“All children have the right to early education”: What parents should know about summer kindergarten attendance
During the summer, some kindergartens may temporarily suspend operations, leading to children being transferred to other institutions. Representatives from the "Părinți Solidari" Association assert that parents are not obligated to provide employment certificates or any other documents when requesting a transfer. They emphasize that any requirement for such documentation is considered abusive.
There is no legal requirement for parents to provide an employment certificate when transferring a child to a new educational institution. The General Directorate of Education, Youth and Sports (DGETS) confirmed that requesting such documents is not permitted, as stated by Ala Revenco, director of the Association "Parinți Solidari," during the show "Bună Dimineața" on Moldova 1.
"Parents have no obligation and should not be asked for these certificates," Ala Revenco told journalist Valeria Suhari.
The professional status of parents should not impact a child's right to early childhood education. "All children, regardless of whether their parents are employed or not—whether both parents work or just one—have the right to attend early childhood education institutions at any time of the year," the association representative said.
If a kindergarten suspends operations during the summer, parents simply need to submit an application to the institution’s administration to request a temporary transfer for their child.
However, representatives from the association acknowledge that many instances exist where the rights of parents and children are not upheld. Reported issues include the refusal to accept applications or the failure to provide a template for the transfer application.
According to Ala Revenco, the challenges extend beyond the Chisinau municipality. In many localities across the country, the situation is even more complex, particularly in villages where there is only one kindergarten and no alternative enrollment options.
"Parents face restrictions when trying to access services and are often required to provide evidence that they have no one to care for their child, even though this is not mandated by law," she explained.
The representative of the association noted that until 2016-2017, kindergartens remained open during the summer months. However, a practice was introduced that temporarily closed some institutions, with the promise that spaces would be available for children in other kindergartens.
Over time, though, the number of available transfer places has significantly decreased. Initially, about 20-30% of children were redirected to other institutions, but currently, there are kindergartens that do not transfer any children at all. In the best cases, only about 10% of applicants are accepted.
