Study awards for students of the secondary professional education institutions in Moldova will be also increased. The current awards of 120 lei will rise to 200 lei. Cabinet of Ministers decided, in its Wednesday session held in Orhei that the increases will be operated starting January. The initiative to increase study awards for students of the secondary professional education institution has been proposed by Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev. However, only a week ago, Deputy Minister of Education and Youth Valentin Crudu stated, in the context of increasing scholarships of all levels, except for secondary professional education, that financial aid for the students from this category hasn’t been increased because all the students from these schools receive free lunches and their scholarships will stick to the level of MDL 120. In turn, Tarlev justifies his initiative with the intention to support this sector of training staff for the national economy. According to the Government decision, the students of these schools will continue to receive free lunches. Additional MDL 17.7 mln will be provided in 2007 for increasing scholarships for institutions of secondary professional education. Recently, the Cabinet increased study awards for students by 35%, as from 2007. For the first three months of the year, scholarships will be recalculated. After increases, scholarships in higher education will vary between 285 and 365 lei, corresponding to the 1st, 2nd or 3rd degree. In vocational education institutions students will receive from MDL 210 to 285. Merit awards will be also increased by 35%. The Scholarship of the Republic will reach 675 lei; Scholarship of the President - 610 lei for higher education, and 410 lei – for vocational education, Scholarship of the Government – 555 lei, and Gaudeamus Scholarship – 405 lei.