Mykola Tomenko: Authorities do not want to refuse from the Shocking Therapy of closing the Schools
Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, is convinced that the authorities do not want to refuse from the shocking therapy of closing the schools. M. Tomenko made this statement, commenting of the refusal of the parliamentarians to put the bill on amendments to clause 11 of the Law of Ukraine "On Compulsory Secondary Education" (regarding reorganization of general education institutions) (Reg. No.8177-1) on the agenda.
Discussing the given bill, the Deputy Chairman declared that it strictly determined the actions in case the number of pupils in school is minimal, as there are problems with high-standard schooling. M. Tomenko emphasized that this principles are already envisaged by the Law on Local Self-Government and the Law on Pre-School Education, "however, they have been violated during the liquidation of several day care centers."
The Deputy Chairman informed that according to this principle, reorganization or liquidation of general education institutions in municipal ownership is possible only by consent of the territorial community of village, township or city or based on the results of the local referendum. M. Tomenko believes that it is obvious that if a school has no opportunity or facilities to provide quality education for children, the territorial community will not object to its closing. "It goes without saying that it takes place on condition that there is a school bus to take the children to the nearest school, the teaching stuff of the school is employed, and the school premises will be used with educational purposes", added Deputy Chairman. However, the fact that all majority factions rejected the bill means that "the authorities do not want to refuse from the shocking therapy of closing the schools in cities and villages."