Moldovan cabinet approves more rulings on backing education sector employees

Chisinau, 18 January /MOLDPRES/ – The Cabinet of Ministers approved at the meeting today, a number of decisions on increasing social payments for employees of education, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.

As such, single allowances payable to teachers in the first three years of activity increases by 50 per cent and for graduates of higher education institutions will be 45,000 lei, while for specialized education graduates 36,000 lei. The increase will benefit 1,299 young specialists.

There were also increased the unique benefits for young specialists for compensation of rental housing and consumption of heat and electricity. For that purpose, the State Budget provides 22.8 million lei for 2017.

Another measure to support young people to work in the educational field provides that the monthly salary of teachers in general education public institutions in the first three years, will establish the basis for calculation having 75 per cent of their teaching to the official salary. For this current year, it will be allocated over 18.3 million lei.

Also, the government approved a series of amendments to the Regulation on the organization of Republican Contest "Pedagogul anului" (The teacher of the year), which aims to stimulate the professional performance obtained by teachers within the academic year. According to the amendments, for the first prize, it will be awarded 50 thousand lei, for the second prize – 25 thousand lei, while those ranked the third position will receive 15 thousand lei.

Another decision which was approved by the Government provided the indexing of scholarships by 5 per cent.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Pavel Filip ordered the preparation by the Education Ministry and the State Chancellery of a plan with concrete terms of arrears liquidation on drafting regulations for the implementation of the Education Code.

Similarly, the new paying methodology to teachers based on performance, has to be presented for public discussion within one month.

"I should like to remind that it was created the cross-sectoral working group with the participation of trade unions, including those in education, which has the task to come up with a proposal for reform of the wage system quality in the public sector. We propose that this Working Group to develop a new draft law on salaries of civil servants and public sector, to be based on merit and performance," said Prime Minister Pavel Filip.

(Editor A. Raileanu)