UAH 1 billion 150 million 101 thousand are envisaged in 2018 to proceed with programmes to improve educational infrastructure – purchase of buses to transfer children to hub schools, equipment of natural science classrooms and inclusive education development. Appropriate funds are included in the state budget for 2018.

Thus, UAH 200 million are foreseen for the purchase of buses for hub schools, UAH 441.101 million for natural science classrooms, as well as UAH 509 million for support of the education of children with special educational needs.

Each of these educational programmes also receives funding from the local government.

Due to this approach, in 2017 the purchase of buses, equipment of natural science classrooms and inclusive education were financially supported by almost UAH 1 billion 330 million, of which UAH 621.188 million were provided as additional financing from local budgets, 709.5 million – as funds from the state budget 2017.

“The decentralisation reform has provided significant opportunities for hromada development. In general, hromadas increased their revenues by about UAH 100 billion. It enables local authorities to better fulfill their powers to support and develop educational infrastructure. That is why now we see the schools and kindergartens being renovated and built, equipment being purchased,” said Liliya Hrynevych, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.

391 school buses were purchased, 1,915 natural science classrooms equipped, 29 schools and 16 kindergartens built during 2017.

It is worth reminding that the budget of 2018 envisages considerable funds to be directed at the start of the reform of the New Ukrainian School: almost UAH 1 billion (998.7 million) to provide primary school students with educational materials and mobile furniture, UAH 163 million 818 thousand to purchase equipment for the primary schools, UAH 386.5 million to provide teacher trainings, UAH 272 million 382 thousand to purchase textbooks for the 1st form pupils. Besides, UAH 48 million 349.5 thousand are foreseen for the purchase of educational and methodological literature for primary classes.