The project “For qualitative and sustainable education reforms” was focused on strengthening and implementation of education reforms stipulated in the Education Code and relevant normative acts. The main goal of the project is to contribute to strengthening and promoting the educational reforms in Moldova by providing a favorable framework for both, the persisting problems regarding the implementation of reforms and for an extensive exchange of best practices in this context.

The project objectives include:  Promoting a positive image of the teaching profession in order to enhance the prestige and to attract young people to embrace teaching career, through an information campaign and workshops for all actors: teachers, students, parents, Local Public Authority/APL representatives etc.(1) ; Ensuring the visibility of the current process of reforms aimed to achieve performance by teachers and managers and to assure their professional development, through the media, debates and round tables (teachers, managers, parents, representatives of LPA, NGOs CEs, initiative groups etc.) (2).

An important component of the project addresses the issue of public perception of the teaching profession status and the need to inform and motivate young people for choosing teaching careers. In order to ensure a positive image of the teaching profession, there were organized information and awareness campaigns, regional meetings with different educational actors, including representatives from District Departments of Education and class teachers. The beneficiaries of these workshops have organized similar activities with managers, teachers and graduates at the community level, but also in the institutions they represent. Promotional materials were developed in order to reflect the essence and importance of the teacher profession. The second component aims at organizing public debates on educational issues and problems requiring analysis and explanation, in order to overcome the resistance and confusion regarding the necessity and essence of reforms related to the implementation of the Education Code. It were realized three round tables with topics Professional Standards Assessment managerial staff and teachers as tools to ensure performance and professional development; Attracting young specialists and keeping them in schools. Activity was very welcomed because “Professional standards of school managers” draft is known by a relatively small number of participants; therefore, this activity has contributed to a better understanding of the document, and on improving of the documents by development of new indicators for each standard. The participants came up with valuable proposals related pre-service and in-service training of managers. The priority issues addressed during meetings included: attracting young talented people in pedagogical and teaching profession; promoting policies and mechanisms for attracting young specialists and keeping them in schools; professional standards for teachers and managers; teachers and managers evaluation as a performance assurance.

Project results and impact:

• Pedagogical community is exhaustively informed on the need and the importance of education reforms, including the necessity of transformation of the teaching profession, thus advancing it attractiveness;
• Deep understanding of the importance of community actors of active participation of all in the development and implementation of reforms at all stages (bottom up)
• Advanced level of awareness towards of educational actors toward the need of continue reforms in education and participatory approach as an important factor that ensures sustainability of reforms in the context of an unstable political situation
• Favorable and friendly environment and educational context for reforms and qualitative changes in education
• Education stakeholders involved and motivated to participate in public dialogues on the educational policies related to human resources in education, as evidenced by their activism in discussions and valuable suggestions proposed at each meeting
• Young specialists have better understood teaching career perspectives, have been able to figure out the key of success from their more experienced colleagues and have received relevant professional development information;

Project opportunities:

• Empower pro-reform stakeholders and ensure their success by extension of collective and community discussion;
• Ensuring project sustainability through human resources trained and informed in this project, but also through promotional materials and support, developed under the project;
• Educational Center PRO DIDACTICA as a NGO with a big experience in the field of education will continue to work in other projects and educational services with both the facilitators and experts involved in this project, as well as with the beneficiaries (teachers, parents, students, NGO representatives).

Learned lessons:

• For qualitative and sustainable education reforms it is important to involve all stakeholders during all stages of reforms: starting with launching and finishing with implementation of reforms.
• For a better understanding of education reforms, their advantages and disadvantages, is useful to provide and disseminate good practices related the positive changes in education from other relevant countries with a similar educational system and process.

Challenges:

It has not been identified any problems related to the promotion of reforms within project activities. The only concern is the lack of political stability and risks. In this case we should promote participatory approach of further reforms, encouraging the involvement of educational actors in this process and empowering teachers and managers as active promoters of change.