Over the past three years, the number of nurseries in the Mykolaiv region has fallen by 34

A nursery school in the Mykolaiv region, archive photo by NikVesti

In the Mykolaiv region, the number of nurseries and the children attending them continues to decline.

According to data from the Main Department of Statistics in the Mykolaiv region, there were 429 pre-school education establishments operating in the region at the end of 2025. By comparison, there were 463 in 2023. In other words, the region has lost 34 nurseries over three years.

The number of pupils has also decreased. Whilst 22,900 children attended nurseries in 2023, the figure stood at 19,400 in 2025. Over two years, their number fell by 3,500, or approximately 15%.

Infographic from the Main Department of Statistics in the Mykolaiv region

Along with the number of children, the number of places in kindergartens is also decreasing. In 2023, the facilities were designed to accommodate 33,400 places; in 2024, 32,500; and by the end of 2025, 31,200 places.

The statistics also reveal significant disparities between urban and rural areas. Almost two-thirds of all pre-school education establishments in the region (66.7%) are located in rural areas, yet the vast majority of children — 71.3% — attend urban nurseries.

It should be noted that Mykolaiv’s budget is short of nearly 150 million hryvnias to provide meals for children in schools, kindergartens and vocational colleges until the end of 2026. The City Council’s Education Department says that funds for meals in kindergartens may only last until 20 June.