A remote learning classroom intended for Ukrainian refugee children was set up at the placement center of “Constructorul” Sanatorium in the municipality of Chisinau. This was outfitted with desks, school suppliers and 20 laptops that ensure access to online education platforms so that the children can continue studies with their teachers and mates from Ukraine, IPN reports.

Most of the children are primary school students. In the morning, they attend classes taught by teachers from Ukraine, while in the afternoon they do the homework and play, said the Government’s press service.

“After over a month during which the Government has made effort to identify, authorize and provide refugee placement centers with all the necessary things, the past few weeks we have focused on the ensuring of access to education for the over 47,000 refugee children. We are examining different forms of inclusion – remote learning with teachers from Ukraine or integration into schools in the Republic of Moldova,” said Svetlana Țurcanu, deputy secretary general of the Government.

“The pandemic led to the development of online learning and, respectively, each child knows the classmates and teachers and can easily connect no matter in what corner of the world they are,” noted Adriana Cazacu, secretary of state at the Ministry of Education and Research.

Two more areas at placement centers will be adjusted in the near future. Each classroom comes fully equipped and supports 20 children with computers, a reliable internet connection, chairs, desks, and all the needed resources and supplies for students to continue their education remotely. These are outfitted with assistance from the international NGOs Moldova World Children’s Fund, SmartAid, the International Center for Cooperation and Development “Phoenix” and from business entities.

“It is very important for the students from Ukraine to continue their studies and to manage to finish the school year. At the moment, we have a budget for two more classrooms with 20 computers each. This is a pilot project and, based on these examples, we will look for donors so as to open more classrooms in other placement centers in Moldova. It is an efficient partnership between the Government, NGOs and business entities ready to assist the children from Ukraine to learn in times of war,” said John N. Maxemchuk, vice president of Moldova World Children’s Fund.

About 50 of the 100 refugees living now at the placement center at “Constructorul” are children.

Information about the access to education of refugee children is available on the Ministry of Education and Research’s website.