Kyiv monastery runs illegal school, Education Ombudswoman reports violations
The so-called school at a UOC-MP monastery in the Holosiiv, Kyiv, shows signs of numerous violations, including infringement of children’s right to education, indoctrination, and promotion of communist and national socialist (nazi) totalitarian regimes, among other issues.
This was reported on Facebook by Education Ombudswoman Nadiia Leshchyk, according to Ukrinform.
“I reviewed the investigation by Slidstvo.Info into the illegal school operating at the Holosiivska Pustyn church. In this situation, several concerns stand out where I see potential violations: indoctrination of children, propaganda, and violations of state policy on national memory and the law on decommunization; infringement of children’s right to education; illegal provision of educational services; violations of licensing requirements by educational institutions (possible fictitious enrollment of students, improper receipt of educational subsidies, document forgery, etc.). Together with other authorities, we will investigate the circumstances of these potential violations, provide a legal assessment, and take appropriate response measures,” Leshchyk wrote.
She emphasized that the facts uncovered by Slidstvo.Info journalists – teaching with Soviet-era textbooks, instruction in the so-called Slavic language, Russian songs, and showing Russian films – indicate signs of indoctrination through Russian narratives and propaganda.
“The presence of such an illegal school in the capital of Ukraine is a sign of the destruction of Ukrainian identity. Such methods are used by the enemy in temporarily occupied territories,” Leshchyk noted.
She also reminded that, according to Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine “On condemnation of the communist and national socialist (nazi) totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and the prohibition of propaganda of their symbols”, the use and promotion of symbols of these totalitarian regimes is prohibited.
In this situation, the Ombudswoman pointed out that parents are also violating their children’s right to education.
“Children attend an underground school at a Moscow Patriarchate monastery in Kyiv, which does not have a license to provide educational services, and, according to the investigation materials, they do not attend the private or public schools in which they are officially enrolled, thereby violating their right to education. In the future, children may face difficulties obtaining education documents, and insufficient proficiency or lack of knowledge of the state language may create barriers to access to education,” Leshchyk wrote.
She reminded that under Ukraine’s education law, parents are obliged to ensure their child completes the educational program, to instill respect for the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, foster respect for the state language and national symbols, and ensure the child obtains a complete general secondary education. Parents must also prepare the child for independent life, choosing methods of upbringing that comply with the law and societal moral standards.
Leshchyk added that other violations include the illegal provision of educational services, breaches of licensing requirements at the schools where these children were officially counted, possible fraud with educational subsidies issued for students who were fictitiously enrolled, and document forgery.
“In response to this situation, I sent a letter to the State Service for Education Quality to conduct an unscheduled inspection of general secondary education institutions. I also contacted relevant institutions and law enforcement. Together with other authorities, we will establish the circumstances of possible violations, provide a legal assessment, and apply appropriate measures,” the Ombudswoman said.
As reported by Ukrinform, Slidstvo.Info published an investigation into the underground school at the UOC-MP Holosiivska Pustyn monastery in Kyiv, where children are taught with Soviet textbooks, shown Russian films, and taught Russian songs. Although the director calls the institution a “family club,” it operates like a normal school – children study five days a week from 9:00 to 14:00, with an extended day group.
Investigators from the Main Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine in Kyiv and Kyiv region have launched a pre-trial investigation based on the facts published by Slidstvo.Info.
Photo: Slidstvo.Info