Learning amid war: 13-year-old Ukrainian becomes Europe’s youngest certified Oracle specialist
Eurochild member Star for Life Ukraine shares Arsenii’s story, a child who improved his database and programming skills during the occupation and passed his IT exam in a school bomb shelter.
Originally from a frontline village in the Sumy region, Arsenii achieved this remarkable milestone despite growing up amid war, displacement, and constant security threats. His settlement, which experienced occupation and, after liberation, has continued to suffer from regular shelling.
At the time, Arsenii was a fifth-grade student with a strong interest in programming. His journey into IT began early: from second grade, he explored block-based coding with Scratch, later progressing to Python, where he achieved outstanding results. In 2023, due to security risks, Arsenii and his family were forced to evacuate to another city. Despite the disruption, he continued his education and pursued his passion for technology.
In June 2024, Arsenii enrolled in a Java programming course organised by the charitable foundation Star for Life Ukraine, under the guidance of experienced educational leader Serhii Ishcheriakov. By April 2025, at just 12 years old, he was academically ready to take the Oracle certification exam. However, Oracle certification rules require candidates to be at least 13 years old. As Arsenii’s birthday was in October, his initial application was declined. Once he turned 13, Star for Life Ukraine entered into discussions with Oracle to secure permission for a minor to take the exam, and approval was eventually granted.
The exam was scheduled for November 2025. Arsenii took it in a school bomb shelter, following all international certification requirements: camera and microphone on, a two-hour supervised exam. However, due to ongoing shelling and power outages, he was unable to complete the test. Following further communication with Oracle, Arsenii was granted a second attempt. With even more thorough preparation, including backup power stations and energy-independent fibre-optic internet, he finally succeeded. On 16 December 2025, at the age of 13, Arsenii Holovanov passed the Oracle certification exam with a score of 89%, significantly exceeding the required minimum of 65%.
According to Arsenii, the most challenging part of the process was combining intensive, “adult-level” exam preparation with daily life in a frontline region. Frequent air raid alerts, shelling, and disruptions to electricity and internet access severely affected his learning environment.
Arsenii is the sixth student to successfully obtain Oracle certification with the support of Star for Life Ukraine. The foundation’s mission is to create opportunities for Ukrainian children through access to quality IT education, creative development, and emotional resilience, a mission that is especially critical in a country affected by war.
His story highlights the importance of protecting children’s right to education, even during armed conflict, and ensuring that young people are given opportunities to develop their talents, build resilience, and shape their own futures.
