To school for deferment: Ukraine risks losing teachers, with or without men

"Finding a computer teacher has always been difficult because salaries in IT are significantly higher," says Lyudmyla Kramina, a school principal in Chernivtsi. "But since April, men have increasingly shown interest in school vacancies."

Being a teacher in Ukraine is more than a profession—it's daily work at the limits of human endurance. Mastery of the subject, ability to connect with children, and adoption of new technologies are just part of the job. Yet, this demanding role comes with a salary of just 12,000 UAH ($289).

Most teachers join the profession not "thanks to" but "despite" these conditions, and the majority are women. Gender stereotypes about men as the primary breadwinners reinforce this imbalance, as the average teacher's salary is insufficient to support a family.

The war has shifted dynamics. A law passed in May granting deferments from military mobilization has led to a surprising uptick in men pursuing teaching roles

Is the deferment from mobilization really driving men to consider teaching en masse? In a country where the teaching profession has lost its prestige and the shortage of educators is becoming critical, is this phenomenon a chance to change the situation or a signal of a new level of systemic crisis? LIGA.net analyzes how the war has affected the gender balance in schools and what this means for Ukraine's educational future.