By Fatma Younis
UK Education Minister Georgia Gould has apologised to Ukrainian children who were forced to take a Russian GCSE due to the absence of a Ukrainian qualification, as the government announced funding for a new Ukrainian language course.
New Ukrainian GCSE to be introduced
The new qualification, being developed by the AQA exam board, is expected to be ready for teaching in schools from September 2028. It forms part of the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership signed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Lobbying and concerns over Russian GCSE
The move follows lobbying from Ukrainians in the UK and Kyiv's education ministry, which had warned that many Ukrainian children were being pressured by school staff to sit the Russian GCSE. Gould, speaking at a west London school on Tuesday, said she was "really sorry" students had been pushed into that position.
Government and Ukrainian officials welcome the step
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said Ukrainian children should have every opportunity to maintain a connection to their heritage. Ukraine's Minister of Education and Science, Andrii Butenko, called the announcement an important milestone towards giving Ukrainian children a genuine choice in their education while respecting their identity.
