Moldovan government ensures resumption of education based on child safety

Chisinau, 25 August /MOLDPRES/- A meeting of the National Council for Child Protection (CNPDC) was held today in the government online, chaired by Prime Minister Ion Chicu. Priority topic on the agenda was aimed at ensuring the child's right to education, in the context of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, the government's communication and protocol department has reported.

"A new school year is about to begin in a few days. We, the members of this forum and parents of all children are concerned about how the educational process will be organized further. CNESP has decided to resume studies on 1 September in compliance with certain sanitary instructions. Unfortunately, the epidemiological situation is precarious, so we will have to face a rather complicated period ", he said.

At the request of the premier, the officials of the relevant ministries presented a set of measures taken to start the new academic year 2020/21 in safe conditions for all levels of education. Minister of Health, Social Protection and Labor Viorica Dumbrăveanu said that about 95% of educational institutions have already been equipped with thermometers and disinfectants. At the same time, there are trainings of people who will perform the daily triage of pupils and teachers, in the case of institutions that face the crisis of medical staff or its lack.

About 72% of all teachers in Moldova have benefited from online training courses. At the same time, this school year the electronic catalog will be launched, a pilot project that will be implemented in 171 educational institutions. Teachers will be responsible for developing the individualized plan of pupil, which will ensure the full acquisition of teaching materials. Under these conditions, exceptions will be made to increase admissible teaching workload (27 hours per week).

Another topic was related to steps to implement the National Program for preventing and combating crime among vulnerable groups, especially minors. Measures to prevent and combat juvenile delinquency provided for in the new program include equipping educational institutions with security systems, developing emergency reporting mechanisms, improving the legal framework, coordinating educational institutions with law enforcement agencies, ensuring an anti-crime infrastructure, setting road markings in areas adjacent to educational institutions etc.

He asked the specialized central public authorities to take the necessary measures to identify, assess and monitor children at risk to prevent the escalation of the juvenile delinquency phenomenon.