Issues of education, science and culture

Issues of higher and secondary vocational education, new rules of behavior in the classroom and reducing the burden on teachers, as well as preserving the cultural heritage of Pridnestrovie and protecting children from harmful information. The information material of the press service of the Supreme Council of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic is about the most important legislations that the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Public Associations and Media worked on during the spring session.

Distraction-free learning: new rules of conduct in the classroom

Pridnestrovian schoolchildren were banned from using phones and other gadgets in class. Changes and additions to the law “On Education” were initiated by deputies of the Parliamentary Committee on Education Igor Buga, Andrei Safonov and Pavel Shinkaryuk.

Amendments in the relevant law affected some rights and obligations of participants in the educational process. This includes the teacher’s right to respect for human dignity, protection from all forms of physical and mental violence, and personal insults. The new norms will come into effect from the new school year.

Teacher from the word “teach”

The Supreme Council has reduced the bureaucratic burden on teachers. The Ministry of Education is establishing a unified list of documentation that will be provided by teachers, educators and other teaching staff in schools and kindergartens.

The Law “On Education” clarified that the Educational Institution of Cities and Districts does not have the right to approve an additional list of documentation for teachers of general education organizations at the same time. The new norms, initiated by deputies of the Committee on Education and Public Associations, will come into effect from the new academic year.

Reimbursement of expenses to the budget upon deduction

If a student studied on a budget basis, but did not want to study further or was expelled for poor academic performance, then he will have to return to the state the money spent over all the years of study. Amendments to the Law “On Education” have already entered into force. The new rules will be stipulated in contracts for the provision of educational services that students will conclude after June 1 of this year.

According to the Ministry of Education of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, in the 2023-2024 academic year, about 3700 students studied in secondary vocational education organizations on a budgetary basis, and about 5700 people received higher education at the expense of the state. Not all state employees graduate in fact. Approximately 1770 public sector students at all levels of professional education were expelled on their own initiative or for improper performance of their obligations last year. There were approximately 1500 of those who were expelled in 2022. There are cases when public sector graduates are not employed in their specialty. There has been a provision in the Law “On Education” that obliges the republican budget to reimburse expenses if a graduate does not go to work as assigned and does not complete the term established in the tripartite agreement for many years. The relevant law stipulates the obligation of state-funded students, in the event of expulsion, to return to the state the expenses spent on their education.

The terms of compulsory service for public sector graduates are now enshrined in law

The law on education stipulates the terms of compulsory service for state-funded students. It was recorded in a Government decree previously.

The relevant law establishes standards according to which graduates of state employees who have successfully completed bachelor’s and specialist’s programs upon completion of their studies will have to work as assigned for 3 years. Graduates who have received a higher medical education will work from 3 to 5 years.

Moreover, if a graduate of a bachelor's degree immediately entered a master's program, he will work for the required 3 years after receiving a master's degree. The period of compulsory service will remain unchanged even if he completed the master’s program at the expense of budget funds. However, if a state-funded student entered a master’s program not immediately after receiving a bachelor’s degree, but several years later, then upon completion of his studies he will have to work for 1 year in his specialty.

The law established mandatory service for a period of 1 year for public sector graduates of primary vocational education organizations and 2 years for public sector graduates of secondary vocational education organizations.

The new norms apply to this year's graduates.

Convenience for children and their parents

Graduates of the kindergarten at the request of parents (or substitutes) will be able to continue attending it in the summer after graduation and until the very beginning of the school year not later than he reaches 8 years of age. A new concept of “child care” was introduced into the law “On Preschool Education”. The new provisions in the law will come into force at the end of July.

Protecting children from harmful information

The interdepartmental expert commission under the Government of the PMR will now be able to conduct an examination of information products, namely films and cartoons. It could be carried out previously by producers or distributors of information products with the involvement of accredited experts or expert organizations. The detailed procedure for the work of the commission, as well as its composition, will be established by a regulatory legal act of the Government.

A state duty in the amount of 20 minimum wages will be provided for conducting an examination by an interdepartmental commission. New norms in the law “On the protection of children from information harmful to their health and development” and the law “On state duties” will come into force on January 1, 2025.

Silent witnesses of eras

New objects were included in the Unified State Register of Immovable Cultural Heritage Objects. The building of the Central City Library named after A.S. Pushkin and the temple of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church in Bendery, as well as the building of the Summer Cinema in Slobodzeya are in the “Historical Monuments” section. Another 64 objects are included in the “Archaeological Monuments” section.

Amendments to the law “On the Unified State Register of Immovable Objects of Cultural Heritage” provide the state with the opportunity to protect and reconstruct immovable objects of cultural heritage. Monuments of archaeology, history and culture of our country create new opportunities for the development of tourism in Pridnestrovie.

Preservation of the traditions of the peoples living in Pridnestrovie

Masters of folk arts and crafts will be able to receive a certificate confirming their status. This document allows you not to pay income tax for the sale of your souvenir products at exhibitions and fairs. The certificate is issued by the State Service for Culture and Historical Heritage. Not all masters will be able to receive a certificate, but only those who preserve the traditions of the peoples living in Pridnestrovie.

The state will support legal entities that provide financial support to masters of folk arts and crafts in addition to tax benefits for the craftsmen themselves. Benefits are provided for such legal entities for the payment of taxes and fees in accordance with current legislation.

Amendments and additions to the law “On Folk Arts and Crafts” came into force in April of this year.