From 6 September 2026, a new alert system based on air-raid warning levels, introduced by Cabinet of Ministers Decree No. 1092 of 4 September 2026, came into force in Kyiv and a number of other cities. The “yellow” level means “drone threat,” while the “red” level means “massive drone threat,” “missile threat,” or “combined missile-and-drone threat.” Under the general rule, at the “yellow” level companies, institutions, and establishments may continue to operate. However, it is precisely this wording that has caused confusion in schools: parents and teachers have begun interpreting differently what happens to lessons when the “yellow” alert is triggered. Clarifications were provided by education ombudsman Nataliia Leshchik, whose statements on 10 September 2026 were reported by RBC-Ukraine, Delo, OBOZREVATEL, and Focus.
What happens to the educational process at the “yellow” level
Leshchik made it clear: introducing the “yellow” level does not mean that children can continue learning in their classrooms. “The educational process is interrupted and everyone is directed to shelter. If possible, the educational process resumes inside the shelter,” the ombudsman stated. Thus, for educational institutions, the procedure at the “yellow” level is effectively the same as the one that applied at the “red” level: students and staff move to shelter, and classes in the classrooms cease. The school as an institution continues to “operate” — providing shelter and, where possible, conducting lessons in the protective structure — but the familiar classroom format is suspended for the duration of the alert.
What to do if shelter capacity is insufficient for everyone
A separate problem is posed by schools where the shelter capacity is insufficient to accommodate all students and staff simultaneously. Leshchik explained that in such cases the number of people present in the building at any given time must strictly correspond to the shelter’s capacity. The educational process in this situation can be organized in a hybrid format: some students attend in person on certain days while others study remotely, after which the groups switch. Shift-based learning is also permissible, as are in-person classes for specific grade levels — for example, the primary grades and the fifth grade — with a remote format for the rest. The specific option, the ombudsman emphasized, must be chosen by the school principal together with the teachers, taking into account the capabilities of the particular institution.
Teachers’ and staff rights: they cannot be forced to come in
Leshchik separately drew attention to the status of educational institution staff during the “yellow” level. In her words, teachers must not be forced to travel to the school: the employer has no right to require an employee to leave a safe location where they are during an air-raid alert, since this could endanger their life and health. The ombudsman also reported receiving complaints that, during air-raid alerts, education department officials had been checking whether teachers were present at their workplaces. Such checks, in essence, contradict the logic of civilian protection enshrined in the new Cabinet of Ministers decree.
The road to school: a separate risk and the “Safe Student Route” project
The journey to the educational institution remains a separate problem. Due to frequent air-raid alerts, it can be dangerous for children and staff, especially where students are transported by school bus. Leshchik suggested drawing on the experience of cities close to the combat zone, where mobile shelters are installed at bus stops and places where people gather. At the same time, such structures must be on the books of the local community (hromada), not of the educational institution — it is the community that bears responsibility for their maintenance. The Office of the President has already initiated the “Safe Student Route” project, under which 840 mobile shelters are planned to be installed along school routes in frontline regions. Parents, in turn, are advised by the ombudsman to check daily whether teachers are present at the institution and whether the school can take a child into shelter — this question is effectively resolved on a daily basis in light of the current situation.
Contradictory data
Between the general text of Cabinet of Ministers Decree No. 1092 and the clarifications provided by the education ombudsman, there is a nuance that gives rise to contradictory perceptions. The Cabinet of Ministers established that at the “yellow” level “companies, institutions, and establishments may operate.” On this basis, some parents and teachers assumed that classes in the classrooms continue as normal. Leshchik, by contrast, insists that for schools “the institution operating” is not identical to “conducting lessons in classrooms” — the educational process in the classrooms is interrupted, and any lessons that are held at all are moved to the shelter. Thus, the formal permission for the institution to operate and the actual halt to classroom learning coexist within a single regulatory act, and it is precisely this discrepancy that requires additional clarification. Leshchik confirmed that, as of the time of her statement, corresponding clarifications from the Ministry of Education and Science were expected, which should remove the ambiguity.
The education ombudsman concluded her address by emphasizing that the safety of participants in the educational process must remain an unconditional priority. Until the official clarifications from the Ministry of Education are issued, schools are advised to act on the principle of maximum caution: at any alert level, including “yellow,” the priority is to move to shelter rather than to continue lessons in the classrooms.
