Minister of Education and Research Anatolie Topală on Thursday met with university representatives who protested in front of the Government Building against the absorption of a number of higher education establishments. Even if he told them that all their demands will be analyzed, the minister said that at the moment, only one in three students of the State Agrarian University studies agronomy, while the rest study law and economic sciences, IPN reports.
The meeting involved Virgiliu Morei, the head of the trade union of the State Agrarian University of Moldova, and Oleg Chihai, the head of “Știința” Trade Union of the Education and Science Trade Union Federation.
In a press release, the Ministry of Education said that in the discussions, the two noted that they are in favor of the modernization of the universities and research institutes as the reform is necessary, but disagree with the proposed method of doing the reform. The trade union leaders formulated their demands in written form, expressing their disagreement with the restructuring of the State Agrarian University and the research institutes.
For his part, Anatolie Topală assured that protesters’ requests will be examined. He noted that the State Agrarian University will not enjoy viability if it trains students only in agricultural sciences and this fact was confirmed by the University’s administration at previous working meetings. He said that if there are more aspects that need to be discussed additionally, meetings with representatives of the given institutions can be agreed.
Representatives of trade unions of the State Agrarian University of Moldova mounted a protest in front of the Government Building to express their dissatisfaction with the reform announced by the Ministry of Education and Research. They said they are not against a well-thought-out reform, but are against the absorption of their institution. According to them, it is not right not to have an agrarian higher education establishment in an agrarian country. Trade unionists of the State University of Tiraspol and of “Știința” Trade Union joined in the protest.
