During her visit to France, the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, along with the First Lady of the French Republic, Brigitte Macron, and the Minister of Education of France, Gabriel Attal, visited the Arbalete primary school—a French state educational institution located in the central part of Paris, in the historic 5th district of the city.
Currently, 268 children, including two students from Ukraine, receive primary education at this school. As of November of the current year, a total of 17,089 Ukrainian children are studying in secondary educational institutions in France.
In April 2022, with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in France, the Paris Academy opened Ukrainian language courses for temporarily displaced children from Ukraine at the Arbalete school. The courses are free and available for both Ukrainians and children of other nationalities studying in Parisian schools within the French education system. Currently, 56 children attend these courses at this institution. Language learning also takes place in two other schools in Paris—in the 12th and 19th districts. The overall number of children attending courses in the three schools is 170.
To ensure the teaching of Ukrainian language courses, the Paris Academy has allocated a total of eight positions for Ukrainian language teachers. These positions were filled by educators who found refuge from Russian aggression in Ukraine on the territory of France.
"Ukrainian children have faced too many challenges due to the Russian invasion. From physical danger to moral trials caused by the need to leave home and adapt to a new place, often in a new culture. We really want to protect them from all possible hardships, give them a sense of confidence, a sense of the future. It is very encouraging that here in France, they understand this and are already taking action," emphasized Olena Zelenska.
