Education Week culminates with national university fair: Moldovan PM says lyceum graduates should be proud of country

The Education Week, organized in Moldova on May 20–24, culminated in a national university fair at Chisinau Arena, which brought together over 4,000 lyceum graduates. Present at the opening of the events “Study in Moldova” and “Be PRO! Choose to be a Teacher!”, Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu urged lyceum graduates to continue their studies at universities of Moldova and to contribute to the country’s development.

“Dear graduates! Be proud of our country! I hope you will find your place here, at home, and if you leave for other countries, I hope you will return one day. Make us proud, your mentors, your families and especially yourselves. Many unexpected challenges will follow in your lives. But it is precisely these challenges that make us stronger. You will have to work hard, in order to succeed. Be good at deeds, not words. You are young, talented and you will succeed,” said Alexandru Munteanu.

At the same time, Education and Research Minister Dan Perciun wished the lyceum graduates much success at their baccalaureate exams and encouraged them to examine the opportunities offered by universities of Moldova and to continue their studies at home.

“We want to see you in the country, in the lecture halls of our universities, to see you united, present and active, both at concerts and in the public life of Moldova. You have a very important choice to make; important choices come with a lot of responsibility and a lot of anxiety. It is a challenging end of the school year: you have exams and big decisions ahead of you. We have also been in your position. It is not easy, but it is an unrepeatable period of your life. Enjoy it to the fullest,” said Dan Perciun.

The education minister also noted that, in recent years, important investments and reforms had been made in higher education of the country. He assured that the transformations would continue, in order to offer future students the best conditions to fulfill their potential.

“This year, we are waiting for you with higher scholarships. Scholarships in education sciences will reach 4,565 lei starting from the first year. We are providing 100-per cent scholarship coverage for those who will choose mathematics, physics, biology or chemistry. We are waiting for you with new study programmes, with the chance to enroll in joint programmes with Romania. You will study at home, but simultaneously at universities across the Prut. You graduate with two diplomas and receive two scholarships. We are waiting for you with dual programmes, where at the end of the second year you go to work in a company, in your field of study. We are waiting for you with Erasmus programmes. We are waiting for you with new classrooms and renovated laboratories,” said Dan Perciun.

The Education Week took place during May 20–24 and included 21 events, including conferences, forums and topic-related workshops dedicated to early education, general education, vocational technical education, higher education and research.

This year’s edition of Education Week is organized with the support of more development partners, including the European Union, the World Bank, United nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme  (UNDP), UN Women, the Government of the United States, the Government of Germany, GIZ, the Council of Europe and other international organizations involved in projects to modernize the educational system of Moldova.