UNICEF, UNDP to improve quality of education in Moldova, with EU's financial support

Chisinau, 28 March /MOLDPRES/ - The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the European Union’s financial support and in partnership with the Education and Research Ministry (MEC), launch the programme titled, Promotion of  quality education and opportunities of lifelong learning for everybody. The initiative is set to contribute to the strengthening of the education system and to the creation of a modern and inclusive environment for all children.      

With an overall budget of 10 million euros, the programme will contribute to the  improvement of the digital skills of teachers, will back the development of digital educational resources and will create the Open Educational Resources Platform. Ten out of those 35 model schools selected by Moldova’s government were chosen by the European Union, UNICEF and UNDP, in order to be renovated and endowed with modern equipment to enhance pupils’ access to the quality education, especially from disadvantaged environment. 

„We appreciate the openness of the partners who conceptualized this project, proceeding from MEC’s priorities and had flexibility to support what is going to happen in education on the next 2-3 years. There are several key elements which the project will approach and which will help us consolidate our educational system,’’ Education and Research Minister Dan Perciun said. He referred to the project’s involvement in the creation of model schools, networks of national mentors within INEL and to the didactic projection.      

European Union’s Ambassador to Moldova Janis Mazeiks emphasized the EU’s support for the development of the education system. ‘’For more than one decade, EU has been a strategic partner for the development of the education system of Moldova. Today, more than ever, the education and skills are in the focus of the cooperation between the European Union and Moldova within the European integration process which Moldova has undertaken since the getting of the status of country candidate in 2022,’’ Janis Mazeiks said.      

The schools selected will promote the development of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) skills and will be provided with school buses, in order to facilitate the access of pupils from the rural areas. Besides, professional orientation activities will be organized, in order to contribute to the improvement of the relation between the general education and the labour market. Also, UNICEF will back MEC, in order to ensure a fair access for all children, including for the ones with special educational requirements. In the context, assistive technologies will be purchased and the support professors and teachers will be trained on their use.