The PMR President took part in the annual pedagogical conference. Its traditional tasks are summing up the results of the previous year, discussing topical issues related to the organization of the work of educational institutions, defining plans and basic guidelines for the upcoming academic year. The discussion was held via videoconference. More than fifty officials were invited to the discussion. The main report was made by the PMR Minister of Education Alla Nikolyuk. She informed about the state of affairs in the sphere with an emphasis on the pandemic conditions in which the past academic year passed. Co-rapporteurs are the Head of the youth policy department Sudaber Huseynova and the Head of the department responsible for attestation and monitoring the education system Marina Tymchek.
The official data on the structure of the education system and the main quantitative indicators were announced during the conference. Preschool education is represented in Pridnestrovie by 155 kindergartens. In addition, there are 37 school-kindergarten complexes. Preschool institutions are attended by 21497 children. There is no queue for admission of children to kindergartens. There are 158 organizations in the general education system (70 urban and 88 rural). The average class size is 19,2. The number of schoolchildren increased compared to the previous academic year and amounted to 45386 people in 2020-2021. Vocational education can be obtained in Pridnestrovie in one of 22 institutions: 15 mid-level (6398 students and 1443 employees) and seven of the university type (12428 students and 2199 specialists). Almost half of the students of public institutions of higher education and 68% of secondary vocational education are financed by the budget. 1473 children attend 12 social correctional institutions. 11908 people are involved in the system of additional education (14 institutions working on 191 programs). A significant result of the past academic year was the presentation of 278 gold and hundreds of silver awards to school graduates, Alla Nikolyuk noted in her report. She mentioned subject Olympiads, which are one of the indicators of the quality of school education, recalling that due to quarantine restrictions, last year they were held only at the city (district) level, without the republican stage. The minister spoke about the traditional conference of the student research society. It took place for the first time in remote mode. 51 sections were worked out. 584 schoolchildren took part. 390 works were received. They focused in one of the reports on the events held in the republic within the framework of the Year of Youth (2021 was announced). 750 were carried out in nine directions during the first half of the year.
The Minister focused on the problem of “aging” of personnel. According to Alla Nikolyuk, the average age of kindergarten staff is 44 years old, and school teachers are 48 years old. 16% of the staff is retirees. Acute staffing shortage is among teachers of physics, mathematics, chemistry, Russian and foreign languages. The measures taken to improve the image and attractiveness of the teaching profession for young people were also discussed during the conference. There was an increase in the level of wages this year, preferential loans for the purchase of housing (last year, 74 certificates were issued to young teachers), and the creation of decent working conditions. They focused on the topic of infrastructure renovation and material and technical equipment of educational institutions. It was noted that in four years more than fifty kindergartens, 62 schools were repaired, 70 million rubles were invested in the infrastructure of social correctional institutions, ten objects of additional education were put in order. 35 million rubles were allocated from the Capital Investment Fund for the education sector in 2021. One of the largest projects is the repair of Pridnestrovian State University. Vadim Krasnoselsky noted that this year's roof and facade repair work is just the beginning. Full-scale repair work will be carried out inside all educational buildings, the campus will be landscaped and a sports ground will be built during the next two - three years.
We spoke at the conference about the importance and relevance of dual education. To date, 8 educational institutions and 28 enterprises are involved in this system. They train personnel in 18 working specialties. 280 people are undergoing training at the moment. On September 1, a pilot project starts under the supervision of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the training of specialists in modern production equipment management. Bendery, Slobodzeya, Dubossary and Kamenka are included in the acquisition of working professions by schoolchildren as part of the main educational process. The President supports the development of a system of practice-oriented vocational education. The PMR President emphasized that training specialists for various industries is a complex issue. The state should invest in the training of workers in those areas where there is a real demand, Vadim Krasnoselsky is sure.
The topic of the use of modern technologies and means of communication in the educational environment was discussed. Vadim Krasnoselsky noted that the Ministry of Education is not sufficiently represented on Internet sites and in social networks, which are actively used by young people. The President called for the use of these tools in educational work. The conversation also mentioned the operational computerization of educational institutions, which was pushed by quarantine and the forced transition to distance learning. 1934 monoblocks were purchased for the republic's schools, and educational institutions were provided with fiber-optic communications. Speaking about working during the pandemic, they noted that the system as a whole coped with this difficult task. The President addressed words of gratitude to everyone who was involved in this work. It was noted during the discussion that the educational platform of the e-school is functioning successfully. Even if the study is organized in full-time mode (which all participants are counting on very much), the developments are valuable and will be actively used in the educational process, the speakers emphasized. One example is an electronic journal. It was tested in 26 educational institutions last year, this year more than a hundred schools will use it. The President supports the use of new technologies and work with children in accordance with modern realities. He noted at the same time that digitalization should not and will not be able to replace personal communication and direct contact between teacher and student. The President recalled that celebratory assembly will be held in the republic for those who start their school and for graduate students on September 1. The President congratulated everyone on the upcoming Day of Knowledge, expressing the hope that the educational process, which started on September 6 in the traditional form, will take place in this format from the first to the last school bell.
The work of the PMR Ministry of Education at the end of last year was recognized by the President as satisfactory.
