Moldova textbook woes: Lack of transparency, low competition raise concerns
Moldova's textbook procurement system, plagued by a lack of transparency and low competition, might not be providing students with the resources they need, say civil society groups.
They urge the Ministry of Education to overhaul the process and prioritise textbook quality.
The 2022 textbook procurement regulation raises concerns, warns Olga Diaconu, project coordinator at the Association for Efficient and Responsible Governance. The secrecy surrounding evaluations fuels doubts about fairness and potential "fraud and/or anti-competitive agreements." Additionally, higher costs and compromised quality further exacerbate the issue.
The situation isn't much better on the competition front. Ala Revenco, executive director of the Parents Solidarity Association, highlights the alarming absence of competition in the last process, with 80% of lots receiving either a single offer or none. This "reduced efficiency" necessitates immediate action, she stresses, suggesting either revising the regulation or the ministry taking charge of content development. Technical factors like paper and cover quality also deserve greater attention.
Acknowledging the urgency, the Education Ministry proposes doubling the remuneration for new textbook authors and plans to involve professional teachers in the drafting process. Additionally, a new tender for 34 titles is soon to be launched.
Meanwhile, a ray of hope shines from Parliament, where recent amendments to the Public Procurement Law prioritise content quality by increasing its weight to 70% in the selection process, compared to the previous 40%. However, price still holds a 30% influence, potentially hindering a complete shift towards quality-driven procurement.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
