Despite the war, we must ensure a high-quality and safe educational process: Sergii Koretskyi

Prime Minister of Ukraine Sergii Koretskyi received a briefing from the Minister of Education and Science ahead of the new academic year. Discussions covered safety in education, shelters, school meals, textbook provision and higher pay for education professionals.

“Our task, despite the war, is to ensure that children can learn safely and receive a high-quality education,” the Prime Minister emphasised.

Schools and preschools

Tomorrow, 25,000 educational institutions will begin the new academic year.

“Communities at heightened risk of russian attacks must not hold any large gatherings,” Sergii Koretskyi stressed. “School assemblies and other ceremonies should take place only where the security situation, shelter capacity and ability to reach shelter quickly during an air-raid alert allow. These decisions must be taken locally by each community. The safety of children and teachers matters more than any ceremony.”

Across Ukraine, more than 82% of children in preschool education currently have access to shelters, as do 83% of school pupils. This covers more than 9,000 preschools and 11,000 schools.

A further 131 shelters are being built with state funding, including 18 underground preschools. The Prime Minister said that once this work was completed, 87% of preschool children and pupils would have access to shelter. The target is to reach 92% by the end of 2027, compared with 77% last year and just 10% in 2022.

Higher, professional and vocational education

Shelter access is considerably lower at universities and professional and vocational education institutions, at 68%. At present, 965 of Ukraine’s 1,420 universities and colleges have shelters.

Sergii Koretskyi emphasised that universities and colleges have the autonomy to determine their own teaching formats and timetables. Depending on the security situation, shelter capacity and the requirements of individual programmes, they may combine in-person, blended and remote learning.

Education in the regions

According to local authorities, shelters are available at 528 preschools and 435 schools in Kyiv, providing capacity for 91% of the capital’s preschool children and pupils. Twenty-three preschools and 20 schools do not have their own shelters. Their classes are held in rented safe spaces.

In Kyiv region, shelters have been provided at 507 preschools and 658 schools, giving more than 90% of the region’s children access to protected spaces.

The Prime Minister said particular attention must be paid to the safe organisation of education in frontline areas. Every available form of learning is used there. Some children study remotely, while others follow a blended model using radiation shelters adapted for teaching. Local administrations determine the format and timetable according to the security situation.

In Odesa, Chernihiv, Sumy and Mykolaiv regions, as well as parts of Dnipropetrovsk region, in-person learning may continue at institutions equipped with basic shelters. This allows around 80% of children to follow a blended learning model. The figure is approximately 72% in Zaporizhzhia region.

Because of the security situation in Kharkiv region, blended learning is available only in so-called underground schools and currently covers almost 30% of pupils. There are now 17 such schools in the region, with another seven due to be completed at the beginning of the academic year. Remote learning is used in all other cases.

Textbook provision

Sergii Koretskyi stressed that russia deliberately targets printing houses and textbook warehouses.

“Where the necessary number of textbooks cannot be printed quickly, pupils must be given access to electronic versions. This is a direct responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Science, working with local authorities in every region,” he said.

Hot meals for children

“Where security conditions make it impossible to provide full hot lunches, pupils must receive ready-to-eat meals. Providing nutritious food is a priority, and the Ministry of Education and Science will keep the situation under close review,” the Prime Minister said.

Pay for education professionals

The Prime Minister announced that salaries for education professionals would rise by a further 20% from 1 September, following a 30% increase at the beginning of the year.

The increase applies to the base salaries of teaching and academic staff, which are used to calculate most additional payments and allowances.

“At the same time, we are reforming the pay system itself. From 1 September, we are moving away from the Unified Tariff Scale and introducing a system in which salaries will depend on the position held and a base rate currently set at the average wage across Ukraine’s economy,” Sergii Koretskyi explained.

The new system will cover schools, higher education, inclusive education resource centres and state educational institutions. Local authorities are being advised to introduce corresponding pay increases from 1 September 2026 for staff working in preschool and extracurricular education, vocational education and professional pre-higher education.

The Prime Minister added that teachers providing in-person education in frontline areas would continue to receive a separate monthly allowance of UAH 2,600. College teaching staff who train specialists for the defence industry, energy sector, mechanical engineering and metalworking will receive an additional 10% of their base salary.