The deputies of the Bloc of Communists and Socialists accuse the government of planning to close two schools, one in the village of Dolna in the Strășeni district and the other in the village of Plopi in the Cantemir district. The MPs organized a press briefing at the Parliament, which was attended by parents of the pupils and representatives of the two villages. They appealed to the authorities not to economize on children, not to close schools, because such decisions will have negative consequences on the educational process and communities as a whole, IPN reports.
MP Alla Darovannaia said that closing schools destroys the future of villages. According to her, a closed school is not only the loss of a place of education, but also the beginning of degradation, a step towards the death of the village.
"Under the pretext of reorganization and modernization, the PAS government, through local public authorities, is imposing measures that will lead to the disappearance of rural settlements, forcing families to leave, leaving behind deserted villages," the MP says.
According to the MEP, the €50 compensation for parents who agree to transfer their children to schools in other localities is nothing more than "a clinical attempt to mask the deliberate destruction of rural education".
Mariana Grigoras, the mayor of Dolna village, said that on March 21 the decision of the district council on the liquidation of the local gymnasium was approved, a decision that the local public administration, parents and citizens of the village categorically disagree with.
"There are 84 children in the school and the number will increase in the coming years. The school has spacious classrooms, a canteen, a hall, a sports hall, etc.," says Mariana Grigoras.
Anatol Chetreanu says he is the father of three children and that he has worked abroad for many years so that his family could stay in the locality. The school must be maintained because the village is "getting younger" and attracting investment.
Regarding the accusations made by the BCS MPs, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Research said that the MEC's priority is to ensure quality education for all children in the country, including those in rural areas. The institution notes that it is important that every child has access to quality education.
"The decision on school closures belongs to local authorities who choose to prioritize children's access to quality education in well-equipped institutions with extracurricular activities and the possibility to learn foreign languages. At the same time, we emphasize that it is good to consult the community before taking such decisions. We remind the BCS that between 2001-2008 (the period of communist rule), 58 schools were closed and 184 thousand students and 6 thousand teachers left the system", says the BCS.
