The Ministry of Education and Research launches appeal for financial support to facilitate access to education for refugee children from Ukraine

The Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova is launching an appeal to international donors to mobilise technical and financial resources in support of integrating refugee children into the Moldovan education system. In partnership with UNICEF and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Ministry presented the Roadmap for the Integration of Refugee Children into the Education System of the Republic of Moldova during an event that brought together donors and development partners.

The document outlines a strategy for the 2025–2026 period and aims to ensure access to inclusive and quality education for all refugee children. Full implementation of the outlined measures requires an estimated total funding of €35.5 million in the next two years. The investment will benefit the overall education system.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Education and Research Dan Perciun welcomed the efforts of all stakeholders involved in integrating refugee children into Moldova’s education system and stressed the importance of reinforcing these efforts.

“Through our joint efforts, Moldova’s education system will become more resilient and better equipped to integrate refugees from other countries. Until now, our system was not fully adapted to this task, and there is still a lack of understanding in society of how this process should take place. In essence, the Roadmap offers a triple impact: it supports the integration of Ukrainian refugees, facilitates the inclusion of other migrant and refugee children, and contributes to the reintegration of children from the Moldovan diaspora,” emphasised Minister Perciun.

“Today’s event marks an important new step. This roadmap is more than a policy document — it is a national statement of intent, a clear commitment to building an inclusive education system that leaves no child behind,” said Maha Damaj, UNICEF Representative in Moldova.

“Education is the one thing that refugees can put to practice wherever they are, supporting the growth of the hosting country and their own once they will be able to return. UNHCR will continue offering Romanian language and literacy classes, supporting school enrolment efforts, and working to ensure that schools are welcoming places that are free from bullying.” said Frederic Cussigh, Deputy Representative of UNHCR in Moldova.

The Roadmap outlines concrete measures across several priority areas, including:

• Compensation for schools and kindergartens integrating refugee children;

• Recovery and accelerated learning programmes, including for Roma refugee children who have not previously attended school;

• Support for children with special educational needs;

• A preparatory year for intensive Romanian language, history, and culture courses;

• Extracurricular activities and investments in school infrastructure;

• Operation of EduTech laboratories for supervised online learning;

• Information and awareness campaigns to encourage school enrollment and counter misinformation.

According to the Ministry of Education and Research, more than 3,500 refugee children are currently enrolled in educational institutions across the Republic of Moldova. The total number of refugee children from Ukraine residing in Moldova is estimated at 15,579 school-age children and 9,844 preschool-age children.