The total number of students in schools in Donbas has decreased by 55% since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine – from 168,000 to 76,300. This was stated by the Director of the Department of Education and Science of the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, Tetiana Sidashova, during an online briefing, as reported by Ukrinform.
“At the beginning of the war in 2022, there were 168,000 students in Donbas schools. By September 1, 2022, there were 105,000 students, and by September 1, 2023, the number had decreased to 92,000. As of today, we have 76,300 students because people are relocating to other regions of Ukraine and possibly to other countries”, - Sidashova said.
Regarding teachers, as of January 1, 2022, there were just over 14,000 teachers working in the region's general education schools, but now there are just over 7,000 remaining.
“In 2024 alone, 19 general secondary education institutions in 11 territorial communities of the Donetsk oblast have suspended operations. Approximately 2,000 children have transferred to other educational institutions”, - the department director noted.
She added that 254 general secondary education institutions in the Donetsk oblast are currently operating in a remote learning format.