Raising public awareness and promoting the teacher's image is one of the solutions to improve the educational system, which is currently facing a number of problems, including the shortage of teachers. This is the message transmitted during the public discussion "The teacher’s image in Moldova", organized by the Community for Quality Education (COMpEC) and Influencers Hub Moldova, with the support of Soros Foundation Moldova, reports IPN.
According to a survey conducted by Pro Didactica Educational Center among teachers and managers, over 90% of them perceive the teacher’s status in the society as a negative to medium one. Both the image and the status of the teacher suffered due to the high degree of corruption in education, the aging of the teaching staff, negative attitudes of parents and students towards teachers, but also the excessive media coverage of controversial situations in the field of education. According to the national statistical data, the number of applicants for initial training in education sciences, as well as the number of graduates of the pedagogical departments who get to work in schools is continuously decreasing.
In order to initiate a discussion on these topics in the society, during the August-September period, #ProfesoriCuImpact campaign was carried out, gathering over 40 thousand views on social networks. The campaign involved successful people from various fields who have made statements regarding the profession of pedagogue. At the same time, internauts were urged to publish their stories about teachers who had a positive impact on both their future career and personal development.
Valentina Chicu, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, mentioned that education must be based on quality principles. The role of the teacher is to guide and motivate, to share love, to help everyone to become better.
Petru Culeac, executive director of Soros Foundation Moldova, has noted that if 50 years ago the teacher was considered as someone who knew everything, now children are better trained logistically. The teacher’s role, however, remains the same - helping children to develop. "The campaign intends to show the positive role of those who want to give a helping hand to their students," says Petru Culeac.
According to Rima Bezede, head of Pro Didactica Educational Center, the issue of devaluation of the teacher’s image and status is an internationally recognized one. In order to turn the teaching profession into an attractive career option, the center proposes to improve the image and status of teachers through public awareness campaigns, underlining the importance of the teacher as a personality model, but also of the appropriate salary for teachers.
Participants asked the authorities to approve the National Program for the Development of Human Resources in Education and the Status of the Teaching Staff, as well as to increase the transparency of recruitment, career promotion and motivation of the educational staff. Equally important, in the participants' opinion, is the increase of the role of parents and communities in evaluating the activities of teachers and management employees.