Mykolaiv Education Crisis: Student Decline and Vocational Growth

Over the past five years, Mykolaiv region has seen a significant decline in the number of students at all levels of education.

This data is contained in the Regional Development Strategy until 2027.

Today, more than 23 thousand children receive pre-school education in the region, with more than half of them studying full-time. However, since 2019, the number of preschoolers has decreased by 1.8 times.

A similar trend is observed in general secondary education. Currently, 100,796 students are enrolled in the region's schools, which is 15% less than in 2019. At the same time, almost 5% of students are internally displaced persons.

At the same time, vocational education is showing positive dynamics. Over the past two academic years, the number of students in vocational schools has increased by 9%. Of these, 4% are internally displaced persons. The region has international programs to support vocational education and a regional order for training specialists.

The most dramatic decline occurred in higher education. The number of bachelor's students in Mykolaiv region decreased by 2.2 times, while the number of master's and PhD students decreased by 31% and 41%, respectively.

Despite these challenges, 2020-2022 was marked by an increase in scientific activity in the region. During this period, the number of dissertation defenses, patents, scientific publications, and innovative projects increased.

Earlier, two underground schools were opened in Mykolaiv region to allow students to study offline even during a 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.

Андрій Колісніченко