The Cabinet of Ministers has changed the rules for school instruction during prolonged air raid alerts

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted a decision regarding the organization of the educational process during prolonged air raid alerts. 

Educational institutions have been granted the right to independently determine the format of classes—whether to hold them in regular classrooms, in designated shelters, or to combine in-person and remote learning, depending on the capacity of the shelters.

Key provisions of the new rules:

• Priority of Subjects: If the shelter’s capacity does not allow for all classes to be held in person, priority will be given to subjects in the fields of mathematics, natural sciences, language and literature, civics, and history. The remaining disciplines may be moved to a remote format.
• Requirements for shelters: Shelters at schools operating in-person must be adapted for extended stays and equipped with study spaces, lighting, backup power sources, internet access, and adequate sanitary conditions.
• Community Involvement: Local communities are encouraged to assist educational institutions and explore the possibility of using other suitably equipped shelters nearby.
• Flexibility in Schedules: Schools are required to inform parents in advance about the format of instruction so they can plan their day. For its part, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine will conduct monthly monitoring of the decision’s implementation.

The government’s decision came in response to a wave of criticism from educators and parents regarding the Ministry of Education and Science’s previous recommendations to plan the learning format one week in advance amid unpredictable shelling and air raid alerts.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi announced this in a Telegram post.