Approximately 32,000 students and teachers do not have computers and thus do not have access to online education. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Research has launched the campaign “Donate a Computer for Education” by which it urges everyone to donate a computer, laptop or tablet PC to those who need one, IPN reports.
In a press briefing, Minister of Education Igor Șarov said the updated mapping produced with the support of local expert bodies during March-May enabled to identify 29,000 students (9% of the total number) and about 3,000 teachers (11% of the total) who do not have computers. Both the children and the teachers do not have computers, laptops or tablet PCs that would enable them to have access to education,” stated the minister.
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Research created an interactive map on its website where one can see the necessities of each district and contact data where one can obtain more information. All the donors will get by a donation certificate that must be filled out and signed.
The Ministry will make all the approaches so that the schools in autumn possess the necessary equipment. On the initiative of the Ministry, the Government allocated 20 million lei for purchasing the equipment needed in the education process. Foreign donors also contributed. Soros Foundation Moldova donated 20 computers to teachers of 20 institutions. UNICEF Moldova is in the process of donating 80 computers. The Pestalozzi Children’s Foundation donated 74 tablet PCs to students from large families, five laptops and five video equipment sets, while the Chisinau City Hall distributed 74 tablet PCs to teachers and experts as part of the Online Education Project. Within a World Bank-funded project, computers to the value of US$3.5 million will be bought for general education institutions.
