Schools and vocational schools can receive a state subvention for the construction of shelters. But not all of them

20 January 11:49

Applications for state subsidies for the construction and repair of shelters in secondary education institutions are being accepted today. This was reported by the Ministry of Education and Science, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.

Applications from communities for the arrangement of shelters in schools and vocational schools at the expense of the state subvention will be accepted until January 26.

Who can receive funds from the state

The following organizations can apply for a state subvention:

– naval and military sports lyceums, lyceums with enhanced military and physical training

– institutions with 200 students;

– institutions with up to 200 students, if they are the only one in the community, operate full-time/mixed mode, and have students from at least two other schools transported to them.

To qualify for funding, the institution must also meet the following conditions

– distance or blended learning;

– buildings should not have any war-related damage or their repair should not require construction work;

– there is no shelter (or only the simplest one) or it needs major repairs/reconstruction;

– availability of design and estimate documentation;

– completion of works by the end of 2025;

– confirmation of co-financing from the local or regional budget.

How much money has been allocated and how it will be distributed

The amount of this year’s subvention is UAH 6.2 billion, UAH 460.5 million of which will be used to complete projects started in 2024. Other communities will be able to apply for the rest of the funds.

The amount of funding is set for the risk levels to which the communities belong, in proportion to the number of students:

very high – 50% of the subvention

high – 40%;

moderate and satisfactory – 10%.

Communities will submit a project through the DREAM system. Each project will be automatically prioritized according to key criteria: project readiness, safety, co-financing, sustainability, financial efficiency, and community capacity building.

The projects that will receive funding will be selected by a commission of the Ministry of Education and Science, again through the DREAM digital platform. It will also take into account whether the community belongs to the risk zone, according to the Methodology for Risk Assessment in the Education System.

Points for individual educational institutions will be calculated using increased coefficients:

10 – for military lyceums and institutions participating in a pilot project to strengthen security during martial law;

1.5 – for educational institutions that are the only ones in the community that operate full-time and where students from two or more schools are transported.

Also, each regional military administration will have the opportunity to distribute its 50 points among communities within each of the risk levels. The regions will have 5 working days to do this.

The commission of the Ministry of Education and Science will analyze all projects, starting with the highest priority ones, taking into account the risk levels. The list will be submitted to the government for approval. According to the order of the Ministry of Education and Science, the commission must prepare and submit proposals for the list of objects to be financed by the subvention and the distribution of subventions between local budgets by February 5, 2025. After its approval, the funds will be transferred to local budgets.

What is known about the project to strengthen security in schools and vocational schools

A pilot project to strengthen the security of the educational environment in general secondary education institutions under the legal regime of martial law has been proposed for implementation by the Ministry of Education and Science.

The Cabinet of Ministers approved this proposal by its resolution of November 1, 2024.

This decision, in particular, stipulates that the maximum number of general secondary education institutions that can participate in the pilot project is

in the 2024/2025 academic year – 2000 general secondary education institutions;

in the 2025/2026 academic year – 3000 general secondary education institutions;

It is stipulated that the founders of general secondary education institutions shall finance the implementation of the pilot project at the expense and within the limits of funds included in the respective budgets, funds of business entities, other legal entities, international technical assistance and other sources not prohibited by law.

The Ministry of Education and Science, in particular, must publish information on the progress of the pilot project on its official website and report on its implementation.

By the way, as of the beginning of this school year, approximately 1,800 Ukrainian schools did not have shelters.

Last October, the Ministry of Education announced the approval of a mechanism for using UAH 5 billion in subsidies for shelters in schools and vocational schools. It was noted that 77 shelter projects would be implemented in 8 border and frontline regions. The subsidy provides for the construction of 24 shelters in vocational education institutions and 53 shelters in schools.

Василевич Сергій
Editor