Starting from September 1, the government introduces a new rule - schools with less than 45 students will not be entitled to state funding, except for primary classes. This change is part of a new education funding strategy in Ukraine.
As reported by the Ministry of Education and Science in response to a request from hromadske.
Starting from September 2025, schools with less than 45 students will lose the ability to receive funding from the state educational subsidy, and by 2026 this limit will increase to 60 students. This decision was made due to the economic inefficiency of maintaining small schools.
It was also noted that local authorities will need to decide the further fate of such schools: to close them and organize transportation of children to other educational institutions or to ensure financing from the local budget. The exact number of schools that will be limited by this rule will be determined after receiving statistical data at the beginning of the school year.
In addition, the government is also increasing spending on school transport. Over the past two years, more than a thousand buses have been purchased, and the investment program in this direction continues. However, the quality of education remains a serious problem, as rural students lag behind their urban peers in terms of knowledge as evidenced by testing results.
The government in Ukraine is implementing a new funding rule for schools with less than 45 students as part of new education funding strategies. Therefore, such schools will lose the ability to receive funds from state subsidies, which may affect the further existence of these educational institutions. The state is also expanding the program to improve school transport, but the quality of education remains a priority issue.