The Ministry of Education drafted a bill to restructure the network of technical vocational education institutions. By the start of the new academic year, the trade schools will be reorganized into vocational schools. After the Government approves the bill, the vocational schools that do not meet the quality standards and have a low number of teachers and students will also be reorganized, IPN reports.
According to the Ministry of Education, the restructuring proposal is based on a mapping report compiled with the support of an EU project. According to Adrian Stoica, consultant within the EU-funded project “Technical assistance for vocational education and formation in Moldova”, after the 97 vocational schools were assessed, 24 were classed as ‘good’, 45 as ‘average’, while 24 as ‘poor’. It was also established that the state allocates a lot of money for this sector at a time when the number of students decreases constantly.
The budget allocations for the vocational schools and colleges rose by 40% in 2008. But each second bloc of studies is in a bad state, each third canteen in vocational schools does not work, while of the total number of 199 dorms only 132 are used.
To improve the situation, the Ministry suggested over the next few years creating ten excellence centers and strengthening the network of vocational schools that would meet the highest quality standards. Five excellence centers would be set up at the initial stage, in such areas as building, light industry, information technology, services and public food, and transport.
Under the bill, five trade schools will be reorganized into vocational schools, while another five will become branches of vocational schools located in the immediate vicinity. Admission at two institutions with the weakest results will be stopped. These are the trade school of Falesti and the trade school of Todiresti, Anenii Noi.
The bill to restructure the network of technical vocational education institutions will take effect when it is approved by the Government.
