Patrick Le Tréhondat, Varvara Borysenko
More than 25% of schoolchildren in Ukraine today are deprived of the opportunity to study fully because of military operations and regular Russian missile attacks. As a result, in April 2024, 628,489 children in Ukraine were studying at a distance and a further 298,833 were studying in a mixed format (partly at school, partly online). 2,727,483 children attend school regularly. More than 5,000 schools have been totally or partially destroyed in Ukraine. The lives of secondary school pupils have been turned upside down by the war. Ukraine's young people can no longer develop to their full potential. They are in constant danger from Russia's merciless shelling of their country.
Varvara Borysenko, a young Ukrainian high school student and PriamaDiia activist, was kind enough to answer our questions about her life as a schoolgirl in a country at war.
Patrick Le Tréhondat
Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
Of course you can! My name is Varvara, I'm 16 and I come from Kharkiv, a town in the east of Ukraine. We have 11 years of school here, so I'm currently in 10e (to explain, that's the equivalent of the first year of secondary school in your education system, so I've still got a year and a half in secondary school). By the way, I'm an excellent student! At the moment, I'm staying with my grandparents, who live in a region that's a bit quieter (although the word 'quieter' doesn't really apply to any Ukrainian region) than where I come from.
How has the war changed your life? But also your study conditions?
I would say that the war changed a lot of things in my life. My parents and I decided to leave Kharkiv on the first day of the conflict, because it was too dangerous to stay. I remember that monstrous day very well... My mother woke me up and told me that the Russian invasion had begun, and that she and my father had already heard explosions very early in the morning. There was nothing left in the shops, the traffic was incredibly heavy... It took us (me, my parents and our cat) 12 hours to cover just 250 kilometres!
As far as my studies are concerned, I'm taking online courses (as everyone else did during the Covid lockdown). This has its advantages, because I have more free time and I spend more of it with my family! But sometimes I miss the 'real' interaction with my classmates... For example, one of my friends has gone to Austria. We don't talk as often as we used to, which makes me sad. That's why I have lots of online friends.
What are the biggest problems you encounter in your daily life?
The question of safety arises every day... You never know if everything's going to go well on a simple walk. There are a lot of air alerts, warning us of the danger of being outside: you have to hide, there's a risk of a Russian attack. Living with other family members, not just your parents, can also be difficult at times. I miss my pre-war life, even though I try to enjoy every moment of everyday life without focusing too much on the past.
How do the other high school students react to the war? What do they suffer most from?
It depends on where their school is located. Many high school school pupils go to school in regions considered safer, but they have to deal with the problem of interrupted lessons due to air alerts. Those who have online courses take them when there is no internet or electricity.
What leisure activities are available to you today as a young schoolgirl in Ukraine?
I have friends who dance, play football and so on. But safety remains the absolute priority. Personally, I prefer to spend my time either walking around the city or doing something at home. I have a huge admiration for cinema, so I watch a lot of films, especially French ones, like those by Jean-Luc Godard, Louis Malle, Philippe Garrel, Chantal Akerman and so on. It helps me practise my listening comprehension of the French language! I also draw, read and even draw tarot cards.
You're a member of the PriamaDiia union. Why ?
I can see that neoliberal reforms are destroying our higher education system. My mother is a professor of art history at one of Kharkiv's universities. The stress of the war, added to these reforms, makes the work of teachers unbearably difficult. The students, for their part, are also suffering, as education is becoming increasingly inaccessible. I want to be useful to society, improve the living conditions of students and teachers, and make education better and more accessible to everyone!
Priama Diia gives me this opportunity to get involved in a noble cause. I love communicating with people, which is why, within our union, I work on welcoming new union members as well as in the international relations department, because I speak English and French.
Do the high school students have any particular demands?
Sad to say, in my experience with my classmates, high school students aren't really interested in activism, even when it comes to issues that concern them. I'm part of the student government at my school, and we often deal with very trivial issues, like making a video to say hello to our teachers on Teachers' Day and so on.
What are the problems at your school, for example?
When the Russians bomb civilian energy infrastructures, there can be prolonged power cuts in Kharkiv. During this time, there are no classes, because the pupils and teachers who are in the city cannot concentrate on that. They have to make sure they have food, water and a minimum of light, whether from candles or battery-operated lamps. This also happens in other cities, of course.
How do you see your future?
I want to become a film-maker. Film is my absolute passion. Through my film projects, I want to share my vision of the world to make it more sensitive, more sincere, kinder, so that people start to appreciate art more deeply and stop consuming it without thinking.
I'm thinking of studying in France to gain experience abroad, because I'm fascinated by the cultures of other countries, and to make new contacts for Priama Diia too! After that, I'll see; I don't want to make too many plans. I can only say that I'm sure I'll never want to leave Ukraine forever. It's a country that's very close to my heart.
My message to those reading this interview is to continue to support Ukraine in its struggle against Russian imperialism and never to forget the struggles of other oppressed nations around the world. None of us is free until we are all free. And also be kinder and more attentive to those around you!