High school students leave Ukraine en masse: the issue of youth mobilization is becoming more and more acute
The issue of youth mobilization in wartime has become one of the most acute and debatable topics for Ukrainian society. Many parents are in a state of constant anxiety, because the prospect of their children being drafted into military service creates fear for their future. This is especially true for families with boys of high school age. Added to this is the crisis in the field of education, which causes even more concern. All this creates conditions under which many families decide to send their children abroad, which, in turn, affects the demographic and educational situation in the country.
Mass migration of high school students: causes and consequences
Serhiy Gorbachev, the first educational ombudsman of Ukraine, indicated on two key reasons for the mass exodus of high school students abroad: fear of mobilization and the state’s indifference to education. Parents, not feeling confident about the stability and safety of their children, look for safer conditions for them outside the country. This especially applies to boys who, after reaching adulthood, may be involved in military service.
Gorbachev emphasizes that the failure of the state’s information policy became one of the main factors that caused this phenomenon. Inadequate communication between government, society and educational institutions creates a vacuum dominated by fear, uncertainty and a sense of insecurity.
“Teachers should not be responsible for the mobilization resource. Their task is to teach children and raise patriotism in them, but for this the school should feel the support of the state.” – noted Gorbachev.
The educational system is under pressure
Another important reason for the mass exodus of schoolchildren is the state’s indifference to education. Gorbachev notes that education in Ukraine has never been a priority. The state sees it as an expense rather than an investment in the future. This leads to chronic underfunding of the education system, lack of modern teaching materials and resources, low salaries of teachers and poor conditions for their work. All this makes the Ukrainian school less attractive for both students and teachers.
In the conditions of war, teachers are forced to perform many tasks that are not characteristic of them, which are often not directly related to the educational process. This makes their work even more difficult, and the school, in turn, cannot compensate for the failure of the state communication policy. As a result, children and their parents lose confidence in the Ukrainian education system and look for opportunities abroad.
Fear of mobilization
According to Gorbachev, the main factor driving families to migrate is the fear of mobilization. Although there is no official data on the number of high school students who have gone abroad, the scale of this phenomenon is becoming obvious. Parents who see a threat in the possible involvement of their children in hostilities seek to ensure a safe future for them.
At the same time, other experts emphasize that the fear of mobilization is largely caused by the lack of a clear information policy on the part of the state. Insufficient explanation of the rights and responsibilities of citizens, as well as the prospects for young people after the end of the war, creates an atmosphere of uncertainty and increases anxiety among the population.
Consequences for the country
Mass departure of high school students abroad has serious consequences for Ukraine. This not only exacerbates the demographic crisis, but also creates a problem of educational attrition, as many of those who leave the country do not return even after graduating. Ukraine is losing its future specialists, who could become the driving force of the country’s recovery after the war.
In addition, mass migration of young people affects the formation of patriotic sentiments in society. The lack of clear support from the state leads to the fact that children who go abroad associate themselves with Ukraine less and less. This creates a risk of loss of national identity among new generations.
Therefore, the problem of mass departure of high school students abroad is an alarming signal for Ukrainian society. It reflects not only the fear of mobilization, but also general systemic problems in education and public policy. Without active action on the part of the government, Ukraine risks losing a significant part of its future generation, which could become the key to the country’s recovery after the war.
