Education on the brink: schools in the Mykolaiv region are short of 353 teachers
Most sought-after are psychologists, educators, and English teachers
Against the backdrop of the gradual return of children to in-person schooling, schools in the Mykolaiv region have encountered another serious problem — an acute staff shortage. The greatest shortages are in psychologists, music directors, educators and teachers of certain subjects.
In the schools of Mykolaiv region there are currently 94 219 students, however the region’s education system is experiencing a significant shortage of teaching staff. This was reported at a briefing on Wednesday, 22 April 2026, by the Director of the Department of Education and Science of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Alla Velikhovska.
According to her, as of now 48 140 students receive education in-person in 208 institutions, another 28 427 children study in a mixed format in 138 institutions. 14 072 students receive education remotely in 46 institutions, and an additional 2 594 children are educated through family and external forms.
Thus, as Alla Velikhovska noted, already 81% of all students in the region are covered by in-person or mixed forms of education.
At the same time, the region’s education system employs 9 447 teaching staff excluding part-time employees. Of them 68 are abroad, and another 45 work remotely. The rest, according to the official, are at their workplaces.
Despite this, the staffing problem remains acute. As of 1 April there were 353 vacant teaching positions in the region’s schools.
According to the department, the greatest shortage is of psychologists — 69 vacancies remain open. In addition, educational institutions need 31 music directors, 23 educators, 21 school social workers, 19 teacher assistants, 14 English language teachers and 13 mathematics teachers.
Separately, Alla Velikhovska drew attention to the shortage of school psychologists. According to her, currently only 49% of the total need for such specialists is covered in the region. She explained that despite the high demand for the psychologist specialty, graduates are not hurrying to go work specifically in schools.
The Director of the Department of Education and Science of the Mykolaiv OVA, Alla Velikhovska, during the briefing separately emphasized the staffing problem in the education sector:
“Today we have 9 447 teaching staff working, this is without counting part-time employees; of them 68 are abroad, 45 work remotely. All the others are at their workplaces. As of 1 April we have 353 vacancies. There is a very high need for psychologists; currently there are only 49 percent of the total number.”
Earlier we wrote:
- In the Mykolaiv region over 40 schools daily post photos of meals to Khvylka
- Mykolaiv region: summer holidays tentatively from 5 June, but the program must be completed by 1 July
- Bullying disguised as a trend: a lyceum in the Mykolaiv region reacted to humiliating videos of teachers on TikTok
- Mykolaiv lacks over UAH 50 million for salaries in culture and education: staff positions and library branches under threat
- Teachers are promised another +20% and new guarantees: what will change in salaries starting this autumn
