Out of School Children in Ukraine: A Study on the Scope and Dimensions of the Problem with Recommendations for Action

This report outlines the results of the survey “Out of School Children in Ukraine - A Study on the Scope and Dimensions of the Problem with Recommendations for Action”, which was conducted in January 2016 by GfK Ukraine, with the support of the UNICEF Country Office in Ukraine.

The necessity of this study was determined by the impact of internal migration from the non-government controlled areas (NGCA) to other regions of Ukraine, on the education system, as well as by the lack of complex data on IDP access to school in the areas of settlement.

Analysis of the situation was conducted through desk research of the legislative framework and available statistics, as well as qualitative studies on access to education by IDPs.

Focus-group discussions with IDP children and parents, as well as semi-structured interviews with key informants (hereinafter referred as KIs), who are representatives of state bodies, local authorities, NGOs, UNICEF “Education” Cluster partners etc., were conducted to study the situation regarding access of IDP children to education. In addition, focus-group discussions with Roma children and parents were conducted to determine any problems in school access that are not caused by the IDP status.

The study tools (guide for focus group discussions (FGDs) and questionnaire for interviews with KIs) were based on the Operational Manual of The Global Out-of-School Children Initiative. GfK Ukraine finalized the study tools, and they were commented on and approved by the Ethics Committee of Sociological Association of Ukraine.