Preparations for the new school year were discussed at a meeting attended by the representatives of the schools from the Transnistrian region

Preparations for the new school year, given the COVID-19 pandemic, in Romanian teaching schools on the left bank of Nistru and in those on the right bank where students from the Transnistrian region study, was the subject of a joint meeting of the representatives of the Bureau for Reintegration, Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, administration of the educational institutions, and the OSCE Mission to the Republic of Moldova.

The Head of the Bureau for Reintegration, Marian Gherman, informed about the actions taken to ensure access of students and teachers to educational institutions on both the right and left banks of the Nistru river. Thus, the Transnistrian side was informed that the school year will begin on September 1st by observing all the sanitary-epidemiological norms.

“Teachers and students will cross the administrative line based on the service ID cards and student cards, while students enrolled into the first grade, as well as parents or companions – based on the certificates issued by the educational institutions”, said Marian Gherman. Therewith, transportation by school or private vehicles will be ensured, in case parents will bring the children to school by themselves. As an additional measure, the Bureau for Reintegration requested the OSCE Mission to the Republic of Moldova to conduct patrols in the Security Zone in order to monitor the students’ movement, to prevent and document possible incidents.

Marian Gherman assured that the Bureau for Reintegration will continue to focus on establishing freedom of movement across the administrative line and on the good organization of the educational process. “Ensuring the right to education is a priority for us and we must take into account the fact that there are many children from the Transnistrian region, who study in schools on the right bank of Nistru”, mentioned the Head of the Bureau for Reintegration. 

The organization model of the educational process chosen by each school, nutrition of the children, their transportation, but also provision of teaching materials, protective equipment and disinfectants were reviewed during the meeting.  

Completion of repair works in schools and general information on the epidemiological rules recommended by the NAPH and MECR, as well as restricted access of parents or strangers on the territory of educational institutions were also discussed. Answers to questions related to the specific situations of the schools were also provided.