Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal within the framework of a working trip on September 1 inspected educational institutions in  Khmelnytsky region on the occasion of the beginning of the school year.

The Head of Government was accompanied by the Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers Oleh Nemchinov, acting Minister of Education and Science Serhii Shkarlet and Head of Khmelnytsky Regional State Administration Dmytro Gabinet.

The PM checked the readiness for the educational process of the preschool educational institution "Teremok" in Davydkivtsi, Khmelnytsky region, which was built under the "Great Construction" program. According to the Head of Government, the last preparatory work will be wrapped up in a few weeks, after which the kindergarten will be able to accept 75 children.

"The kindergarten is truly an extremely important educational institution for a village with many children and young people. There is a certain symbolism that Ukrainian youth give birth to children who want to stay here, who want to raise kids in decent and civilized conditions," the Head of Government said.

After inspecting the kindergarten, the Prime Minister spoke with the locals of Davydkivtsi village. Residents thanked the President and the Government for the new infrastructure.

During the working trip, the Prime Minister also got acquainted with the educational process of the Higher Vocational School №25, met with the teaching staff and students.

"For me personally, vocational education is an important issue, because it gives a significant regional advantage for both regions and for Ukraine as a whole. Unfortunately, since independence, we have lost our professional and technical potential, and today the industry, like no other, lacks technical professionals: welders, locksmiths, electricians, " Denys Shmyhal said.

The Prime Minister added that this encourages the Government to expeditiously introduce dual education.

This means that customers - companies that need students on a contractual basis, cooperate with vocational schools, create the appropriate base, place orders and then to conclude long-term contracts with the school and its graduates. Dual education provides the opportunity to pay for the training of specialists needed by a company. This is a very important point because without such a basis we will not be able to develop Ukraine as an industrial leader in the region, " Denys Shmyhal said.

After talking with representatives of the school self-government, the Prime Minister instructed aсting Minister of Education and Science Serhii Shkarlet to work out the issue of increasing scholarships for students of vocational schools.

"I hope that next year, with the support of the Government and the President, we will establish practical training centers in this institution, which will provide even more competitive advantages to both the local community and Khmelnytsky city,"  acting Minister of Education and Science underscored.

Apart from that, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal made an unplanned visit to the training - educational complex№ 10 in Khmelnytsky, where he checked the state of compliance with quarantine measures and got acquainted with the organization of the educational process.

"The process is organized. Children are learning. Teachers know what to do. At school, everything is in line with the standards developed by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Science. The first lesson took place, and today it was to be about the culture of living in the new environment associated with the coronavirus pandemic. I am sure that Khmelnytsky region will cope with this," the Prime Minister summed up.