The number of first-graders has decreased in the Odesa region

The demographic crisis is taking its toll—in the Odesa region, the number of first-graders has dropped by 11% over the past year.

This is according to an analysis by Education.ua.

The Odesa region has made the list of frontline regions with the sharpest decline in the number of first-graders —here, the drop amounted to 11%.

At the same time, the region remains among the leaders in terms of the absolute number of first-graders: according to the publication, the highest number of children starting school for the first time in 2026 was recorded in the Lviv, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Odesa regions, as well as in Kyiv.

<picture></picture>Infographic by Education.ua

The Kherson region was included in the list of frontline regions with the largest decline in the number of first-graders—here the decrease was 13%.

In total, 243,398 children started first grade in Ukraine in 2026. This is 8,698 children, or 3.5%, fewer than in 2025, when approximately 252,000 children began their schooling.

However, the rate of decline has slowed. In 2025, the number of first-graders decreased by approximately 9%, while in 2026, it decreased by 3.5%.

<picture></picture>Infographic by Education.ua

Between 2023 and 2026, the number of first-graders in Ukraine decreased by 70,883 children, or 23%.

The highest number of first-graders in 2026 was recorded in the Lviv, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Odesa regions, as well as in Kyiv.

A year-over-year decline in the number of first-graders was observed in nearly all regions. The only region to record a slight increase was Volyn Oblast—from 9,820 to 9,826 children, or an increase of six students.

The largest declines were recorded in Donetsk Oblast (32%), Luhansk Oblast (26%), Zaporizhzhia Oblast (17%), Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (15%), Kherson Oblast (13%), and Odesa Oblast (11%).

In most central and western regions, the changes were more moderate. Specifically, in Vinnytsia, Lviv, Chernivtsi, Cherkasy, and Khmelnytskyi regions, the number of first-graders decreased by 4%. In Kirovohrad region, the figure remained virtually unchanged.

According to forecasts by the Ministry of Education and Science, by the 2029/2030 school year, the number of first-graders could decrease by 30% compared to the 2025/2026 school year.

Demographic changes and forced family migration are affecting the number of children entering school. This also impacts class sizes, school network planning, and the need for teachers.

Ірина Глухова