Vice Prime Minister: We should create a single educational, cultural and sports environment inside comunities

We should create a single educational, culture and sports environment inside communities. Vice Prime Minister /Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Hennadii Zubko said at the Forum "Ukraine on the path of decentralization in education."

According to him, 65% of schools are located in rural areas. These are attended by 32% of students and 45% of teachers work there. Expenditures per pupil in the village range from 20 to 60 thousand hryvnias annually. "However, the quality of education in rural areas in most cases does not allow children living in rural areas to be successful and competitive in the future. We must introduce a comprehensive approach and create the educational environment inside the communities. It is a way to provide high-quality services for rural residents", said Hennadii Zubko.

He announced that a decentralization reform had been launched in education sector in 2016 – starting September 1 there had been opened 19 hub schools in consolidated communities (CCs) in 12 areas.

"But nowadays, education without cultural space, without filling our traditions with essence is incomplete. Therefore, the format of the “National home” as a cultural hub must be built into the educational space and infrastructure of the community. This implies not only a library or a meeting place for the community’s members, it is an opportunity for the revival and upholding of cultural values and traditions of the community. In addition, together with hub schools we see development of sports environment. I believe that the creation of a single educational, cultural and sports environment inside communities is a necessary condition for our children to grow up patriotic, well educated and competitive," said Hennady Zubko.