Ivanivka Gymnasium downgraded to primary school ahead of planned closure

A meeting of the Pivdennoukrainsk City Council. Photo: Pivdennoukrainsk City Council

Councillors of the Pivdennoukrainsk City Council have backed a decision to change the status and rename the Ivanivka Gymnasium. The school will operate as the Ivanivka Primary School, catering for pupils in Years 1 to 4.

The decision was adopted during the city council session on 3 July, according to NikVesti.

As Yurii Sinchuk, head of the education department, explained, the issue of reorganising the school has been under discussion for over two years. During this time, the city council had decided to fully fund the school from the local budget; however, due to the small number of pupils, the school is no longer eligible to receive a state education grant.

According to him, there are currently only 25 children attending the Ivanivka Gymnasium.

«In accordance with current legislation, public consultations were held. The draft decision was available for public inspection throughout the year. Minutes were drawn up for the public consultations, and those involved in the educational process raised no objections to changing the school’s status,» noted Yurii Sinchuk.

He also stated that, following the adoption of this decision, the city council will have the legal right to begin the next stage of the procedure — to hold public hearings on the possible closure of the school.

«Only six children will remain at the primary school,» said the official.

During the discussion, councillors asked the head of the education department whether he recommended supporting the draft resolution. Yurii Sinchuk replied in the affirmative, noting that such a reorganisation was necessary.

As a result, councillors supported the decision to reorganise the Ivanivska Gymnasium into a primary school.

It should be recalled that it had previously emerged during council committee meetings that, had the session not taken place and the decision not been supported, the reorganisation of the school would have had to be postponed for at least a year.

It should also be noted that the councillors of the Pivdennoukrainsk City Council convened for a session after a gap of almost half a year. One of the key decisions was their endorsement of the signing of a grant agreement with the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) to fund the reconstruction of the city’s drainage system.