In a recent report, Amnesty International has highlighted the coercion faced by Ukrainian teachers in Russian-occupied territories, as they are pressured to deliver a Russian curriculum to local students. This development arises amid a broader strategy by Russian authorities to institute an educational program that purportedly justifies their aggressive actions against Ukraine as necessary self-defense. The full details of these actions have been outlined by Amnesty International.
The curriculum in question, which features prominently in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, has been criticized for its portrayal of historical events and ongoing conflicts. According to Anna Wright, an Amnesty International researcher for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the new history textbook accompanying this curriculum distorts facts concerning significant human rights violations and crimes perpetrated by Russian forces, thereby misrepresenting events to Ukrainian students.
The initiative to enforce this curriculum has been met with considerable resistance from Ukrainian educators, who refuse to propagate what they describe as Russian propaganda within the teaching environment. This resistance, however, is met with severe consequences for these educators, including threats of unemployment, withdrawal of social and medical assistance, and, in extreme cases, abductions and physical violence, further detailed in Amnesty’s reports.
The predicament of Ukrainian teachers under these conditions is emblematic of broader issues concerning the occupier’s responsibilities in conflict zones. Under international norms, occupying powers are mandated to prevent acts of cruelty and ensure the humane treatment of civilians, as well as the proper functioning of educational institutions. More information on these obligations can be referenced in the Convention Against Torture documentation.
This situation was brought to greater public attention on World Teachers’ Day, highlighting the essential role educators play and the persistent challenges they face globally, as emphasized by UNESCO. The theme for this year, “Valuing teacher voices: towards a new social contract for education,” underscores the need for substantial advancements in addressing the trials teachers endure and the significance of their contribution.