IBSER Launches a Series of Community Best Practices: The Mena Community’s Experience with Educational Logistics Management

The Institute for Budgetary and Socio-Economic Research (IBSER) continues its series of analytical publications highlighting best practices from territorial communities across Ukraine. These materials are designed to support local governments in identifying effective management solutions and adapting successful approaches implemented by their peers.
The first publication in the series presents the experience of the Mena Urban Territorial Community in Chernihiv Oblast through the analytical paper “Best Practice: Integrated Model for Ensuring Access to Early Childhood Education Through the Organisation of Educational Logistics at the Hromada Level”.
Ensuring equal access to preschool education remains a challenge for many territorial communities, particularly in settlements where preschool institutions are not available. The Mena community has addressed this issue through a practical solution: organizing transportation services for preschool-aged children to and from educational institutions using school buses.
The practice has been implemented since at least 2019 and has become an integral part of the community’s educational logistics system. Today, 13 buses operate on 21 routes, providing daily transportation for children attending seven functioning preschool education institutions. During martial law, routes can be adjusted promptly to respond to security conditions and ensure uninterrupted and safe transportation.
IBSER experts have studied, analyzed, and systematized this experience in an analytical publication. The paper outlines the background and rationale for the initiative, its organizational model, management decisions, achieved results, and key lessons that may be useful for other territorial communities seeking to expand access to preschool education services.
In addition to documenting the experience of the Mena community, the publication provides practical recommendations for local governments on assessing community needs, institutionalizing transportation arrangements within local education development programs, organizing systematic data collection, and planning and financing these activities through local budget programs for preschool education.
Read the full publication here.