«Instead of drums, we’ll spend the money on toilet paper»: the management of the Education Department does not want to stop questionable purchases

24.07.2023

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Recently, the public had the opportunity to ask questions to the management of the Education Department of the Dniprovskyi District State Administration in Kyiv, whose actions have recently damaged Ukraine’s international reputation. The Public Council at the Dniprovskyi District State Administration, together with the editorial board of Active Citizens, collected documents on questionable procurement by the Dniprovskyi District Education Department.

After analysing the documents, the Public Council at Dniprovska RSA invited the management of the Department and the RSA to get answers to the questions that the whole country is asking today:

«Why, during a full-scale war, are millions of hryvnias spent not on defence and support of the army, but on things that are far from being of paramount importance?»
«Why are things that are not on the list of mandatory items for such premises being purchased under the guise of bomb shelters?».

The Department of Education of the Dniprovsky District State Administration in Kyiv was represented by the head of the Department, Natalia Ivanina, the person responsible for conducting tenders, Olga Drozdova, and an accountant.

Here are just a few of the scandalous tenders conducted by the Education Department of the Dniprovskyi District State Administration in Kyiv:

the purchase of 12 sets of food processing equipment for more than UAH 1.5 million (this money can be used to purchase 13 Mavic 3 drones) in December 2022 with a note “for shelter”,
in April 2023, a tender was announced for “Musical instruments for psychological relief of children in shelters during air raids” for almost UAH 1 million (891 thousand),
in April 2023, a tender was held for “Constructors for playing and learning in shelters during air raids” for almost UAH 953 thousand of budget funds.

Interestingly, the Department of Education independently decides what to spend the budget funds allocated for financing educational institutions. This is regulated by the Law of Ukraine «On Education» and other bylaws. The Education Department of the Dniprovskyi District State Administration in Kyiv (like all other district education departments in Kyiv) is a non-profit entity under public law, has an independent balance sheet, personal accounts with the Main Department of the State Treasury Service of Ukraine in Kyiv, a seal with the State Emblem of Ukraine and its name, its own letterheads and other details.

The Department of Education of the Dniprovskyi District State Administration in Kyiv confirmed its independence in making decisions on tenders in a letter to our editorial office at our request.

Such independence often leads to violations that result in criminal proceedings. Thus, during the leadership of N.V. Ivanina, the Department of Education of the Dniprovskyi District State Administration in Kyiv opened proceedings:

In 2015, the Group was charged with a criminal offence under Article 191(4) and 191(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misappropriation, embezzlement or seizure of property through abuse of office) and Article 367(1) (negligence),
in 2016, for committing a criminal offence under Part 1 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Abuse of power or position),
in 2017, on the grounds of a criminal offence under Part 2 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (forgery with grave consequences)
in 2023, on the grounds of criminal offences under Part 4 of Article 191 (Misappropriation, embezzlement or seizure of property through abuse of office) and Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (negligence) – on the facts of purchasing vegetable cutters for hiding.

The first two cases were closed by a court decision on the grounds: «the person who committed the criminal offence has not been identified in the event of the expiry of the statute of limitations for bringing to criminal liability».

During the meeting of the Civic Council under the Dnipro RDA, the head of the District Education Department, Ivanina Nataliya, noted that the purchased vegetable cutters are very necessary in the shelters.

«The purchase of vegetable cutters was planned back in January 2022 before the full-scale invasion. I want to say that the programme of the First Lady Olena Zelenska was launched and tested in 2019 on the example of the Dnipro district, and in 2020 a programme for reforming the nutrition system was released. Accordingly, nutritional standards were approved there. And since 2019, 44 educational institutions have had such vegetable cutters and they have proved to be effective during blackouts and power cuts. We are well aware that today is a difficult time for the military, a difficult time on the front line. But at the same time, I want to say that teachers and educators of the district are keeping the educational system going, putting in no less effort», — explained Natalia Ivanina, head of the district’s Education Department, when explaining the purchase of vegetable cutters for the shelter.

She noted that the funds used for the vegetable cutters could not be used to repair the shelters or purchase other equipment, and it was impossible to send them to purchase drones for the frontline. At the end of the meeting, representatives of the authorities were asked if these funds had not been spent, they would have returned to the budget and thus could have been spent on the needs of the army and defence. None of the representatives of the governing structures gave a clear answer to this question.

«The procurement of drums and construction sets was planned under code 21.10, specifically for the construction of shelters. They have not been carried out, they have been cancelled. But these are the same funds that are spent for children. These funds can be used to buy disposable tableware, as other districts have done. Buy UAH 1.5 million worth of disposable tableware, use it in 2-3 days and throw it away», — Ivanina said.

The manager said that even if they did not spend the money on reels and games, they would still spend it by the end of the year, for example, on toilet paper and other games. The audience did not hear a clear answer as to why it was impossible to return them to the budget.

Liudmyla Shashkina, member of the Presidium of the Ukrainian Association of Evaluation Professionals, Deputy Head of the Public Council at the Dnipro Regional State Administration, said that she had studied the price of the purchased vegetable cutters and cookers and concluded that cheaper similar devices could be found on the Ukrainian market. Natalia Ivanina replied that everything was purchased under the 2019 nutrition change programme, which contains a rough technical description of the equipment that can be used in school canteens.

«I want to assure you that we have bought no fewer drones and provided no less volunteer assistance than the Dnipro District Public Council», — Ivanina said.

The audience asked her to name specific examples of such assistance, compared to the actual assistance provided by the Vzaymopomich Humanitarian Aid Operational Headquarters, which was set up and started operating on the second week of the full-scale invasion by representatives of the Public Council at the Dniprovsky District State Administration on the basis of the Dniprovsky Charitable Foundation. Ivanina was unable to provide specific examples. After a moment’s hesitation, she said it was a secret.

Currently, Ms Ivanina continues to manage the Education Department of the Dniprovskyi District State Administration in Kyiv and to manage the funds allocated from the budget for their maintenance. And this district has the largest number of educational institutions among other districts of Kyiv – 136 educational institutions, which means that the amount of money received by this department is the largest in the capital.

The funds are currently being used to repair the simplest shelters in basements. According to the tenders that this department continues to announce, about UAH 1 million per school is spent on such repairs.

Representatives of the Public Council at the Dnipro Regional State Administration noted that for some reason, tenders are held very quickly and usually involve only one company.

«So apply for tenders and there will be more participants», — was Ivanna’s response.