Education in times of war: how Mykolaiv schools ensured safety and quality of education

Mykolaiv has repaired 53 shelters in educational institutions, plans to resume full-time education and continue to equip them with modern technology and improve conditions for safe learning.

This is stated in the report of Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych for 2024.

For the third year in a row, Mykolaiv's educational system has been operating under martial law, continuing to educate children, provide psychological support, create safe conditions and strengthen the material and technical base of schools and kindergartens.

Currently, 26 educational institutions are operating full-time, and another 22 are conducting classes remotely. It is planned to resume full-time and blended learning in 16 schools after the repair of shelters is completed.

In 2024, 2,164 graduates graduated from schools, of whom 187 received medals (144 gold and 43 silver) and 282 ninth graders received certificates with honors. We registered 2628 children for first grade. Over 1000 students took part in intellectual competitions during the year.

There are 304 inclusive classes in schools, 111 inclusive groups and 67 specialized groups in kindergartens. There is also a facility for children with visual impairments.

As for the implementation of safety in educational institutions, 53 shelters were repaired (22 in kindergartens and 31 in schools). Work is underway to equip shelters in 26 educational institutions.

According to the report, Mykolaiv's education sector continues to work to create comfortable and safe conditions for every student, regardless of circumstances.

Recently, two underground schools were opened in Mykolaiv region to allow students to study offline even during the prolonged air raid. This was made possible with the support of the international charity savED, donors, businesses, and the international community. Another underground school was opened in Mykolaiv. This shelter of a local school, which was also renovated at the expense of philanthropists, has become a comfortable space for learning.

The educational institutions of Mykolaiv region were also equipped with autonomous power supplies. More than UAH 35 million was allocated from the budget for winterization and equipment installation.

Currently, educational institutions in the region are provided with 782 autonomous power sources of various capacities and 80 Tesla energy-saving systems that are ready to use in case of a power outage. In addition, 43 Tesla systems and 156 generators have been installed in educational institutions.

Анна Бальчінос