More than 139 underground schools and several dozen vocational education institutions are being built in Ukraine: Ministry of Education
In Ukraine, the third year of a full-scale war continues, which affects all aspects of life, including the safety of children. One of the main challenges was ensuring the possibility of training even in the frontline and border regions, where shelling is a daily occurrence. Under these conditions, the government decided to build underground schools that can ensure the safety of children during the educational process. However, the slow pace of this construction and its very idea raises the question in society: is this an admission that the war can continue for a long time?
During the briefing, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Nadiya Kuzmychova stated, that currently more than 139 underground schools are being built in Ukraine, as well as several dozen institutions of professional and technical education. Of these, 79 facilities are under active construction, and up to ten of them will be commissioned by the end of the year. All these educational institutions are built in the most dangerous regions, which are constantly under fire. The government plans to complete the construction of the remaining schools by September 1, 2025.
One of the important issues remains the pace of construction. Despite active efforts, during the three years of the war, the construction of only one underground educational institution was completed – the first school of this type in Kharkiv. It is designed for 900 children who will study in 20 underground classrooms in two shifts. While this project is a breakthrough, its isolation underscores the scale of the problem.
No less important is the issue of financing. According to Kuzmychova’s statement, starting in January 2024, the state will launch a new construction cycle, within which additional funds will be allocated for new facilities. However, even with the allocation of funding and active construction, these schools are expected to be completed in only two years. Such a perspective gives reason to assume that the government is already preparing for the possibility of a long war.
“All these constructions are carried out in the front-line and border regions, where there are shelling and hits. But we expect the completion of the construction of absolutely all objects by September 1, 2025. Because from January (2024 — Ed.) we are entering a new cycle We are allocating more money for new facilities.” Kuzmycheva noted.
We will remind you that Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that from 2022, the number of objects of the fund of protective structures in Ukraine will be tripled and currently has more than 62,000 shelters. Currently, work is underway to improve their infrastructure according to the so-called Finnish model, which provides for convenience, accessibility and a high level of protection for the civilian population.
So far, the construction of underground schools is only part of a larger plan to ensure the safety of the educational process in wartime. However, the slowness of this process calls into question its effectiveness in the short term. Whether this is an admission that the war will continue for a long time remains an open question. But the fact that such projects are becoming a necessity emphasizes the complexity and duration of the challenges Ukraine is facing.
