Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Mykola Tomenko addressed the Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov in connection with the situation in secondary school of Shramkivka village of Drabiv district of Cherkasy region.
M. Tomenko stressed that reduction and closing of schools with a small number of students has become traditional over the past several years. He reminded that, according to the data on the web-site of the State Statistical Service of Ukraine, 300 schools were closed during one academic year (2010/2011), and the number of schools decreased for another 400 in 2011/2012 academic year. That is, according to the web-site of the State Statistical Service, 700 schools disappeared over 2 academic years.
At the same time, the politician stressed that there is also the problem of the so-called enlargement of schools with a great number of students. In particular, he informed that unreasonable merger of classes and dismissal of teachers has started in Shramkivka secondary school, where 276 students learn and 29 teachers work at present.
According to the Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, he received the address from teaching staff of this school and parents of its students who informed that the classes were merged in the new academic year. In particular, two ninth forms were merged into one, the same happened with two tenth forms. The number of students of the ninth form is now 29, and the number of students of the tenth form - 28. The teachers noted that such merger resulted in deterioration of learning conditions, as small classrooms do not correspond to sanitary norms. According to them, the conditions in primary school do not correspond to sanitary and hygienic standards either.
M. Tomenko asked the Prime Minister to investigate the situation in the Shramivka secondary school and explain whether this situation is the result of initiatives of local authorities or of performance of the governmental decisions to optimize schools.