Schools Kitted with Wifi, Air Raid Shelters – Ukrainian Students Prepare to Return to Class

The state of preparation of educational institutions for the 2022/23 academic year was discussed by the participants of the conference call with the heads of regions under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

The Head of the Government noted that the percentage of parents who support the full-time education of their children is gradually increasing, in particular, due to the preparation of educational institutions, the arrangement of shelter facilities and the improvement of the level of security.

“From September 1, we have to start a mixed form of education. To ensure that pupils and students who want to study face-to-face in schools and universities have such an opportunity as well as to ensure that parents and children who worry about their safety get the opportunity to get a quality education online,” stressed Denys Shmyhal.

The Minister of Education and Science, Serhiy Shkarlet, informed that almost 26,000 educational institutions have been determined nowadays and they are getting ready for the start of the educational process in a mixed format. According to the Ministry of Education and Culture, as of August 15, about 41% of facilities were provided with shelters.

The Ministry of Education and Science’s team emphasized that the implementation of the Safe School program regarding the arrangement of shelters in relatively safe regions with the support of donors continues. Thus, UNICEF helped to equip almost 73 schools in different regions of Ukraine. In addition, the “Wi-Fi in shelters” project was launched together with the Ministry of Digital Transformation. As of now, almost 600 schools are equipped.

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The specialists of the Ministry of Internal Affairs stressed, special attention was paid to the training of participants in the educational process for actions to be taken during an air alert and evacuation. In particular, the State Emergency Service has launched a training program to increase the level of civil security — employees will be assigned to each school. In addition, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Culture have introduced so-called “security classes” aimed at studying the basics of civil protection and life safety.

On the outcomes of the meeting, the Prime Minister commissioned the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Emergency Service and regional military administrations to ensure compliance with the requirements of the legislation by business entities who have shelters and protective structures included in their inventory lists. Also, the Ministry of Education and Culture and regional military administrations are to inform the Cabinet of Ministers by August 29 about the inspection of educational institutions for the readiness of the fund of protective structures that can be used as shelter for participants in the educational process.