How to get state funds for the construction of shelters in schools: a new mechanism

Illustrative photo: JuraJarema/DEPOSITPHOTOS

In Ukraine, the mechanism for distributing funding for the construction of shelters in secondary education institutions has been changed.

Previously, subvention funds went to the oblasts, which determined where shelters should be built. Now the distribution of funds between communities will take place using a point system through the DREAM platform.

The community will submit a corresponding request on its own, Minister of Education and Science Oksen Lisovyi and other representatives of the Ministry of Education and Culture reported during a press conference on April 1.

According to the minister, the innovation will allow to decentralize the distribution of funds and make the mechanism more transparent.

“According to the PISA study, we have from 1.5 to 2.5 years of educational losses, but the most alarming fact is the fact of very large losses in the psychosocial development of children, in their communication skills, ability to work in a team. We note a very high level of anxiety in children. Therefore, the return to full-time education is a priority for the state.

The key task of our “School Offline” project is to create all the necessary conditions for as many children as possible to return to classes. The goal for this year is to double the number of children who study exclusively offline.”– said Oksen Lisovyi.

How to get financing?

Communities or educational institutions will independently submit projects to the DREAM system to receive government funding for shelter. However, there are a number of conditions for projects that will receive funds.

Main criteria:

• the community must submit design and estimate documentation for the construction or capital repair of the shelter;
• at least 200 children should study in an educational institution;
• the project should be completed by the end of 2024;
• co-financing from the community of at least 10% of the total cost of the project must be ensured.

After submitting the project, the DREAM system will automatically calculate points according to specific criteria. You will be able to see these scores immediately, explained Deputy Minister of Education Andriy Stashkiv.

The priority for financing shelters will be educational institutions in communities with high and moderate risk (this is about the level of proximity to infrastructure objects, the probability of shelling by drones or artillery, etc.).

Project evaluation criteria and risk levels are described in more detail by link on the “My Fortress” website.

The authors of the project analyzed data about schools in all regions with the help of Palantir technology to assess the security situation and identify priority areas where it is possible to return to face-to-face education.

“When we started working on this policy, both the Ministry of Education and relevant deputies used technology to correctly calculate how many bomb shelters are needed, where underground schools need to be built, how many children. Ukraine was divided into certain zones, from the most dangerous to the safest.

Although today it is difficult to talk about any safe places, it is necessary to take into account how far the schools are located from the front. Funds will be used not at the level of regions, but at the level of communities”– added the Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov.

What should schools with fewer than 200 children do?

Deputy Minister Andriy Stashkiv explained that the financing of shelters for small schools can be done at the expense of donors.

The MES also plans to organize transportation of children to larger schools with shelter. Buses for this are already being purchased.

We will remind, according to the Ministry of Education and Culture, over 868,000 children study online in Ukraine, over 624,000 of which are in Ukraine, and over 243,000 are abroad.

More than 967 thousand children study in a mixed format. Also, more than 120,000 students study remotely outside of their actual place of residence.

In many schools, shelters have not been completed since last year. In total, about 1,400 schools do not have adequate shelter. This year, the budget allocated for the construction of shelters 2.5 billion UAH.