On June 17, 2024, at around 2:00 PM, Russian forces launched a missile strike on Poltava, using a Kh-59 cruise missile.
More than 700 windows were damaged in 13 apartment buildings, including the building of the Poltava Higher Interregional Vocational School. Windows were shattered in both the academic building and the dormitory.
Less than a year after the attack, the EdUP project helped replace the broken windows and opened a shelter at this vocational school. The shelter has become not only a safe space for students and teachers during air raids but also a fully functional educational environment.
In May, similar shelters were also opened in Odesa and Mykolaiv. Previously, renovated shelters were launched in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, and Romny.
Each of the upgraded facilities is equipped with heating, ventilation, water supply, electricity, internet, and fire alarm systems. Inclusive restrooms have been installed, mobile lifts for persons with limited mobility added, and modern furniture procured to support the learning process.
For the development and popularization of vocational education in Ukraine, it must first and foremost be safe — say educators, employers, and government officials. A secure environment is the key condition under which young people are willing to study and build their professional futures.
During wartime, this need becomes critically important. That is why the EdUP project is creating modern, protected conditions for learning in vocational education institutions.
