Mykolaiv RMA told how many schools want to start full-time and mixed education

A lesson in the shelter of Mykolaiv Lyceum №55, archival photo of NikVesti

More than 300 schools in the Mykolaiv region wanted to start full-time or mixed education. However, after specialized inspections, their number halved.

Alla Velikhovska, the director of the Department of Education and Science of the Mykolaiv University of Applied Sciences, reported this, NikVesti writes.

According to her, in order to decide whether it is possible to study in full-time and mixed form, the educational institution must undergo an inspection, which includes representatives of all supervisory bodies.

«At the beginning, we had 329 such institutions out of 410. That is, the communities planned to study either in full-time or mixed mode. Already during the examination, this number decreased to 210, but we are waiting for further conclusions,» said Alla Velikhovska.

She explained that in order for the institution to start working, a shelter should be built there, in which students could stay together with teaching staff during an air raid. Also, the institution must have a food block or a well-thought-out system for feeding students if they will be at school for more than four hours. The State Consumer Service service must monitor the availability and quality of drinking water, and the police will conclude to what extent the institution is equipped with a security system. In addition, according to the pilot project, security officers will work in educational institutions of the Mykolayiv region.

«There will not be many of them, they will work in institutions where more than 500 people study. They are mainly female police officers. Now they are undergoing training, and they will start working on September 1,» said Alla Velikhovska.

At this time, the teaching team interviews parents about what form of education they plan to send their children to study.

«We can definitely say that distance education will be maintained during the year and if parents believe that their child should study remotely, then they will be offered a list of institutions where they can study remotely, maybe it will be in their institution. After it is found out how many children will study according to what form, the teaching staff of the institution will make a decision according to which form they will work. If there are no prohibitions from the Defense Council or our military, then a decision will be announced,» Alla Velikhovska added.

By August 15, the director of the department expects reports from the communities of the Mykolaiv region, which will indicate the exact number of educational institutions that are ready for full-time or mixed education.

Alla Velikhovska, photo by NikVesti

What about children's education in Mykolaiv?

Mykolaiv schoolchildren have been studying online since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. Although the government, with the help of donors and the state, is actively setting up shelters in educational institutions, which sometimes causes indignation among the townspeople.

The refusal of children to go to school is a guarantee of their personal safety, because Mykolaiv is still in the zone of possible ballistic damage from the Russian military, says Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych. At the same time, he emphasizes the importance of preparing shelters and resuming education in schools when the Armed Forces move the front line.

Previously, the head of Mykolaiv RMA Vitalii Kim explained why schools in Mykolaiv still work online: educational institutions are targets for the Russian army, since at the beginning of a full-scale war, they usually housed military personnel.

It is worth noting that earlier in response to the information request of NikVesti regarding the criteria that educational institutions of Mykolaiv must meet in order to resume full-time work in the 2023-2024 academic year, the city's education department reported: schools will work in accordance with the recommendations of the State Emergency Service and the Sanitary Regulations approved by the Ministry Health Care. The first is the availability of shelter, and the second is drinking water at school.

In the next few years, the authorities plan to equip 54 shelters in kindergartens, schools and lyceums in Mykolaiv.

In general, the outflow of students was recorded in Mykolaiv schools this year. Compared to the last academic year, the number of students decreased by 3,300.

As of February 2024, shelters were installed in 31% of schools in Mykolaiv. There are 21 institutions of general secondary education: 10 lyceums and 11 gymnasiums.

Also in August, the mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Sienkevych, said that starting in September, the city authorities plan to open 40 schools in Mykolaiv for full-time education. But parents will independently choose the format of education for their children.