Hungarians help Ukraine refugees with shelter, food and now with schooling

Hungary’s disaster management authority on Wednesday said it has so far provided shelter to 7,028 war refugees from Ukraine, including 3,809 children and 2,150 women, in cooperation with municipal and county authorities.

Accommodation and places to sleep at

The refugees have been placed in 173 reception centres across 11 counties, the national disaster management centre OKF told MTI.

The OKF noted that it maintains a round-the-clock presence at the refugee collection points along the Hungary-Ukraine border, Budapest’s railway stations and the BOK sports and events centre which serves as a humanitarian transit point.

The authority said it is helping to coordinate the transportation and placement of refugees who choose to stay in Hungary, and it is providing beds and supplies to the refugee reception centres.

The OKF has so far provided 1,619 camping beds, 467 mattresses, 1,293 blankets and 2,120 sleeping bags to reception centres, it said.

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Refugee situation at the Hungarian capital

At the Hungarian capital, the local police received 1,638 refugees, with 572 children among them, on Tuesday, according to the police website.

Refugees arriving on special train services at Kőbánya felső railway station, in eastern Budapest, were taken by bus to the BOK sports and events centre serving as a humanitarian transit point.

The authorities transported 99 people, including 72 children, to accommodation in the capital and outlying areas.

The police have contracted 31 Ukrainian interpreters

and they are working closely with staff of the disaster management authority, the immigration office, the Budapest metropolitan council, as well as numerous aid groups, the statement said.

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Schooling for asylum seekers’ children

Additionally, the Hungarian government offers schooling to minors fleeing from Ukraine to Hungary, the human resources ministry said on Wednesday.

Tens of thousands of children have arrived in Hungary since the war broke out in Ukraine, and families applying for asylum in the country can send their children to local kindergartens and schools, the ministry said in a statement.

To help children learn Hungarian and integrate, schools will offer extra classes in the afternoons, while schools will receive an extra 130,000 forints (€ 350) per child a month, the statement said.

Secondary school students will have an opportunity to take their final exams in Hungary, the statement added.

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Source: MTI