Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov said the city has opened its second underground school, now hosting 750 students.
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. Kharkiv was the first city which opened the underground school.
The new facility will accommodate up to 1,000 pupils after the completion of its second construction phase.
“We considered every detail. We made classrooms more spacious and corridors wider. We installed inclusive and resource rooms for the convenience of both children and teachers,” Terekhov said.
The mayor notes some students completing primary education are meeting their classmates in person for the first time.
“COVID and war took away their chance for normal education. It’s both joyful and sad… But most importantly, they are together now,” Terekhov said.
The school’s construction met top safety standards through funding from the Taiwan government and international partners’ support.
Over 6,000 children now attend classes in Kharkiv’s underground schools and metro stations, according to city officials.
Kharkiv suffers daily from shellings and bombings, with frequent attacks targeting civilian infrastructure and resulting in significant casualties and destruction.
- The third underground school nears completion in a major Ukrainian city 30 km from the frontline
- Ukraine builds over 139 underground schools amid Russian war
- First underground school started working in Zaporizhzhia in test mode
