The UK government has apologized to Ukrainian child refugees who were encouraged to study Russian in English schools due to the absence of a Ukrainian language GCSE. The apology comes alongside the announcement of funding for a new Ukrainian GCSE exam, set to launch in England by 2028.

Ukrainian children who arrived in the UK after Russia’s 2022 invasion described being invited to study Russian as “insulting.” The schools minister, Georgia Gould, expressed regret for the situation, stating, “So many students were pushed into having to do Russian. I’m really sorry that they were put in that position. It’s really important that they will have access to a Ukrainian GCSE.” The new qualification is being developed by the AQA exam board with a £340,000 grant from the Department for Education.

Background and Community Response

This move follows years of lobbying by the Ukrainian government and community groups representing over 30,000 Ukrainian child refugees in the UK. In 2024, the education ministry in Kyiv raised concerns about Ukrainian children being pressured to take the Russian GCSE. Ukrainian education minister Andrii Butenko thanked the UK government, emphasizing that the new GCSE will offer Ukrainian refugee children an equal opportunity to study their native language.

Personal Accounts and Cultural Significance

During a visit to St Mary’s school in West London, part of a network of Ukrainian-language schools, Gould met Ukrainian young people who shared their experiences. Vitalii Andronik, 20, recalled being urged to study Russian GCSE as a refugee but welcomed the initiative and apology. Sofiia Chonka, 16, who fled southwestern Ukraine in 2024, rejected studying Russian, citing personal and national trauma due to the conflict. She described Ukrainian as a beautiful language that Russia seeks to suppress.

Looking Forward

Inna Hryhorovych, head of the St Mary’s Trust, who has campaigned for a Ukrainian GCSE since 2014, expressed hope for future expansion, including an A-level course. Gould clarified that the immediate focus is on the GCSE, aiming to ensure its success. She encouraged British children to consider studying Ukrainian as a gesture of solidarity and shared that Ukrainian students might even tutor their peers.