Ukrainian Refugee Forced Out of College After Being Pressured to Study Russian
A Ukrainian refugee has left her sixth-form college in Stoke-on-Trent. She says teachers pressured her to study Russian. This request deeply upset the 19-year-old student.
Kateryna Endeberia fled Ukraine after Russia’s invasion. She completed a foundation year at City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College. However, she later struggled with her A-level subjects.
Request Felt Like “Discrimination”
Instead of extra academic support, she says staff suggested Russian. Endeberia found this request hurtful and insensitive. Her father is a Ukrainian soldier, making the idea traumatic. She believes the suggestion was akin to discrimination. “It’s against my personal principle,” she stated. Endeberia was born in Donetsk, where war began in 2014.
Studying Alone Amid Complaint Process
Endeberia has now dropped out of the college. She is studying at home using friends’ notes. Consequently, she will take her A-level exams as a private candidate in 2026.
She is pursuing a formal complaint through the college’s trust. The college declined to comment on individual cases. However, they confirmed they follow a strict complaints process.
A Wider Issue for Ukrainian Students
This case highlights a broader concern. Many Ukrainian children in the UK face similar pressure. Ukraine’s education minister has warned this can retraumatize students. Officials are urging for more Ukrainian language support. An exam board is considering a GCSE in Ukrainian. However, this development may still take several years.
