The graduates of auxiliary schools, the 2018 class, at the request of their parents, will be able to continue their studies in the ninth class that will formed as of September 1 this year. An order to this effect was made by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research. This is a novelty and also a victory of the parents who struggled for this, said specialists of the Center of Legal Assistance for Persons with Disabilities. There is yet concern because the order refers only to the 2018-2019 school year.
In a news conference at IPN, Elena Stajila, programs director at the Center, said that under the Education Code, secondary education includes the fifth-ninth grades and any differentiation or exclusion based on criteria protected by law, including disability, is inadmissible. Until now the auxiliary schools provided eight grades only. Last September, the Council for the Prevention and Elimination of Discrimination was asked to examine the situation and this established that this is discrimination on grounds of disability. As a result of this decision and following a series of approaches, on June 27 this year the Ministry made an order to create ninth classes for the 2018-2019 school year.
The Center’s executive director Vitalie Mester said the right to education is a basic right enshrined in the Constitution. “The rights cannot be differentiated from person to person. Each citizen, each child is equal before the law and this means equal rights,” he stated. According to him, the Center will monitor the implementation of the given order.
Lucia Guzo, the representative of the group of parents of Auxiliary School No. 6 of Chisinau, said her child this year finished the eighth class. The parents didn’t go to collect the graduation certificate in the hope their child will be able to also attend the ninth class. “We educate two children with my husband. It results that one child enjoys particular rights, while the other child other rights. This is not normal. Many parents who have children at our schools have also other children, by up to five. Is it normal for the children in the family to have different rights in a democratic society?” asked the woman.
In connection with the signed order, the Center of Legal Assistance for Persons with Disabilities and the parents ask the Ministry to inform about the order in which the children will be admitted to the ninth class of auxiliary schools.
