Teachers seek 7% of GDP for education and pays no smaller than average

The Moldovan teachers propose that the education system is funded in ratio of at least 7% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and a salary not smaller than the economy's average. These suggestions to the draft Education Code were put up Wednesday by heads of Edcuation Directions from municipalities and districts at the sitting of the Parliamentary Committee in change with education, Info-Prim Neo reports. The teachers consider not only the young teachers sent to villages should get dwellings and indemnities, but also the ones sent to cities. “More young teachers go to village school, while the staff of the town schools is getting older,” said [Parascovia Petrov, the Education Direction chief from Basarabeasca town]. The teachers from Basarabeasca propose to sent medical assistants not only to village schools, but also to schools in towns. The direction heads propose that the teachers get monthly compensations for 30 kW of electricity, one cubic meter of wooden logs and a tonne of coal, in winter. They propose that the teachers' pension should be 50% of their salary after working 20 years, 75% -- after 25 years. The teachers from Chisinau propose to set up 'educational complexes' to comprise kindergartens, grammar schools, secondary schools and lycees. “This experience is implemented in a number of European states and over the Ocean,” said [Tatiana Nagnibeda-Tverdohleb, the Education Direction chief from Chisinau]. Some schols in Chisinau are overcrowded and do not have the right to hold admittance tests. She also proposes to modify the system of evaluating the knowledge in Moldova. “The marks 1- 4 are not functional and practically have the same significance since the passing mark is 5,” she said. [Andrei Coibu, the Direction chief from Balti] suggests to modify the system of evaluating the knowledge for the beginning grades. The Balti teachers believe the admittance in higher education institutions should be done by admittance exams. According to [Gheorghe Lisnic, the Direction chief from Drochia], taking into account the large number of children whose parents work abroad, the class supervising teachers should get bigger salaries. He opines those parents should pay the state for educating their children. The draft Education Code was publicized earlier in October and is to be adopted till the year-end. According to Education Minister Larisa Savga, the draft contrains a series of innovations to lead to modernize the education system in Moldova.