Valentina Milashenko: "I feel great joy when I see my daughters successfully accommodated in Moldovan education system".
When I see how well my daughters have integrated into Moldavan school, especially the youngest in the first grade of the "Mihail Lomonosov" Theoretical Lyceum in Chisinau, I feel some sadness thinking about the day we will have to leave this place. It's better than I expected, and that gives me a feeling of well-being, peace, stability, etc.
This is how Valentina Milashenko, a mother of six children, begins her story. For more than a year and a half, she took refuge from Odessa in Chisinau for the safety of her daughters. We got to know her through her involvement as one of five Ukrainian women coordinators in the Ukrainian Refugee Network. She is living in Moldova with her six daughters and granddaughter. We found out about her experience as a mother and about her daughters as students already integrated into the Moldovan education system.
"I'm a mother and a grandmother. Olga, the eldest daughter, is 23 years old, and the youngest daughter, Catherine, is just five years old. Between them are 20-year-old Maria, 18-year-old Anastasia, 15-year-old Nadezhda, and eight-year-old Valentina. And, of course, granddaughter Alexandra, who is three years old. My experience as a parent, and the fact that my daughters are enrolled in the Moldovan education system, is a successful one.
Immediately after our arrival in March–May 2022, Nadejda and Valentina attended online lessons, being, at that time, still enrolled in the Ukrainian school, but since September they have become pupils at the "Mihail Lomonosov" Theoretical Lyceum in Chisinau, which was possible with the support of the Moldovan authorities. We were able to enroll Nadejda and Valentina in school, and in autumn, the youngest daughter, Ecaterina, became a first grade pupil. All three girls attend this lyceum in the Poșta Veche sector, which we chose because it is closer to home. As soon as I arrived in the director's office, Elena Șatygina, I knew I had chosen the best institution for my girls.
When registering, I was asked to present the following documents: my passport, children's birth certificates, medical certificate, list of vaccinations, medical board pass certificate, and an extract from school in Ukraine (personal file). Valentina passed some tests before school. Then I gave the list concerning the vaccinations, and the child also passed the medical examination. For Nadejda, the eldest daughter, I sent all the documents from the school in Ukraine and the medical file. We registered on the platform, went to the sector polyclinic, and then contacted the school administration.
We have been supported by the Ministry of Education, which was fully involved in providing support to Ukrainian children through the decree on their enrolment in Moldovan schools. And here I would like to mention a few NGOs that also gave us support: WorldVision, Unicef, Casa Marioarei, etc.
Today, one year apart, I can say with certainty that my girls are very lucky. As a parent, I have noticed a friendly attitude of the pupils and teaching staff, quality education, as well as comfortable classrooms for the children in the primary classes, in the extended day groups, and, of course, the biggest bonus, the extra circles and sections that are organized in school.
Their colleagues are very friendly, and my girls didn't notice any difference in communication. The teachers were very understanding; they helped my eldest daughter improve her level of knowledge in different school subjects, but especially in Romanian. Thanks to Boldurescu Elena, the class teacher, for her competence, care, and warmth towards the foreign children of the first grade. My little girl never felt like an outsider or an outcast. This speaks to the great professionalism of this woman, who has created a friendly team among the children! Special thanks also go to Natalia Jorina. Thanks to this teacher, my daughter integrated smoothly, which helped her learn Romanian faster. Daily communication is a great asset for all three of them, allowing them not only to understand but also to overcome the fear barrier and start speaking the language.
In February of this year, the Chisinau City Hall, after having carried out a capital repair of part of the school, opened four kindergarten groups for 100 places. My youngest daughter went to this kindergarten within the school. I would also like to mention that, thanks to the new order of the Ministry of Education of September 4, 2023, all Ukrainian children went to school. It was the headmistress of the institution who went to the temporary accommodation centers for Ukrainian refugees and invited the children to enroll in high school. This meant a new flow of pupils who have the opportunity to gain quality knowledge and will be able to reintegrate into Moldovan society. On this occasion, I would like to make a request to the authorities and NGOs about the fact that this institution is in need of major improvements and modernization, including the opening of additional classrooms, both due to the development of the neighborhood (multi-story buildings are being built around it) and the increasing number of pupils from Ukraine.
In spite of the war in our country, I cannot fail to mention so many wonderful things that have happened in my girls' lives since they came here. They have all found friends, started to communicate, and returned to the normality that every child needs to grow up in harmony. I wouldn't ask any of the girls if they liked the new school; the answer is indisputable: yes. There is a lot of friendship, getting to know each other, and socializing in the halls of this school. And I love it when I hear them speaking Romanian with their colleagues. And especially when they pronounce the word "thank you" with such sincerity and joy.
806 pupils from Ukraine study in Chisinau. In total, there are about 1900 children from Ukraine enrolled in schools and kindergartens in the Republic of Moldova. Since this year, they no longer have the status of auditors and are obliged to attend classes like other pupils.
