Demand for places in kindergartens increased in Chisinau

The demand for places in the kindergartens of the municipality of Chisinau significantly exceeded during this year the existent offer, forcing authorities to examine the issue of opening new kindergartens in Chisinau. The interim head of the General Department for Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (GDECYS), Tatiana Nagnibeda told Info-Prim Neo that until the end of the last week, the department will evaluate the number and situation of the kindergartens which were offered for rent to different organizations because of the lack of children. On the issue of opening new kindergartens will discussed only in case the Municipal Council will approve the volume of financial resources for 2006, the cited source said. At the end of the last school year, about 30 thousand children were going to kindergarten. Although during summer 32 institutions were closed because of the lack of children, starting September 1 all of them resumed their activity. Authorities announce that during September, the inspectors will evaluate the extent to which the kindergartens are prepared for the new school year. Compared with the situation from other localities of the country, some buildings dedicated to kindergartens which were lacking children were not sold. In the first half of 2006, local authorities of Chisinau difficultly examined the possibility of selling 10 buildings to private education institutions, who are presently renting the edifices. On February 28, the councilors categorically rejected the possibility of selling the aforementioned buildings, considering that the draft decision is risky and might create disadvantages for the municipality, because birth rate increases and there are two many children in kindergartens. At the same time, the councilors consider that the Mayoralty will not be able to construct new kindergartens if necessary. 146 kindergartens are working in Chisinau at present.