Oleksandr Lonchak urged communities in the Odesa region to decide on the format of instruction well in advance

Oleksandr Lonchak, head of the Odesa Regional Department of Education, urged local authorities to make timely decisions regarding the format of instruction and not to shift this responsibility onto school principals during prolonged periods of emergency. He emphasized that communities must promptly transition schools to high-quality online learning or organize classes in shelters, clearly communicating all changes to parents.

Oleksandr Lonchak wrote about this on social media. 

He noted that in the fifth year of full-scale war, there are already established procedures, legislative authority, and experience that allow decisions to be made in advance rather than at the last minute. The head of the Department of Education also pointed to relevant recommendations from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and emphasized that there can be no one-size-fits-all solution for all communities and all schools.

Therefore, my request today to every local administrator is this: respond more promptly. Take responsibility for your decisions. If the security situation requires it—switch to distance learning, convene the commissions on emergency situations and civil protection, approve a protocol for the schools’ operations, and communicate it to parents well in advance,” said Oleksandr Lonchak. 

He also emphasized that distance learning cannot simply consist of announcing, “We’re working online today.” According to him, the educational process in such cases must be high-quality, organized, and accessible. 

A child who, due to a power outage, lack of internet connectivity, or other reasons, was unable to connect to a lesson should not miss out on the educational material. An asynchronous format—including materials, assignments, and lesson recordings—must be provided without fail. “No ‘study this topic on your own’!” he emphasized.

Lonchak also urged that, whenever possible, classes be held in shelters and that on-call classes be organized in shelters, provided this complies with safety requirements and the school’s capabilities.

Earlier, in the Odesa region, daily monitoring of school meal services began following numerous complaints from parents. Inspections will cover not only the quality of ingredients and prepared meals but also portion sizes, adherence to cooking procedures, and food presentation.

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