right to education. The dreams are simple—many children say they wish to return to their old classrooms one day, where sunlight streams through the windows and school feels like home again.