No long speeches under the sun: schools are advised to skip assemblies on September 1

Safety is more important than celebration: schools are calling for canceling first-day assemblies on September 1

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30 Aug 2026

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Traditional line-ups on September 1 in schools may not take place this year. Educational ombudsman Nadiya Leshchik urged heads of educational institutions to refrain from mass ceremonies because of the threat of Russian shelling and the difficulty of quickly evacuating a large number of students in the event of an air raid alert.

About this Nadiya Leshchik reported August 28, 2026 on her Facebook page.

According to her, the danger concerns not only celebrations of the start of the new school year. Holding mass events in schools can create additional risks throughout the entire educational process.

Explaining the danger of large gatherings of pupils in open areas, the educational ombudsman drew attention to problems with evacuating children after an alert is announced.

“Mass gatherings of people create additional risks, because in the event of the signal “Air Raid Alert” it is extremely difficult to ensure the quick and safe evacuation of a large number of children in an open area”.

School leaders are being advised to replace traditional line-ups with other formats for the start of the school year that will be safer for students, teachers, and parents.

Ahead of September 1, schools are also advised to check shelter readiness and conduct briefings with children on rules of conduct during emergencies. Special attention should be given to psychological support for pupils.

Emphasizing adults’ responsibility for protecting pupils, Nadiya Leshchik called to make safety the main priority of the new school year.

“A child’s safety is a shared responsibility. Let’s make sure that September 1 is remembered by students and parents for safety, care, calm, and confidence in their own protection”.