IPN News Agency presents a picture of the year in different areas in the view of governmental authorities and independent experts. “2018: how it was and how it wasn’t!?” No.3: Education, culture and research
Concrete activities with an impact were carried out
Secretary general of state at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research Igor Sharov said 2018 was a year of changes when concrete activities with an impact were carried out. It was a year when effort was made to ensure the successful continuation of the implementation of the provisions of the Education Code. The education community was consolidated and the voice of society that was broadly consulted in the process of working out education policies was heard.
Among the results achieved in education in 2018, the secretary mentioned the new curriculum for early education and primary education. The curricula for the disciplines “Personal development”, “Education for society”, “Technological education” and the modules “Digital education” and “Robotics” were re-conceptualized. In 2018, the one-time allowance for young specialists was raised from 45,000 to 120,000 lei for graduates of higher education establishments and from 36,000 to 90,000 lei for graduates of post-secondary technical professional education institutions.
The continuous professional development of teaching and managerial staff was for the first time financed with state budget funds. In order to fill the vacancies of teachers, 4 million lei was allocated for re-qualifying over 400 teachers. To develop digital education, tablet PCs were provided for each first grade teacher. There were distributed 300 computers and 96 school buses. The financial norms for feeding children were raised. The priorities in 2019 will be to design the curricula for the new education stages, to work out a new generation of textbooks and to encourage school autonomy by assuming responsibility at the local level.
Among the priorities in culture, Igor Sharov mentioned the development of creativity and innovation, improvement of intercultural dialogue, sensitizing of the people so that they understand and appreciate the cultural heritage, enhancement of access and people’s participation in the cultural life. The culture development strategy “Culture 2020” defines the Governments policy in culture. The accomplishments include the restoration and conservation of the National Museum of Arts of Moldova, the Lazo Family’s Mansion in Piatra, the Organ Hall, the National Drama Mustic Theater “Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu” of Cahul. Twelve cinematographic projects were financially supported in 2018, with 5 million lei being allocated for the purpose. Among the goals next year are to modernize the cultural infrastructure and to create and ensure the functionality of museums for commemorating the historical past. These include the Museum of Victims of Political Repression, the Museum of History and Culture of Jews and the launch of a program to revitalize the houses of culture.
Reforms no longer remain on paper
Expert of the Institute for Public Policy Anatolie Gremalski said a number of reforms were initiated in the education sector in 2018 and the reforms didn’t remain on paper only. School teachers took a more active part in setting the reform goals and objectives. There were initiated and done a number of reforms, such as the raising of teachers’ salaries, augmentation of allowances for young specialists, for teachers to purchase supplies and teaching aids and the launch of the curriculum modernization process.
New curricula in early education, primary education, education for society, personal development, digital education, technological education and robotics started to be implemented on September 1, 2018. For the first time, the process of working out the new curricula was participatory and directly involved teachers and practitioners. There was approved the sector anticorruption strategy that is designed to reduce the payments collected from parents in schools and to strengthen academic integrity.
As to shortcomings, many parents continue not to realize the importance of the quality of education and many of these plead for paradigms of last century education. On the other hand, the politicians, being in a pre-electoral year, make use of elements of populism, avoiding addressing pressing problems. Four factors inspire optimism for 2019, namely: creation by the authorities of conditions for the direct involvement of teachers in the working out and implementation of the education reform concepts, orientation of education to the needs of students and parents, improvement of remuneration and working conditions for teachers and more active involvement of parents in the school life.
Many cultural events, mainly under aegis of centenary
According to the director of OWN TV Studio Virgiliu Mărgineanu, 2018 saw many cultural events, especially under the aegis of the centenary. In the cinematographic sector, more projects were initiated comparted with 2017, but, regrettably, the small budgets make their implementation difficult. “We would like the funds directed to culture and education to rise so that the quality of these projects also improve,” stated Virgiliu Mărgineanu.
He voiced hope that 2019 will be more predictive and will offer more filmmakers the chance of distinguishing themselves, especially young and beginner filmmakers. The cinema men want more cinema halls to exist all over the country so that they have where to screen their films. Given the authorities’ decision to adopt the law on cash rebate, there is hope that the foreign investments in cinematographic and audiovisual productions will increase the next years, developing thus the bi- and multilateral co-productions.
Maria Prokopchuk, IPN reporter
Other materials of the campaign “2018: how it was and how it wasn’t!?”:
Agriculture, regional development and environment
Defense
