THE PRICE OF CORRUPTION: Case #14. Stolen Childhood (Preschool Education)
This publication is based on official investigation materials from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the National Police, and court records from the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC). We are breaking down this case to show the real consequences of corrupt abuses in the field of preschool education.
The Essence:
Embezzlement of budget funds allocated for the purchase of infant nutrition and the systematic extortion of bribes for the priority enrollment of children in state kindergartens.
The Situation:
Between 2024 and 2026, officials of the city education department, together with kindergarten directors, created an “entry ticket” scheme. For a place in the electronic queue, which was artificially blocked, parents had to pay an unofficial fee ranging from $500 to $1,500. Simultaneously, tender fraud was discovered: food products were purchased at prices 2–3 times higher than market rates, while the actual quality and caloric content of meals for the children were critically low. The amount of documented damages in just one district totaled 12 million UAH.
The Bill Paid by Society:
- Health of the Future Generation. Systematic undernourishment and low-quality products at an early age lead to chronic diseases in children.
- Demographic Barrier. Corruption in kindergartens forces parents to delay having children or to emigrate to places where basic social services are accessible without bribes.
- Economic Losses. The artificial shortage of places in kindergartens prevents thousands of women from returning to work on time, which hinders the country’s economic recovery.
The Bill Paid by the Perpetrators (Legal Finale):
- The Head of the City Education Department — received 9 years of imprisonment.
- The Directors of three kindergartens — sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment.
- Full Confiscation: An elite fleet of vehicles (3 SUVs) and 4.2 million UAH in cash found during searches were transferred to the state.
- Lifelong Disqualification: A lifelong ban on holding any positions in government bodies or educational institutions.
Case Sources:
- Materials from SBI criminal proceedings regarding the embezzlement of budget funds.
- Analytical reports from the “Dozorro” platform on food procurement.
- Results of inspections by the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection.
We continue to issue these bills.
This publication is part of a series of analytical materials “THE PRICE OF CORRUPTION”. Each such case will be analyzed, and the price will be made public.
To be continued…