We are deeply concerned that due to the lack of Ukrainian GCSE, many Ukrainian children are being pressured by their school staff to pass the Russian GCSE. Thousands of Ukrainians in the UK have signed a petition calling for a Ukrainian GCSE as a matter of urgency. They argue the language is crucial for Ukraine's independence and identity, and for the future of vulnerable young refugees in the UK.
Many Ukrainian teenagers in the UK are upset to be prompted by British schools to instead study Russian at GCSE and are frustrated they cannot study their mother tongue. Vitalii, who asked to be referred to only by his first name, fled the western city of Chernivtsi to live with his older sister in London in April 2022 when he was 15.
Vitalii, who is now 18, said: 'Why should I study Russian? I'm Ukrainian and I want to show it. The language is paramount for all us.'
The Department for Education (DfE) has agreed to meet education officials from Kyiv to discuss the issue, but insisted that any decision about reintroducing a GCSE in Ukrainian was a matter for exam bodies.
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