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School starts in a war zone – 190,000 schoolchildren are still holding out in Kyiv and, together with their teachers, are trying to cope with everyday school life as best they can.
If an air alarm sounds, the lesson will continue in the bunker.
But for fourth-grader Daria Kosova, it's still better than staying at home.
Dariia Kosova, fourth grader from Kyiv
»Going to school is more fun than studying at home because you can see your friends. Now when an air raid siren goes off, I don't have to log out of class and watch the recording again. You can actually learn. You have more opportunities to learn like normal kids do.”
Since many of Dariia's classmates have fled the city and there is not enough space for all the remaining children in the school's shelters, a hybrid lesson is offered via live stream and recording.
But since Russia has been increasingly attacking Ukraine's energy grid, blackouts have been interrupting classes.
Financially better positioned private schools like Yaroslav Palii's were able to make provisions.
Yaroslav Palii, co-founder of the private school
“We have two 15kW generators available and collected fuel to top up the generators. We also made our kitchen self-sufficient (from electricity) because there were problems with cooking as all stoves are powered by electricity.«
The school has become such a warm haven, not only for the children but also for their parents.
They can come here if the electricity or the heating fails and it gets cold at home.
Anatolii Kosov, father of Dariia
“Probably the hardest part is not being around when there's a threat. As much as you trust the teachers, you understand that you are not in control of the situation and you worry.”
The city administration has set the goal that, despite the increasingly difficult circumstances, the school semester should continue until the official end on December 23rd.
But even if the circumstances here are better than in other schools, the reality of the war remains everyday life for the children.
Dariia Kosova, fourth grader from Kyiv
»(An air siren) scares me because I don't understand what's going on. Some children from other classes start screaming, those who are more scared scream and run to the air-raid shelter. Then I don't know what to do."