KYIV. Oct 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Political and social activist Alla Shlapak has initiated the creation of a hotline local reform of the humanitarian area, in particular, the education system.

"Today we see that people ask for simple things – not to close their small rural school, not to make children moving to a new school that was allegedly proposed by district authorities as an alternative," Shlapak said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine.

She said there is a general national trend of destroying rural areas in Ukraine. Young people take into account the availability of schools in settlements after making decision to stay there or leave them.

"No steps were taken in line with Ukrainian law. This means that no public hearing was held on the issue. Neither rural councils nor executive committees of rural councils discuss this issue at their sessions," lawmaker of Mala Vyska district council Hanna Burian said, commenting the decision to close Khmeliove secondary school in Kirovohrad region.

She said it is a pity that Kirovohrad region is first in Ukraine in terms of this kind of reorganization of educational institutions. She said that students of the Khmeliove school and their parents are outraged with the closure of their school in their village.

The village residents asked Shlapak to help in the situation with the closure of the school.

Head of the parent committee of the Khmeliove school Leonid Nazarenko said that village residents held protest rallies, blocked the road asking not to close the school and appealed to local authorities.

Shlapak said cases of school closings in villages are rife in various regions of Ukraine.

"We today announce the creation of a hotline working 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It has created so people can receive high-quality legal assistance," Shlapak said.