Igor Buga, “We must make conceptual decisions”

Deputies at the plenary session heard a Report on the situation of children in the Pridnestrovian in 2022. The report was presented by the head of the Ministry of Education of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic Svetlana Ivanishina.

The Minister of Education told deputies in her speech about the main demographic indicators, the morbidity of children, their education, upbringing and development. Thus, 83146 children lived in the republic as of January 1, 2023. Among them there are almost 45 thousand schoolchildren, noted Svetlana Ivanishina.

The report of the Ministry of Education touched upon the issues of organizing leisure time for children and adolescents, education of children with special needs, the situation of orphans and children without parental care.

Deputies after studying the information provided in the report had questions related to the decline in the level of children's health. Some parliamentarians noticed that there has been an increase in poor posture among schoolchildren in recent years, especially among elementary school students.

The Minister of Education reminded the deputies that from September 1, in all schools, lyceums and gymnasiums of the republic, on behalf of the President of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, physical exercises are being held during noon recess. Their goal is among other things the prevention of scoliosis in schoolchildren.

Deputies asked questions about the process of transitioning schoolchildren from a six-day school week to a five-day one. Deputy Vadim Levitsky noted that there are many complaints from schoolchildren themselves and their parents about heavy physical and psychological stress. The parliamentarian asked whether the relevant ministry plans to review curricula and programs to make them more balanced.

Svetlana Ivanishina admitted that there really are problems. They will be resolved step by step. The ministry plans to revise the programs for grades 5-9 this academic year.

Chairman of the Supreme Council Alexander Korshunov was interested in the number of orphans who are in line to receive their own housing. According to the official representative of the Ministry of Social Protection and Labor of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, as of January 1, 2023, there are 1241 orphans on the waiting list. 39 people received comfortable housing at the expense of the republican budget in 2022. Another 8 people received housing at the expense of local budgets. Another 95 people joined the queue to get their own house or apartment during the same time. The Speaker of Parliament reminded deputies that providing them with their own housing is the task of the state.

A detailed analysis of the Report on the situation of children in the republic was presented by the chairman of the relevant parliamentary Committee on Education, Public Associations and the Media, Igor Buga. He focused in his speech on the most problematic issues

The deputy noted that the staffing level of pediatricians and neonatologists in the cities is 55%. In the regions the situation is worse.

The data presented in the report indicate that over the past few years the number of schoolchildren, as well as those studying at universities and technical schools, has decreased significantly. The plan for admission to higher and secondary education systems has not been fulfilled. The professions in shortest supply today are doctors and teachers. However, a large number of budget places in these areas turned out to be unclaimed. The trend of aging personnel is most pronounced in the education sector today, according to Igor Buga.

Igor Buga drew attention to the increase in the number of offenses among minors, moreover, related to bodily injuries. The deputy recalled that the report on the work of the Government for last year provided data on the increase in the number of group crimes.

The deputy corps took note of the Report on the situation of children in the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic in 2022. The draft Resolution of the Supreme Council, prepared by the Committee on Education, Public Associations and the Media was unanimously supported by parliamentarians with comments and conceptual proposals.