Situation in Moldova's education system should be analyzed thoroughly, experts

The decentralization of the education institutions, the efficient management of the administrative resources, the rise in the attendance rates in primary and secondary education are recommendations for the new Education Code that were included in a public policy document on education and human development. The document was drawn up by the Public Policy Institute in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Moldova and UNDP and was made public on May 14, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the author of the document Anatol Gremalschi, expert of the Public Policy Institute, the document derived from the necessity of identifying the major problems faced in the education system and formulating proposals for modernizing the new Education Code that was proposed for public debates. The expert said the school attendance rates and the number of graduates who get employed point to the effectiveness of the education system. “We consider that the new Education Code should focus on the decentralization of the education institutions and the more active engagement of the parents, representatives of businesses and the community in managing the education system. The students are beneficiaries of the education system and their voices should be thus heard,” Anatol Gremalschi said. The public policy document on education and human development shows that the school attendance rates in primary and secondary education have decreased. The average attendance rate in secondary education is 85%. “About 35% of the high school graduates do not continue their studies. These and other shortcomings should be removed,” the expert said. The representative of UNDP Matilda Dimovska said the document is opportune in the context of the changes that take place in Moldova. “We want to offer new alternatives, new types of analysis of the present situation and hope the recommendations contained in the document will be useful,” she said. Minister of Education Leonid Bujor said the Ministry will examine all the proposals submitted by the experts. “We want the new Education Code to be viable and useful. We have preconditions for improving the education system and provide eduction of a better quality,” the minister stressed The draft Education Code was made public on April 21. It will replace the Education Law adopted in 1995.