RIGA, April 26 (LETA) - Latvian teachers should help Ukrainian refugee children to learn, but, in order to do it well, assistant staff is necessary, said Inga Vanaga, the chairwoman of the Latvian Trade Union of the Education and Science Employees (LIZDA).

She said that Latvian schools already earlier faced shortage of teachers and assistant teachers, but after refugees from Ukraine have arrived, these problems have increased.

Vanaga said that teachers have to speak Russian with Ukrainian children as it is not possible to communicate with them otherwise, but then Latvian children in class suffer as their education process is stalled.

"Teachers should find ways how to teach Ukrainian children and how not to make the learning process uncomfortable for our children. We need assistant staff," said Vanaga.

LIZDA also said earlier that Ukrainian refugee children need more intense language learning process so that they can be integrated in the Latvian society better. Vanaga said that Latvia has to understand how many children would stay in Latvia for a longer period of time. Many refugees still  believe that they are here in a short term, until the situation in Ukraine settles, but Russia's war in Ukraine goes on and it is not possible to predict when it will end.

Vanaga noted that teaching Ukrainain children differs from teaching national minorities living in Latvia as Ukrainians have not been exposed to the Latvian language so far.

As reported, Russia unleashed a war in Ukraine, causing millions of people to leave their home and country. Refugees have also arrived in Latvia and currently there are more than 3,600 Ukrainian children enrolled in schools in Latvia.