The school year began on Tuesday, Sept 1, at 412 educational institutions in Kyiv. Of the 16,629 children enrolled in first grade, nearly 94% attended, matching last year's figure, the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) said.
"Today Kyiv schoolchildren began a new school year. At the same time, another vocational education institution was damaged in a Russian attack overnight. This once again shows the conditions our education system is working under today. Despite this, it was important for us to ensure in-person learning wherever security conditions and a given institution's capacity allow it. This year, the format of instruction may change depending on the military threat. So schools, as in previous years, are ready to operate in various formats — in-person, blended, or fully remote. What matters most is that children can continue their education, while their safety and the safety of staff remain the priority," Deputy Mayor Valentyn Mondryivsky said.
Of the 412 schools that began operating, 401, or 97%, are working in-person or in a blended format, while 11 schools are fully remote, he said. Some institutions have organized classes in two shifts.
Most elementary school students are attending in person today, according to Mondryivsky. Some schools held celebratory events in gyms and assembly halls so children and staff could reach shelters more quickly in the event of an air raid alert. There were no air raid alerts in the capital at the start of classes, allowing schools to hold planned ceremonies with parents present and begin the school year.
All children who attended school today received free meals.
Attendance at preschools also rose. While 32-35% of enrolled children attended kindergartens over the past week, 45% — nearly half of all enrolled children — attended today.
The new school year also began at the capital's vocational education institutions, with most first-year students attending in person. As of Sept 1, 11,177 people are enrolled in vocational education institutions.
This week, instruction is organized in a blended format, with nearly 60% of students attending in person and the rest in a blended format — for example, theoretical classes may be held remotely while practical classes take place at the institution itself.
"During this exhausting war, it's important for children to feel that life goes on — they're returning to their classrooms, seeing their teachers and friends, starting a new stage. Thank you to the teachers, parents and everyone who made this day possible. May our children have as many ordinary school days as possible — with learning, socializing, friends and the chance to grow," Mondryivsky said.
