Fifth underground school opens in Zaporizhzhia Oblast – photos

An underground school has been opened in the village of Petropil in the Shyroke hromada, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.] This marks the fifth underground school in the oblast.

Source: Ivan Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram; Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science

Details: The school will be attended by 400 children from 18 surrounding settlements in 2 shifts. Students will be transported by five school buses, with specialised transport also available for children with limited mobility.

The underground school includes seven classrooms, a lounge area, a medical office, and a cafeteria. Free hot meals are provided for pupils in grades 1 to 4.

Fedorov stated that the school is inclusive, featuring an elevator, a call button, an accessible toilet, and Braille signage.

The Ministry of Education and Science reported that the construction cost of the school was UAH 72.5 million (about US$1.7 million).

Currently, five underground schools are operating in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, with eight more under construction. 

Background:

• The first underground school in Zaporizhzhia Oblast was opened in December 2024.
• As of late 2024, Ukraine had begun constructing 139 underground schools and several dozen vocational education institutions, with 79 underground educational facilities in the active construction phase.

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