On July 23, 2020, the advisory session “Division of powers of public authorities in the field of education” organized by the Swiss-Ukrainian Project DECIDE in cooperation with Odessa Regional State Administration was held.

The event was dedicated to the discussion of division of powers of public authorities in the field of education. During the advisory session, the relevant issues of planning the network of educational institutions and their reorganization, organization and financing of transportation of students and teaching staff to educational institutions were raised.

The representatives of the Department of Education and Science of Odessa Regional State Administration, departments of education of the Raion State Administration of oblast, departments of education of village councils, teachers of Odessa Oblast joined the discussion.

Natalia Protasova, DECIDE Project Director, noted that the territorial division will affect the division of powers, so the opinions of experts and people who are directly related to the education management are important. It is important to develop a common understanding of how to decentralize education management, how to transfer functions from senior education management to local ones, and how to build relations.

Serhii Merhut, Head of the Department of Education and Youth Policy of Kiliya Сity Council, said: “Education is not a business, but we have to realize that there is no quality education without proper funding. Therefore, the approach should be differential in terms of possibility of forming and creating lyceums. The organization of educational process is not only about money and students, it is primarily about quality”.