USL demands replacement of Minister of Education

The results of the baccalaureate have led to powerful reactions, both from the part of parents and from the part of the political media. In the opinion of the Minister, they represent a mirror of the Romanian society.

Although theoretically, until now the public opinion has requested fairness of the exam and of exams in general, now the representatives of parents, for instance, demand the resignation of the Minister.

The Minister of Education has launched an invitation for the Opposition political parties to attend a debate on the current situation of the Romanian education.

The promovability rate at the first 2011 session of the baccalaureate was of 44.47 percent, on a national level.

The President of the Association for Education and Research, Ştefan Vlaston, stated that Romania had indulged in"lies, mystification and hypocrisy for the last 10-15 years".

"Everyone was happy to obtain a diploma and, for a long period of time, these diplomas have proved their utility, especially through state employment or through advancement to superior positions with higher wages by means of these diplomas."

"We see now that they are no longer needed on the labour market", Ştefan Vlaston stated.

The President of the Association for Education and Research stated that some children whose dominant type of intelligence was a practical, applicative one would feel more comfortable on a path which was related to a craft.

"Therefore, we have taken up a wrong path, compatible with the interests of those who wanted to maintain contributors to the diploma factory of the higher education since, after all, this was the policy: let them all attend high-school, let them pass the baccalaureate as they have in the previous years, so that we can have them pay taxes which require diplomas", Ştefan Vlaston stated.

The Minister's invitation is"belated"

The Social Liberal Union (USL) believes that the Minister"s invitation has been launched too late, but Victor Ponta claims that USL specialists Ecaterina Andronescu and Andrei Marga are ready to discuss the Opposition"s view on the educational system at any time.

The leader of the Democratic Social Party (PSD), Victor Ponta, claimed that Daniel Funeriu should be replaced by a personality in the field, who should have a clear view in the field because,"under his leadership, the educational system is heading towards a catastrophe".
T
he former Minister of Education, social-democrat Alexandru Athanasiu, believes that a discussion should take place before the Government assumes responsibility over the Education Law.

"This invitation is demagogical and belated. It should have taken place long before the Education Law was conceived."

"The availability to discuss after the Education Law has been conceived strictly by Funeriu and imposed strictly by the Liberal Democratic Party (PDL) is a demagogical gesture. The situation of the education is sad and the position of the Minister is pathetic", Alexandru Athanasiu stated.

The same opinion is shared by the former Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education, Svetlana Preoteasa from the Liberal National Party (PNL).

"Any education law which concerns the future of the nation must be supported both by the political parties and by the civil society, which was not the case", Svetlana Preoteasa stated.

The Federation of Free Trade Unions in Education announced, in a press release, that the busy and unattractive schooling curricula, as well as the lack of human resources were some of the reasons why the baccalaureate candidates had achieved such low results.

"The pupils, the parents, the teachers and the representatives of the Ministry are all to blame for the grades", the same press release stated.

The measures taken to prevent cheating have"reached their aim"

The Minister of Education, Daniel Funeriu, stated for Romania Actualităţi that the measures taken in order to prevent the pupils from cheating were necessary and that they had reached their aim.

"The fact that this year, the number of eliminated pupils is approximately double in relationship with the previous year is no reason for rejoicing ourselves. However, a reason to rejoice ourselves is the fact that we have a fairer baccalaureate, and the good pupils will be placed correctly on the scale of values."

"I want to thank the teachers who have understood that this baccalaureate exam is not merely a knowledge contest, but it is also proper maturity test for the candidates", the Minister of Education stated.

Daniel Funeriu also stated that the measures taken by the Ministry of Education in order to prevent the pupils from cheating would also be enforced during the fall session.

UNPR puts forth a legislative project on the employment of graduates

The National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) puts forth a legislative project meant to concretize the support of the state when it comes to the trial period of the employment of graduates.

UNPR President Marian Sârbu claimed that the project would sustain the insertion of 100,000 graduates on the labour market annually and that it would improve the relationship between the employer and the employee.

"This fall, after a consultation with the representatives of the Ministry of Labour, of course, UNPR will put forth a legislative project which will concretely state that during a time interval of six months from the moment of graduation, the employer who inserts a graduate for a period of at least six months will be granted subsidiaries on minimum gross wage for a period of six months, the employer having the sole responsibility of paying the taxes to the state, the social contributions and the income taxes", Marian Sârbu stated.

Marian Sârbu affirmed that the legislative project would be brought to the Chamber of Deputies at the beginning of the fall parliamentary session.

Translated by: Mădălina Borcău
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University