Simple motion against Moldovan Education and Research Ministry's policies fails

The parliament today rejected the simple motion initiated by the parliamentary faction of the Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BCS) against the policies of the Ministry of Education and Research (MEC). Only 18 deputies voted for the motion.

At the plenary meeting, Minister Dan Perciun delivered an extensive report on the institution's activity in the recent years. He referred to the lack of personnel in the system, teachers' salaries, number of children in schools and the activities of universities from Moldova.

“We need the support of state institutions to implement the changes we are making in an attempt to find optimal solutions for teachers, parents and students. The common goal is to have a high-performing educational system and what we at the Ministry of Education firmly believe in is speed. We have no time to waste; we still have about 50 per cent of our students who do not reach a minimum competency level in reading, math and science. These generations of children will find it very difficult later to enter the job market and will face difficulties in continuing their studies at university. They are our children, for whom we need to do more and faster. Speed is of utmost importance and that's what we try to do every time at the Ministry of Education. The reform must continue,” said Perciun.

The education minister reiterated that, largely, the quality of education depended on teachers and the ministry had taken several actions, including salary increases and the elimination of some reports.

“Teachers need to have more time for children than for paperwork. We have managed to increase salaries. In the last four years, teachers' salaries have increased by about 6,256 lei. Those with the first teaching degree have had increases of 64 per cent, while those without teaching degrees have higher salaries by about 58%. These are significant increases, increases that were necessary. Beyond that, during this entire period, we also had one-off payments of approximately 5,000 lei for all teaching staff. This was an infusion of resources provided by the government primarily for this profession. We have managed to also increase reference values for an entire spectrum of specialists who had been waiting for these changes for a long time.”

Perciun noted that, in recent years, the number of young people choosing to study in the country's universities had increased, including due to investments made in laboratories and dormitories. He specified that the ministry he leads had not closed any school in these years.

The opposition parliamentary deputies criticized the education minister’s report and asked for his resignation. After a session of questions and answers, which lasted more than four hours, the motion was turned down.

The simple motion was submitted by 22 deputies from the parliamentary faction of the Bloc of Communists and Socialists.

According to the parliament's regulations, a simple motion can be initiated by at least 15 lawmakers and is adopted with the majority vote of the MPs present.