Czechia’s separate primary school enrollment process for refugees puts children at risk of exclusion

PRAGUE, 24 January 2025 – “UNICEF is concerned by a new provision that enables schools and municipalities to establish a separate primary school enrollment process for children who have been granted temporary protection in Czechia.

“The separate enrollment process means that schools have the option of creating a tiered enrollment system whereby Czech nationals enroll in school months ahead of the June enrollment period allocated for refugee children – the vast majority of whom have fled the war in Ukraine.

“The new measure – which was included in the Lex Ukraine VII legislation package – could impact children’s right to education, undermining the Convention of the Rights of the Child, to which the Czech Republic is a signatory. It may also put children at risk of exclusion.

“UNICEF acknowledges the significant challenges that the Czech education system faces in accommodating the increased number of refugee children, particularly in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“UNICEF commends the Czechia’s strong commitment and efforts to support Ukrainian children and families thus far and urges the Czech national and local governments, educational institutions, and stakeholders to continue to prioritize solutions that uphold the principles of inclusivity and equity.

“UNICEF urges local governments to take steps to ensure that this new measure does not lead to stigmatization of refugee children, exclusion from education or social divisions. This includes:

• Avoid separate enrollment processes for Ukrainian refugee children by planning ahead and taking proactive steps to address potential capacity shortages before they become critical.
• Foster collaboration among municipalities and city districts to ensure a coordinated and effective response to increased school enrollments.
• Seek support from the Ministry of Education’s mobile teams to address immediate capacity and resource challenges in schools and provide targeted support to schools with high numbers of foreign students
• Provide clear and accessible guidelines for parents, especially those unfamiliar with the Czech education system, and utilize multilingual resources and to assist with enrollment-related concerns.

“Building on a shared commitment to safeguarding children’s rights, UNICEF stands ready to continue supporting the Czech government and partners in addressing these challenges.”