About 18,000 Ukrainian refugee children study in schools in Ireland. This year, 550 of them passed the final exams to continue their studies. All of them will have the opportunity to study at the country’s universities free of charge. Despite reducing the size of social benefits and limiting housing benefits for refugees, the Irish government decided to continue the program of canceling tuition fees for Ukrainians.
“We are determined to continue the arrangements that were in place last year and gave those fleeing war free access to third-level education.” – said the head of the Ministry of Education of Ireland Patrick O’Donovan.
Students from Ukraine and their teachers feared that, in view of the reduction in aid to refugees, this year the benefits for studying at universities would be canceled.
Secretary General of the Association of Universities of Ireland, Jim Miley, welcomed the news about the continuation of free education for Ukrainians.
“It gives confidence to the sizeable cohort of graduates this year,” – says Miley.
The EU Temporary Protection Directive, which regulates the situation of Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war, stipulates that EU countries must provide free education to refugees up to the age of 18, but it does not require access to education after reaching this age. A step towards providing Ukrainians with higher education free of charge is an initiative of the government of Ireland.
Ukrainian schoolchildren who graduated from schools in Ireland this year call the country’s educational system much less formal and more student-oriented.
