Switzerland allocates $4.5 mln to build shelters in 25 Ukrainian schools

The initiative of the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE project to rebuild destroyed schools in Ukraine has been finally launched, aimed to repair and equip shelters in 25 Ukrainian schools, says the education minister Oksen Lisovyi.

Ukraine's Ministry of Education and Science is taking all the efforts of international allies, ready to join the restoration of damaged and destroyed educational institutions so that "every child has access to quality and safe education." the minister said.

We are grateful to Switzerland and all other partners who join us in returning Ukrainian children to school. The value is not only in the fact that we are building shelters and expanding the fund of protective structures, but also that we are learning to use the project to attract funds from donors," the minister said.

Andreas Huber, Director of the Development Programme at the SWISS embassy, funds have been allocated for the DECIDE initiative to rebuild schools.

The money will be used to equip shelters in 25 schools in the most war-affected regions, such as Chernihiv, Odesa, and Poltava regions.

The assistance to Ukrainian schools is part of an overall aid plan with a budget of over €143 million, aiming to provide approximately 15,000 students with access to quality education in safe conditions.

The DECIDE manager Valentyna Poltorak said that the project will start in the coming weeks to ensure that the shelters are done by 1 September.

She noted that communities located 40 km from Russia or Belarus border will not participate in the project.

Ukraine reports more than 3,500 educational institutions have been damaged or destroyed since the start of the war's outset.

Air raid alarms constantly interrupt the classes, and in many regions, children stay in shelters for 3-4 hours per day. According to the ministry, as of mid-June 2023, the available shelters can only cover almost 56% of all students.