Olexandr Sych: The state should ensure safe start of the academic year

In the situation of completion of the active ATO stage, the state must guarantee the safety of all participants of the educational process - children, students, teachers and parents. And not only in the liberated territories, but in the entire Ukraine’s territory. This was stressed by Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Sych on August 21, 2014 during the meeting on the readiness of educational institutions in the country for the 2014-2015 academic year.

The Vice-Prime Minister drew attention of the representatives of the profile departments to possible provocations and terrorist threats that could emerge in crowded places in kindergartens, schools and universities during celebrations of the Day of Knowledge and instructed to strengthen security measures in all educational institutions of the country.

"Each regional state administration together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine shall, within one week, ensure the establishment of a special interdepartmental commission for public order in places of stay of pre-school children, pupils and students, as well as on-the-spot informing of law enforcement and other agencies in case of emerging extremist and terrorist threats," said Oleksandr Sych.

 Besides, the participants of the meeting discussed material and technical maintenance, staff and resource readiness of educational institutions for the new academic year, as well as education of children, who were forced to move together with their parents from the areas of ongoing hostilities. "The Ministry of Finance in synergy with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Social Policy should immediately elaborate a flexible mechanism for the transfer of funds envisaged in the budget to ensure education of children who were temporarily displaced from the ATO areas, to other educational institutions, where they will actually be learning," said the top official.

“In unusual circumstances, and we are living in wartime, it is vital to seek flexible solutions. We must learn to respond quickly to new circumstances and make every effort to ensure safe start of the academic school year in Ukraine, primarily in war-ridden territories of Donbas," Oleksandr Sych summed up.