Moldovan education minister presents ministry's priorities for 2024

Chisinau, 18 January /MOLDPRES/ - Education and Research Minister Dan Perciun today unveiled the priorities of the institution led by him for 2024. Among them, there is the creation of a network of 35 modern schools, the endowment and modernization of education institutions, enhancement of the attractiveness of the profession of teacher.  

According to the minister, the strategic goal in the general education is the increase by at least 25 per cent of the share of pupils who reach the minimal level of competence at the PISA tests. ‘’To achieve this objective, the Education and Research Ministry (MEC) is to launch a national pact, Moldova for Education, in next April, through which we will invite the entire society, the business environment, international partners, civil society to contribute to the achievement of our strategic goal namely through supporting the national project, Network of Model Schools, which represents an effort to enhance the access of the pupils especially from the rural environment and the small settlements to quality education. In this respect, we will create a network of 35 modern schools,’’ Dan Perciun said. The minister added that, within the same project, 70 vehicles would be purchased for the carriage of pupils.       

At the same time, the authorities are set to amend the Education Code, so that a monthly allocation of 50 euros could be provided to the parents who have children in schools with less than 50 pupils and who will choose to give their children to a bigger school in the neighbourhood. At the same time, decision-makers look for solutions to be able to ensure the free of charge nourishment of the children who are carried to other schools.     

Another priority announced by the education minister is the enhancement of the attractiveness of the profession of teacher. ‘’We will continue paying attention to the deficit of teachers. This year, we will double the number of teachers due to benefit from free of charge re-qualifications. We are set to cover the expenses for re-qualification for 1,600 teachers. At the same time, we will simplify the procedure of re-qualification for the teachers. We want to increase up to 500 the number of graduates at the specialty of pedagogy, who annually choose to work in schools,’’ the official noted. Perciun also said that, in 2024, packages of de-bureaucratization would be proposed for the teachers and for the educators from kindergartens. At the same time, the Education Code will be changed, so that a bigger framework of protection is provided to teachers.   

This year, the sanitary units from 125 schools are to be renovated, 60 schools will receive by 300,000 lei for purchasing digital equipment and devices and another 40 schools will benefit from grants for innovation worth up to 600,000 lei (30,000 euros).   

At the same time, in eight districts, additional administrative measures will be enforced at the examination from the ninth form, in order to ensure the correctness of the holding of the exams. More exactly, about 200 volunteers will go to the concerned settlements on the day of the examinations to monitor the process and the works will be assessed in a centralized way.  

Dan Perciun also informed that a new formula of financing the kindergartens would be piloted, depending on the number of children.