Due to Russian attacks, Ukraine lost more than 1.2 million textbooks — the destroyed print runs are planned to be replaced by November.
Kyiv • UNN
The Ministry of Education and Science has begun reprinting 1.2 million destroyed textbooks and plans to deliver them by November 1, 2026. The losses are estimated at UAH 150 million.
As a result of the latest massive Russian attacks, more than 1.2 million copies of school textbooks have been destroyed in Ukraine. In response to a request from UNN, the Ministry of Education and Science reported that reprinting the lost editions has already begun and that they plan to deliver them to educational institutions by November 1, 2026.
Details
The Ministry of Education and Science reported that the estimated number of textbooks lost as a result of the latest massive Russian attacks amounts to 1,206,519 copies, noting that the destroyed textbooks are expected to be reprinted by November 1, 2026.
"The priority is to deliver textbooks for ninth-grade students, as they will study under the new NUS education standard. Fourth-grade students are the second priority. They have an alternative — textbooks printed under the new NUS curriculum in 2021. Students and teaching staff who are not provided with textbooks by September 1 will be able to use PDF versions of the textbooks and electronic supplements to them, which are posted on the website of the state institution "Ukrainian Institute for Education Development" and the national platform "All-Ukrainian School Online," the Ministry of Education and Science said.
The ministry noted that some publishers had their entire print runs of three ninth-grade textbooks (Ukrainian literature, geography, and biology) and three fourth-grade textbooks (mathematics and two English-language textbooks) completely destroyed. At the same time, textbooks for the same subjects by different authors survived at other publishers, so they will be delivered to educational institutions on time. Publishers have begun reprinting the destroyed textbooks, which will make it possible to deliver them to educational institutions by November 1.
It is also noted that fourth-grade students may be provided with textbooks held in regional reserve funds of educational literature and the reserve fund of the Ministry of Education and Science. They may also temporarily use textbooks that were printed in 2021.
"Ukraine has sufficient production capacity to print textbooks. The delay in publishing the textbooks is currently related to the search for additional sources of funding to restore the lost print runs, as well as the need to purchase large quantities of materials (paper, cardboard, and others) for printing, which are produced abroad and imported into Ukraine. The estimated financial losses amount to about UAH 150 million. A mechanism for compensating the losses is being developed by the government, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Education, Science and Innovation, and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine," the Ministry of Education and Science added.
In addition, the ministry reported that this year it is planned to print 13.5 million copies of textbooks for fourth-, sixth-, seventh-, and ninth-grade students.