More than 20 underground schools are planned to be completed by end of the year in Kharkiv region
Large-scale construction of underground schools is underway in the Kharkiv region to ensure safe education in conditions of military threat.
According to Censor.NET, this was stated by the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, during a press conference. The projects are being implemented at the expense of the state budget and with the support of international partners.
- In total, 43 underground educational institutions are currently under construction in the region.
Sources of funding and construction deadlines
According to the head of the RMA, 36 underground schools are being built with funds from the state budget. Two more schools are being financed by international partners from Lithuania. Five projects are being implemented with the support of American businessman Howard Buffett's foundation and involve the creation of factory kitchens to provide food.
More than 20 state-owned facilities are planned to be commissioned by the end of this year. At the same time, the construction of four schools has been suspended due to contractors' failure to fulfill their obligations.
"We initiated the termination of contracts with contractors who failed to cope with the volumes and tasks," said Oleh Syniehubov.
Future plans and funding issues
Starting in January next year, regional authorities plan to announce new tenders for the completion of problematic projects. As for other schools, their construction has been postponed due to limited funding.
At the same time, according to the head of the RMA, agreements have already been reached with the Ministry of Education and Science regarding continued funding. It is expected that most of the facilities will be completed in the spring of next year.
- Earlier, Deputy Minister of Education and Science Nadiia Kuzmychova stated that the cost of building an underground school is approximately 90 million hryvnia.
Currently, there are 221 construction projects underway in Ukraine, mainly in the frontline regions: Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Kherson, and Dnipropetrovsk.
