The problem of staff employed in educational institutions, especially auxiliary staff, but also that of children’s meals are pressing and are constantly monitored by the municipality. “Starting with September of last year, the Chisinau City Hall made several approaches to state institutions in order to report the situation regarding children’s meals, and after the new year the situation worsened in secondary institutions as well”, stated Andrei Pavaloi, deputy head of the General Directorate of Education, Youth and Sport, during an IPN debate focused on the start of the new school year.

By the end of the week, the contracts and the prices of the products for the menu will be evaluated and, probably, the City Hall will submit a request to the Government. “As of today, the estimated price for a child’s meal in the early education institution, whereas in March it was 40 lei, from what the colleagues in the sectors say, it could rise to somewhere around 60 lei”, said Andrei Pavaloi.

Regarding the lack of staff, Andrei Pavaloi stated that for last year the municipality requested 400 specialists from the Ministry of Education, but only 110 responded to the call. The department cooperates with universities in the city so that the students can do internships in educational institutions.

“The biggest problem we face in the personnel field is the auxiliary staff. Workers in canteens in early childhood education institutions are people of retirement age. The salary for this category of employees is ridiculous. The municipality is ready to double the salary of the auxiliary staff, but due to the salary law we cannot do this”, Andrei Pavaloi explained.