Government determined to improve activity of Moldova’s art schools

The Government is resolute to improve the activity of the art schools of the country. At Wednesday’s meeting, it approved a programme to support the activities of the respective institutions during 2007 - 2010. The programme envisages the formulation and implementation of district, municipal and regional plans for improving the logistical support of the out-of-school artistic education establishments, providing them with the necessary teaching materials and young teaching staff, stimulating the teachers and students that achieved results at international and national competitions and festivals, organising refresher courses for teachers, providing awards to the most talented students, awarding the prize-winners of international and national competitions and festivals, organising the national contest for the most representative music, art and plastic arts school. Minister of Culture and Tourism Artur Cozma told reporters that the Government decided to increase the comparably lower salaries of the teachers working in these institutions so as they are similar in size to the ones earned by teachers from ordinary schools. Currently, the state covers 70% of the costs of maintaining these establishments. The other 30% are covered from the tuition fees paid by parents. According to the medium-term expenditure framework for 2008-2010, the territorial-administrative units will allocate the following sums for financing the out-of-school artistic education institutions: in 2008 – 171.1 mln lei, in 2009 – 172.9 mln lei, in 2010 – 172.8 mln lei. Speaking about the fact that the tuition fees are too small in these institutions to cover the real necessities, as the local authorities say, the minister said that the local governments can increase the fees if they decide. There are 112 out-of-school artistic education institutions in Moldova, including 49 music schools, 44 art schools and 19 plastic arts school. A number of 1 368 teachers, including 838 with higher education, work in these schools at present. According to official statistics, 16,161 students attended these institutions in 2006-2007. A number of 1,839 of them graduated from these schools this year. Eighty-one of the 112 institutions have their own building, 13 have adapted buildings and 18 work in leased buildings. Seventy buildings are in need of extensive repair and 12 are not supplied with heat in winter. Most of these institutions have not been repaired for 15 years. There were purchased no literature and musical instruments and no furniture. The allotted resources could not cover the participation in the largest part of the national and international competitions.