Ministry of Education bans forced fund-raising in schools

The Ministry of Education and Youth has prohibited the forced fund-raising in education institutions. According to minister Victor Tvircun, money can be collected by the parents’ associations strictly on voluntary principles, while their distribution must be transparent. He urged the parents’ associations to act in strict compliance with the normative documents. Moreover, minister Tvircun stated Tuesday November 28 during an extraordinary session of the managers from pre-university institutions in Chisinau regarding countering corruption in the education system. Thus, from now on not only will the parents’ contributions to the school be voluntary, but also will be performed via a bank transfer only. He believes all the financial necessities of the education institutions must be covered by the state organizations, and not by the parents’ associations or through the agency of the school foundations. At the same time, Tvircun required to eradicate the practice which allows for pupils to advance to a next grade, without taking any tests whatsoever, neither attending national and international Olympiads, nor showing outstanding results. He promised that those who ignore these provisions will be severely punished, or even dismissed. Minister admitted that there is corruption in all the fields, but the one in education has major repercussions on the future generation. In the context, head of Education, Youth and Sports municipal Division Tatiana Nagnibeda-Tverdohleb declared that lately an increasing number of violations is attested, with respect to constraining parents into fund-raising, different foundations being invented in this regard – for the class, school, library, coaching, tutorials etc. She asserts that complaints signed by indignant parents are permanently submitted to the Division. In order to counter corruption in this regard, the parents’ associations have recently created a Council which is to align the activity of these organizations with legal norms. At the same time, the cited source agrees that the school can not exist without community aid. According to minister Victor Tvircun, the Ministry of Education and Youth and the municipal Education Division will carry out regular inspections in the education institutions during the 2006-2007 academic year. The extraordinary meeting of the managers from the pre-university educational system in Chisinau municipality was preceded by another one, attended by President Vladimir Voronin, who required that corruption in education is eradicated.