Problems of informatization of rural schools within the framework of the National Project “Education”

The education system is a significant component of the socio-economic development of any state, since it directly affects the development and formation of human capital. The special role of the school in rural areas is not one of just an educational organization, it is primarily an “anchor” for the preservation of rural settlements, a symbol that the village has prospects and a future. The purpose of the presented study is to assess the state of information and communication technologies (ICT) in rural schools, taking into account the impact of the National Project (NP) “Education”. The main research methods were methods of comparative analysis, data comparison, exponential smoothing. As a result of the conducted research, a forecast was made of the number of students in the general education system in rural areas and school institutions in rural areas at the beginning of the 2024/2025 academic year. The forecast revealed the risk of not achieving the targets of NP “Education” in rural areas, including in the field of ICT. The practical significance of the research results lies in the fact that the obtained forecast results allow us to take a number of necessary measures to prevent possible risks of not achieving the indicators. It is necessary to review the mechanisms for assessing the effectiveness and achievability of the indicators laid down in the NP, increase funding and the pace of creating new school places in rural areas, increase the availability of modern information resources and equipment.