For the fourth consecutive year, children in Odessa are heading back to school under the shadow of potential threats, emphasizing the importance of safety measures. 

A total of 120 schools are prepared for the academic year, with 92 equipped with shelters. Approximately 89,000 students are expected, including around 6,000 first-graders.

This year, large-scale ceremonies will not take place due to safety requirements. Events will be held in compact formats in assembly halls or near shelter entrances.

Students in lower and middle grades are fully supplied with textbooks, while high school materials are still being delivered, with electronic versions available on the Ministry of Education's website.

Free meals for students in grades 1-4 and those from vulnerable categories will begin on September 8, with nearly two million hryvnias allocated daily from the city budget.

The academic year will last until May 29, 2026, without extending into June. Traditional breaks are scheduled: autumn from October 27 to November 2, winter from December 27 to January 11, and spring from March 23 to March 29.

Efforts to restore four educational institutions damaged by Russia's aggression are ongoing. Internal works are nearing completion at Gymnasium No. 125, and the Mykhailivskyi Lyceum is also under renovation. Inclusive Resource Center No. 1 and Kindergarten No. 283 require reconstruction.