First underground school started working in Zaporizhzhia in test mode

The first underground school in Zaporizhzhia has commenced operations, designed to accommodate 500 people per shift and constructed within six months using a standard UNICEF project, Radio Liberty reported on 14 December.

In response to the ongoing war and the significant threats posed by Russian missile strikes, Ukraine has initiated the construction of underground schools. This innovative approach aims to provide safe educational environments for children amid the dangers of war. Kharkiv was the first city which opened the underground school.

The school, located 30 kilometers from the front line, is currently operating in a test format, with students and parents being introduced to the facility. According to Liudmyla Zlatova, the school’s director, the institution will transition to full standard educational mode from 1 January 2025.

Zlatova said that they have 654 children in the school. In Zaporizhzhia city, 436 children are present, and almost 80% have already visited the school. The facility will host classes from first to ninth grade and includes 16 classroom spaces.

“The typical project spans 1,300 square meters and costs approximately 110-115 million hryvnias (about $3 mn),” Zaporizhzhia Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

Fedorov emphasized that the original UNICEF design was modified to increase structural resilience, claiming it can withstand 90% of known Russian weaponry.

The school was financed through a joint funding model: 80% from the Ministry of Science and Education’s subvention, and 20% from local and regional budgets.

The project stems from Zaporizhzhia’s municipal authorities’ February 2024 announcement of plans to transition to offline learning through underground schools.

Currently, the region is constructing 11 such underground educational facilities, with four expected to be completed by year-end.

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