Parliament endorses Education Code

The Parliament has endorsed the Education Code, in the first reading, on Friday, to replace the 1995 Education Law. The draft was voted only by the Communist MPs, as the other parliamentarians expressed objections and put up amendments, Info-Prim Neo reports. Education Minister Larisa Savga has said the new code is welcome because the law in force is overcome and it's necessary to adjust the national education system to the European standards. “For the first time since independence, the country's educational doctrine in Moldova is finally defined and it defines education as a national priority,” the minister said. Among novelties: the National Education Registry, the info basis of the institutions network, of the number of pupils, students and teachers, education diplomas. According to the minister, this will lead to make the system more transparent and will diminish corruption in education. Although called the draft “an optimal piece of legislation for the education system”, the Communist Mps made proposals. Eva Gudumac says the financing should be at least 7% of the GDP and not up to 7% as provided by the bill. Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN) has proposed the financing of the education should be not less than 10% of the GDP, the average salary -- not less than the average salary in economy, as the teachers should have the status of public servants. “These years, the rate of financing the eduction was 8% of the GDP, and the branch is doing badly, the average salary is 60% of the country's average, and the governance came with the cynical proposal to finance the education with 7% of the GDP,” MP Anatol Onceanu stated. The Democratic faction has said it will put up over 50 amendments to the bill, and won't vote for it unless accepted. It bans the teacher to make chauvinistic, nationalistic, political, religious or military propaganda. “Who will decide whether it;s chauvinistic or nationalistic what the teacher says in the class?” asked Dumitru Ivanov. The Christian-Democrats proposed to financed the education in a ratio of at least 10-14% of the GDP, to change the marking system and to provide the same social benefits to teachers in cities, as the teachers in villages get. Liberal-Democratic leader Vlad Filat has said it's not clear if the higher education will be free, as the President suggested. “Those statements are not covered either legally, practically. And if it so, does it mean the youths will not have access to higher education. The citizens have the right to education,” Filat said. The draft Education Code is an initiative of President Vladimir Voronin and was developed by the Education Ministry with the assistance of academicians and teachers. The draft is to be adopted will the year-end.