The Parents Congress “Save the Children” made an approach to the Ministry of Education by which it asks reviewing the draft Education Code because the document contains inefficient provisions, some of which weren’t discussed with parents and teachers.

In a news conference at IPN, the representative of the Floresti Parents Committee Ala Starcu, who spoke in the name of all the parents, said the draft Education Code says education will be obligatory up to the age of 18, not 16, as now. “We return to the Soviet system. The teachers will follow the students to bring them to school,” she said, adding that the students mustn’t be obliged to study. When they are 16 they are mature enough to decide if they want to study further or to work.

The parents are also dissatisfied with the fact that the draft Code does not stipulate ‘home education’. In the context of the reforms in education, when many schools are closed, the local public authorities may, for example, pay a teacher who would gather a group of students and would give lessons to them. Thus, the children will not have to travel tens of kilometers to go to the school in another settlement.

The Parents Congress expressed concern about the implementation of the electronic system by which confidential data about parents are collected. These data are gathered without knowing the purpose of such an act. Ala Starcu also said the parents fear that this system is not protected and can be anytime opened by somebody.

The parents also do not agree with the fact that the students can share their problems with a psychologist over the Internet. “My child told me that the teachers encourage them to access a website when they cannot discuss certain problems with their parents. On that website, they can describe their problems and will receive an answer,” said Ala Starcu.

Jurist Elena Batca called on the parents from other districts to organize a committee and to defend their rights. “We must build a resistance wall against all these provisions,” she stated.

The draft Education Code is to be approved by the Government.