Attack on Kyiv and its consequences for education
Due to damage to the educational institution as a result of the attack on Kyiv on August 27, students from the gymnasium will start the school year in neighboring educational establishments.
On August 27, Kyiv was attacked, causing damage to the gymnasium. The building will not be restored before September 1, so more than 300 students from the gymnasium will be transferred to nearby educational institutions. The affected gymnasium also housed an inclusive resource center and a preschool.
Valentin Mondryivskyi, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration, reported that parents had already been informed about neighboring institutions where children can be transferred. He added:
“In this building, three educational institutions operated – a gymnasium, an inclusive resource center, and a preschool. The gymnasium has more than 300 students. Parents have already been informed about neighboring institutions where children can be transferred. The city authorities will work to restore the school premises as quickly as possible. The main thing now is to remain calm and ensure that children can start the school year normally, given the situation.”
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, 318 educational institutions in Kyiv have been damaged, 205 of which have already been restored. However, due to significant damage, 5 educational institutions will not be able to fully recover before the start of the school year; for their students, classes will begin in a mixed format.
Impact of the attack on educational infrastructure
As a result of the attack, two educational institutions and a municipal medical facility were damaged in the Shevchenkivskyi district. In the Podil district, debris fell between residential buildings. Warehouses also caught fire in Kyiv region.
In the night of August 27, Russia attacked Ukraine with ballistic missiles and strike drones. The main targets of the attack were:
- Odesa region
- Kyiv region
- Dnipropetrovsk region
- Poltava region
- Zaporizhzhia
Russia used 2 Onyx anti-ship missiles, Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, and 258 strike drones. Air defense forces destroyed or suppressed 233 enemy targets.
This situation highlights the challenges faced by Ukraine's education system amid the war. Transferring students to neighboring educational institutions is a temporary solution that will help preserve the educational process, but restoring damaged institutions will remain an important task for local authorities. In the future, in light of ongoing threats, Ukraine will need to find ways to ensure the safety of students and stability in education.
Despite the difficulties faced by individual educational institutions, all schools in the capital plan to start the school year on schedule. This demonstrates the city's efforts to ensure continuity of education and support students during a difficult time.