On the first day of the new school year, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof, visited the first thematic lesson in one of the educational institutions of Zaporizhzhia.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Dick Schoof spoke with students from the 1st and 11th grades. According to the school’s principal, this year the school will be educating 76 first-graders and have four 11th-grade classes.
The President noted that it was an honor for him to be in Zaporizhzhia today alongside the Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
“We wanted to congratulate you on this day. You are doing so well, studying, being smart. We are very proud – I cannot say ‘of children’ – of our adult heroes, because you are in Ukraine, continuing your education and fighting, despite everything. We thank you for your love for Ukraine, for being so heroic and patriotic, even though, to us, you are still children,” he said.
The Dutch Prime Minister emphasized the importance of staying in Ukraine, studying and developing here.
“We understand how stressful and difficult these conditions are for you. But please continue to do this. The Netherlands stands with Ukraine, stands with you economically, politically, financially, and militarily – in every way,” he said.
Dick Schoof also gifted the students several well-known Dutch books translated into Ukrainian.
Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration Head Ivan Fedorov informed the President and the Prime Minister that Zaporizhzhia is close to the frontlines and faces daily shelling from Russia. To ensure the continuity of the educational process, classrooms are being set up in shelters.
He mentioned that the region is implementing a program to build underground schools. By the end of the year, they plan to equip eight more schools in shelters, enabling over 6,000 students to continue their education offline.
Ivan Fedorov also added that during lessons on national defense, students are taught the basics of first aid, mine and explosive safety, and how to handle dangerous objects.
