| MEASURES FOR PRE-SCHOOL AND SCHOOL CHILDREN (7.06.2007) |
| (2007-06-07) |
| Last updated: 2007-06-08 19:43 EET |
TV stations have recently broadcast newsreel footage showing parents staying in long queues overnight, in front of kindergartens, in an effort to enrol their children, afraid that their kids could be left outside the educational system in autumn. The big cities are most affected. In Constanta, in the south-east, Iasi, in the east, and Timisoara, in the south-west, the number of applications exceeds by far the number of available places. In Bucharest, the situation is even worse, because provisional data show some 8,000 pre-school children will have to stay at home. What is the solution to this delicate issue? One possible alternative would be to open kindergartens within schools and to hire some more space. The measure, initiated by Education Minister, Cristian Adomnitei, has been accepted by Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu. The Education Minister has briefed the Prime Minister and the members of the Cabinet on the availability of funds for building kindergartens. The money has already been allotted, but the effort hasn’t been sufficiently supported by all local authorities. For instance, some mayor’s offices haven’t allotted a dime for the expansion of kindergartens or the building of new ones.
In an effort to improve the situation, Economy Minister Varujan Vosganian has been authorised by the government to sign a 66.8 million Euro loan with the Development Bank of the Council of Europe. The total value of the project, which will be completed in 2011, stands at 88 million euros. The project is meant to improve the efficiency of the educational system and to offer access to pre-school education for a larger number of children. Consequently, 410 kindergartens will be built, 340 others will be rehabilitated and consolidated and 750 will be refurbished. A total number of 13,000 kindergartens will receive teaching aids, educational games and other material which is necessary in the educational process. Under the same program, all personnel of kindergartens, including managers, teachers, instructors and administrators will take further training courses. Another issue that has been discussed by the government was violence in schools, against the backdrop of a large number of incidents in schools and high-schools of late. At the Prime Minister’s request, the Education and Interior Ministers, Cristian Adomnitei and Cristian David respectively have drafted a set of measures to crack down on violence. One of the measures envisaged by the authorities is to employ a sufficient number of counsellors, psycho-pedagogues, for such a specialist to assist 400 children.
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2025-04-03
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