Police officers will work in 30 schools of the Poltava region to monitor children’s safety
With the beginning of the new academic year, a specialized service responsible for ensuring security in educational institutions will start functioning in schools of the Poltava region. This innovation was a response to numerous challenges that Ukraine is facing in the current situation. In response to the growth of threats and new realities that require increased attention to the safety of schoolchildren, the government decided to create such a service to protect children in educational institutions.
The implementation of this initiative is entrusted to a separate division of the patrol police in Poltava region, which indicates a serious approach to ensuring safety in schools. This unit will be responsible for coordinating the work of the service in the region, which will include not only the organization of the work of the officers, but also the monitoring of the effectiveness of the measures being implemented.
Ruslan Voznytsia, head of the “Educational Safety Service” department of the patrol police in Poltava region, announced the implementation of the “Educational Safety Service” project in Poltava region on August 15 during a briefing. According to him, this project is planned to be implemented throughout Ukraine, where security conditions allow. In Poltava, the project will cover up to 30 schools, while in the entire region – up to 84 educational institutions.
It should be noted that the idea of creating an educational security service arose as a result of the aggravation of the issue of ensuring the protection of children during their stay in schools. In the conditions of war, increased terrorist threat and constant risk to the life and health of citizens, the government of Ukraine recognized the need to implement additional security measures in educational institutions. The creation of this service is a response to the need for new forms of protection that meet modern challenges.
In general, the project aims not only to physically protect children, but also to educate them in responsibility and awareness of safety issues. This is extremely important in conditions where children often become witnesses or even victims of dangerous situations. Therefore, this project is also a means of forming a new safety culture among students.
As of June 2024, the positions of inspectors of the educational security service have been introduced in many communities of the Poltava region, such as Myrhorodska, Hadiatska, Lokhvytska, Shishatska, Velikosorochynska, Zavodska, Horishnyoplavnivska, Kremenchutska, Dykanska, Karlivska, Lanivska, Chutivska, Skorokhodivska, Bilytska, Kobelyatska , Zinkivska, Novosanzharska, Opishnyanska, Kotelevetska and Lubenska. This indicates that the project is already starting to be implemented in practice, and its scope is constantly expanding.
Education security officers who will work in schools will perform three main functions: law enforcement, educational and mentoring. Their job will be to control the access regime in educational institutions, preventing the entry of unauthorized persons and the introduction of dangerous objects. The officers will also be responsible for conducting interactive classes aimed at patriotic education of students, which is an important element of the modern educational process.
With the beginning of the academic year, which starts on September 1, 17 police officers will work in Poltava schools. They have received specialized training and acquired the skills necessary to perform their duties, which include communication with students, peaceful conflict resolution, juvenile delinquency prevention, and anti-bullying. During the training, special attention was paid to the skills of responding to emergency situations, alarm signals and evacuation, as well as providing first aid to children and adults.
During the academic year, the selection of inspectors for work in schools will continue. Each inspector will be assigned to a specific educational institution, where he will interact with the administration, teachers, parents and students. His responsibilities will include participation in parent-teacher conferences, parent-teacher conferences, and other important school events.
The implementation of this initiative was a response to the numerous challenges faced by Ukrainian society in the conditions of war and increased terrorist threat. The educational security service is designed not only to protect children, but also to educate them in responsibility and awareness of security issues, which is extremely important for the formation of a safe environment in Ukrainian schools.
