As part of the EUACI’s engagement with the Ministry of Education and Science and the First Lady Zelenska’s Foundation a training session for representatives of local governments, designers, and architects was held in Kyiv. The training was about improving the development of documentation for the construction and renovation of school canteens. The EUACI provides expertise and support to minimize corruption risks in the school canteen project.
“Implementing the School Nutrition Reform is a crucial tool for local governments, and we are actively working on it together with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and international partners. Today’s event highlights our shared achievements, which can be used not only for designing specific projects but also for implementing the broader concept of reforming the school nutrition system,” emphasized Natalia Kozlovska, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.
The event was organized by the EUACI in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the School Nutrition Reform Team. Participants joined from across Ukraine, including 40 persons offline and approximately 600 online.
Key Topics Discussed:
- Specification of requirements for the development and adjustment of estimate documentation.
- Monitoring and external oversight of projects.
- Requirements for technological equipment considering three kitchen models.
- Principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system.
- Requirements for engineering networks in school canteens.
“Our EUACI team is proud to be a partner of the School Nutrition Reform and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. We are already seeing some promising results of our work: reduced corruption risks, significant cost savings, and the inclusion of additional schools in the project. We hope this initiative establishes a concept that can inspire other authorities and donors, help save resources, and support efforts to combat corrupt practices,” said Head of the EUACI Allan Pagh Kristensen.
The EUACI team presented key results of their collaboration:
- 187 school canteen projects reviewed at various stages by EUACI experts
- UAH 132.9 million saved
- Reallocation of subvention funds to 20 additional schools due to the EUACI-identified savings.
- Recommendations on procurement processes and technical supervision developed.
- Monitoring canteens’ procurement and construction work progress by special dashboard: https://bit.ly/monitorynh-reformy.
The EU Anti-Corruption Initiative continues to collaborate with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the School Nutrition Reform Team working under the First Lady Olena Zelenska to ensure the effective implementation of the subvention in 2025. Plans include leveraging existing mechanisms, refining them, and minimizing potential risks.
This year, the government allocated 960 million UAH for school canteens modernisation projects.
