Fewer schools and students: what is happening to education in the Mykolaiv region

A classroom in one of Mykolaiv’s schools. Illustrative photo: NikVesti

In the Mykolaiv region, the number of schools, pupils and teachers has been falling for the third year running. Although most educational establishments are located in villages, the majority of children attend school in towns.

This is evidenced by data from the regional statistics office, NikVesti reports.

Over the last three academic years, the network of general secondary education institutions has shrunk significantly. Whilst there were 431 schools operating in the region in the 2023/24 academic year, this figure had fallen to 416 by 2024/25, and to just 393 by the start of 2025/26.

Along with the reduction in the number of schools, the number of pupils is also falling. In the 2023/24 academic year, there were 107,400 children in education; the following year, 101,000; and currently, 95,000 pupils. The teaching staff is also shrinking proportionally: the number of teachers over this period has fallen from 10,200 to 9,400.

Number of schools in the Mykolaiv region. Infographic: Statistics Department of the Mykolaiv region

Interestingly, the majority of schools in the region are located in rural areas — almost 70%. At the same time, in towns, where only a third of educational institutions operate, almost 62% of all pupils are enrolled, whilst in villages the figure is 38%. Teachers are distributed almost equally: 47.9% work in towns and 52.1% in villages.

There is no significant difference in the gender distribution among schoolchildren: boys account for just over half of pupils — 50.7%, girls — 49.3%. The data is presented excluding special schools and special classes.

It was previously reported that the number of schoolchildren in Mykolaiv has fallen by 25% compared to pre-war years. Currently, just over 34,500 children are enrolled in the city’s general secondary education institutions.

Read and watch also the report by NikVesti: «What does the nursery look like that the city council closed down due to neglect and lack of shelter? We show you.»