Eleven lyceums and secondary schools of Moldova were outfitted with 3D printers, scanners, sensors, tablet PCs, robot kits and digital labs within the pilot-project “Class of Future” that was launched on December 8. The project is a public-private partnership with investments of over US$300,000, IPN reports.

Secretary General of State at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research of Moldova Igor Sharov said such initiatives are beneficial to the education system. He called on the involved classes to fully profit from these possibilities and, by their example, to encourage other education institutions to become beneficiaries of such initiatives.

The “Class of the Future” brings technologies to school and the learning – teaching process. Digitization of education and adjustment of the teaching process to the realities of the information age will prepare the young people for successful careers on the competitive labor market,” stated the Ambassador of Sweden in Chisinau Signe Burgstaller.

The schools that expressed interest in implementing the pilot-project “Class of Future” – three from Chisinau, two from Balti and six from rural areas – form part of the robotic network of the national program Roboclub. An education area will be set up at the Institute of Education Sciences to continuously train Moldovan teachers who will later become involved in the implementation of the project.

Beth Brownson, Program Officer at USAID Moldova, said that taking into account the success of the robotic clubs nationwide, “Class of Future” opens up new opportunities for young people, preparing them for careers of the future and the investment in education and in children’s abilities is the most intelligent investment for any nation.

The concept is based on the recommendations of the European Schoolnet, which is network consisting of 31 European ministries of education that work in the field of ICT-based innovations in education.