Ukrainian Refugee Withdraws from College Over Pressure to Study Russian

Kateryna Endeberia, a 19-year-old Ukrainian refugee, relocated to Stoke-on-Trent, UK, in 2022, fleeing the ongoing conflict following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. After completing her GCSEs at The Excel Academy in 2023, she enrolled at City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College (SFC) to study economics, politics, and statistics. However, her experience at the college took a troubling turn when she faced pressure from teachers to switch her subjects to include Russian, a language she associates with trauma due to her family's circumstances.

Ukrainian refugee leaves British college that told her to "learn Russian"The Guardian

Endeberia reported that when she encountered challenges in her A-level courses, teachers suggested she replace these subjects with Russian language studies. Given that her father is a Ukrainian soldier, she found this suggestion "hurtful and insensitive," equating it to "discrimination and racism." Endeberia ultimately decided to withdraw from SFC, opting to continue her education at home using notes from friends. She plans to take A-level exams as a private candidate in 2026, incurring a cost of £1,400.

The Guardian

Endeberia expressed frustration over the lack of support from the college, stating that rather than receiving empathy or assistance, she felt bullied due to her accent and was pressured to change her academic focus. She is currently pursuing a complaints process through Potteries Educational Trust, which oversees SFC, and intends to escalate her case to Ofsted if necessary.

The Guardian

A spokesperson for City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College emphasized the institution's commitment to student welfare, stating, “The college cares deeply about our students and every effort is made to resolve issues and complaints in accordance with our complaints and resolution process.” However, they refrained from commenting on individual cases due to confidentiality concerns.

The Guardian

In response to the broader implications of this situation, Ukraine's education minister, Oksen Lisovyi, met with UK education secretary Bridget Phillipson in December 2024. Lisovyi warned that teaching Russian could retraumatize approximately 27,000 displaced Ukrainian children in the UK. The children’s commissioner, Rachel de Souza, has also advocated for the reintroduction of a GCSE in Ukrainian, which AQA is considering developing, although this process may take several years.

The GuardianUkrainian refugee leaves British college that told her to "learn Russian"

As the situation unfolds, Endeberia's case highlights the challenges faced by Ukrainian refugees in adapting to the UK education system. The ongoing discussions regarding the introduction of a GCSE in Ukrainian may provide a more supportive educational framework for Ukrainian students in the future.

The Guardian