24th February

A year after their first meeting, Luke Myer MP again met with Ukrainian-Teessider Olha Pavliuk on the third anniversary of Putin’s brutal invasion, to mark the continued contributions of Ukraine’s displaced communities and raise vital concerns on their behalf.

Speaking in Parliament on 24 February, Luke highlighted the issue of language and education barriers facing Ukrainians resettled in the UK, particularly the lack of a Ukrainian GCSE qualification, an issue raised directly with him by Olha. In response, Foreign Secretary David Lammy pledged to take the matter to the Secretary of State for Education, recognising the contribution of Ukrainians to British life.

Luke said:
“Olha is an inspiring example of resilience, hard work and dedication to her new community. Ukrainians like her are not looking for handouts, just the chance to stand on their own two feet and contribute. But they face unnecessary barriers, and one of those is access to education.
I am pleased that the Foreign Secretary agreed to raise this issue with the Department for Education so those who are here can continue building their futures and contributing to ours.”

Olha, originally from Zaporizhzhia, shared her gratitude to the local community and described the warm welcome she received on Teesside.

Olha said:
“We are really grateful to be here. People in Middlesbrough kindly opened their door to us. It feels like home, it’s an industrial city, just like mine. What we need now is trust and opportunity. We don’t want charity, we want the chance to work, to invest in this community, to pay taxes and be part of society.
Being able to sit a Ukrainian GCSE would be a small but vital step to help our young people continue their education and stay connected to their identity.”

Luke has pledged to keep working with Ukrainian families in Middlesbrough and East Cleveland and press the Government to remove the barriers holding them back.

References

Video 1: Meeting with Olha Pavliuk

Video 2: Luke’s exchange with the Foreign Secretary

Transcript:  Hansard, 24 Feb 2025