More than 100 educational institutions were supplied with robotics kits for the students to develop their skills in science, technology, engineering and math. The new equipment contains sensors, engines and parts for designing and building robots and for working out projects for different school subjects, IPN reports.

Minister of Education and Research Dan Perciun underlined the importance of the new technology for the educational system. “Next year we will continue with new projects to digitally transform education. With the support of the development partners, we aim to increase the number of “classes of the future”, to launch new innovative projects, to outfit the schools with technical equipment, to train the teaching staff in digital education, etc.” stated the minister.

John Riordan, Deputy Head of the USAID Moldova Mission, said that USAID is glad to contribute to the development of education in Moldova and appreciates the results achieved so far. “We are delighted to be part of the creation and development of the classes of the future both in larger communities and in smaller ones. The investment in education is an intelligent investment for any nation and is an absolutely critical one as we work to build a prosperous, safe and democratic future for all the Moldovans,” stated John Riordan.

The over 800 robotics kits to the value of about US$300,000 were offered by the development partners, the Technologies of the Future in Moldova Project funded by USAID, Sweden and the UK, and the Western NIS Enterprise Fund within the National Program for the Study of Educational Robotics, which is implemented by the National Center of Digital Innovations in Education “Class of the Future” under the aegis of the Ministry of Education and Research.

The National Program for the Study of Educational Robotics was launched in the Republic of Moldova in March 2014. Currently, the initiative is being implemented in 270 national educational institutions.