Moldova depoliticizes education system with new law
The Moldovan Parliament has voted to amend the Education Code, effectively ending the mandate of district education directors who have not been appointed in accordance with the new law.
The amendment, which was proposed by PAS MP Eugeniu Sinchevici, was passed by a vote of 54 in the second reading on August 17. It will now go to the president for promulgation.
The amendment targets district education directors who have been in office for more than four years, were not appointed on the basis of a competition, or were hired for an indefinite period. These directors will have their mandates suspended and will be replaced by interim appointees from the Ministry of Education and Research.
The amendment is intended to depoliticize the education system and ensure that school boards are appointed on the basis of merit, rather than political affiliation.
"In many cases, heads of directorates have been appointed as they wish, for an indefinite period, which is not fair," said Sinchevici. "Education is a very specific area where the priority should not be to satisfy the ruling coalitions at district level, but rather the quality of education."
The amendment has been met with mixed reactions from education stakeholders. Some have welcomed the move as a necessary step to improve the quality of education, while others have expressed concern that it will lead to instability in the education system.
The trade unions are still waiting for the Ministry of Education to approve the regulation that will govern the appointment and functioning of the new school boards. Once this regulation is in place, they will be able to give a final opinion on the amendment.
The amendments to the Education Code will enter into force on the date of their publication in the Official Monitor of the Republic of Moldova.
