Education Ombudsman Nadiya Leshchyk is urging educational institutions to refrain from holding mass celebrations on the occasion of the start of the school year and during the educational process due to the security situation.
"Dear educators, parents, and students! The start of the new academic year is approaching. This is always an exciting moment, but in the conditions of the full-scale war launched by the Russian Federation, we must clearly set priorities. The most important of them is the life and health of every participant in the educational process. Considering the security situation in the country and real risks associated with potential shelling, I want to emphasize: holding mass events, particularly school assemblies, on September 1 and during the educational process is dangerous," Leshchyk wrote on Facebook.
She emphasized that mass gatherings create additional risks, as in the event of an "air alert" signal, ensuring a quick and safe evacuation of a large number of children in an open area is extremely difficult.
In this regard, she urges heads of educational institutions: to refrain from holding mass celebrations in educational institutions; to organize the start of the school year in formats that minimize risks for participants in the educational process; and to focus attention on conducting safety briefings, checking the readiness of shelters, and providing psychological support to children.
As reported, the new 2026-2027 academic year in secondary education institutions under martial law will start traditionally on September 1 and run until June 30, 2027. However, the actual end date of classes, holding of the last bell ceremony, and duration of summer holidays will be decided by the educational institutions themselves. They will be determined by the pedagogical council, taking into account the security situation and the needs of participants in the educational process.
