Taxes imposed in schools contribute to child illiteracy

The illiteracy rate among children in Moldova is on the rise. Besides migration and negligence, another factor that contributes to a high illiteracy rate is the taxes imposed in schools, said children’s ombudswoman Tamara Plamadeala, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. “The more taxes are collected, the better is for teachers. There is a kind of competition between teachers - who gathers more money for repair and other works. By using such a method, we free the state from the obligation to finance the education sector,” Tamara Plamadeala told a news conference. She said that many parents do not have money to support the education system and thus the children abandon the school. According to Tamara Plamadeala, there were 30,000 children out of school in Moldova in 2004. The current situation is not better. On the contrary, it has worsened. More parents go abroad to work and leave the children in the care of the relatives or grandparents or leave them without supervision. Many children are engaged in farm work and thus do not attend school. Most of the illiterate children are Roma. 80% of the about 7,000 Roma children are uneducated. The children’s ombudswoman said that the loaded school program, the discrimination of children with lower abilities and the lack of motivation are among the causes leading to increased illiteracy. Tamara Plamadeala stressed she repeatedly demanded that the Government guarantee the children’s right to education so that they acquire skills to integrate into society and to protect themselves. The latest information available about the number of uneducated children dates from 2004, when there was taken the population census.