Government’s education policy is anti-European, MAE says

The education policy implemented by the present government is oriented towards East even if the authorities say that it is pro-European, the secretary general of the European Action Movement (MAE) Mariana Taranu said at a news conference held at Info-Prim Neo on January 30. President Vladimir Voronin says that he is a supporter of the European policies, but institutes an education system based on Russian and Communist pseudo-values, Taranu said, referring to the introduction of the integrated history course and the attempts to introduce the Moldovan language course. Moldova can become a member of the European family only if it promotes a democratic policy, the MAE secretary general said. Eugenia Ciutac, history teacher at the theoretical lyceum in Magdacesti village in Criuleni district, said that in reality, the integrated history course was introduced with the aim of falsifying the national history and continuing thus the denationalisation process initiated in 1812 and continued in the Soviet period, she said. Ecateria Verdes, teacher of Romanian language and literature at the high school in Cruglic village in Criuleni district, demanded that the authorities respect the scientific truth and the fundamental right of the Moldovan citizens. Students attending the conference said they are against the introduction of the integrated history course and the attempts to introduce the Moldovan language course. The history teachers of Soroca town made public a joint statement where they say they are against the introduction of the two courses. The statement was backed by the Criuleni teachers too. The integrated history textbooks, criticised by experts, political leaders and teachers, were introduced in schools at the start of the last school year. Recently, the press reported that President Vladimir Voronin asked the authorities of Balti municipality to replace the Romanian language subject with the Moldovan language subject.