A program that aims to strengthen the education system and create learning opportunities for all children in a modern and inclusive environment was launched in Moldova. The activities will be carried out in the educational system and will also be piloted at the local level, in ten schools that will be selected as beneficiaries of the program. One of the key aspects of the program is professional and leadership development, which aims to support the effort of the Ministry of Education and Research to improve the system for the professional development of teachers through the National Institute for Education and Leadership, IPN reports.
The program “Advancing Quality Education and Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All” for 2024-2027 will be implemented by UNICEF, and UNDP, with the financial support of the European Union and in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research.
Minister of Education and Research Dan Perciun noted that the National Institute for Education and Leadership, part of the project, started work on February 25 this year. “We set that goal to have 1,000 functional mentors in the system, starting with September, and the project comes with both methodological support, technical assistance and cost coverage for these mentors in the first 6-9 months of work, a very generous contribution from the European Union, for which we are grateful,” said the minister.
Dan Perciun also said that the project will contribute to strengthening the network of model schools, those 35 educational institutions that must become regional poles of attraction for parents who today have children in very small educational institutions. “The project will support us both in the digitization of these educational institutions and in making them accessible. Together with UNICEF and UNDP, we will invest in ten educational institutions, which will bring us closer to our overall goal of reaching €70 million invested in this network. Also, buses will be purchased within this project so that we can ensure access to high-quality education for every child who wants it,” stated the minister said.
Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, said that it is one of the biggest initiatives of the European Union in recent years to support education and skills in the Republic of Moldova. “The education system in the Republic of Moldova has gone through an impressive path of modernization. Since the adoption of the Education Code in 2014, the system has reconceptualized the vision of the sector and gradually aligned it with the European standards. Under the Association Agreement, education was an area of cooperation in bilateral relations between the EU and the Republic of Moldova. In all these years, the EU has made important contributions,” said the diplomat.
Maha Damaj, UNICEF Representative in Moldova, said that the learning environment must change, students must be involved as active participants in their own learning path, regardless of the contexts they come from. “If we are talking about a modern school for every child, then we must try to create schools that promote cooperation and social cohesion, where every child finds a place in school,” said the UNICEF official, noting that teachers also need training to embrace this change and within this program UNICEF is proud to support teacher training through the National Institute for Education and Leadership.
UNDP Resident Representative to the Republic of Moldova Daniela Gasparikova said that UNDP is proud to stand as partner with the European Union and UNICEF in the implementation of this ambitious program. “It aligns with our core mission to foster human development underpinned by better educational outcomes which will expand opportunities for all people to live the lives they desire. That’s why, over the years, we have been committed to supporting initiatives in general and vocational education and life-long learning,” stated Daniela Gasparikova.
