Lithuanians launch online school for children from Ukraine

VILNIUS – An online platform developed by Lithuanians – a school for children from Ukraine – has been launched on Thursday.

Mantas Stonkus, director of public establishment Ukrainos Mokykla (School of Ukraine), humorist and TV presenter, stated that the school was open not only to the Ukrainian children staying in Lithuania.

“We have created this school with our partners not just for the refugees staying in Lithuania. It is open to all Ukrainian-speaking children currently staying in Lithuania, Moldova, Romania and so on,” he told reporters on Thursday.

The school with a capacity of up to 80,000 pupils currently has approximately 1,000 schoolchildren. There are 24 teachers working remotely and lessons begin at 3 p.m.

As estimated by Stonkus, school maintenance costs amount to approximately 15,000 euros per month.

The online platform had sufficient funding for this year, he said adding that the platform was expected to keep functioning next year and potentially to evolve into an accredited school.

“This platform will also be highly necessary in the beginning of the next school year,” Stonkus said.

Eimantas Bekeza, one of the initiators of the project, told reporters that children were taught the same subjects as in regular schools, with the exception of music, arts and crafts.

Teachers who were all Ukrainians were currently paid 20 euros per lesson, he added.

The total number of Ukrainian war refugees registered in Lithuania so far has risen to 47,300, including almost 19,500 minors, according to the latest official statistics published on Thursday.