This chapter provides a thematic and chronological overview of national reforms and policy developments for the last three years in the Republic of Moldova. 

The introduction of the chapter describes the overall education strategy and the key objectives across the whole education system. It also looks at how the education reform process is organised and who are the main actors in the decision-making process. 

The section on ongoing reforms and policy developments groups reforms in the following broad thematic areas that largely correspond to education levels: 

• Early childhood education and care
• School education
• VET and adult learning
• Higher education
• Transversal skills and employability. 

Inside each thematic area, reforms are organised chronologically. The most recent reforms are described first.

National education strategy and key objectives 

The National Development Strategy "European Moldova 2030", approved by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova by the Law 315/2022, outlines the national long-term strategic vision document, which indicates the country's development directions and which adapts the priorities, objectives, indicators and targets of the international commitments assumed by the Republic of Moldova to the national context.

One of the main objectives of the document is to ensure relevant and quality education for all throughout life. This involves the following aspects:

• Holistic development of children in early childhood education, for lifelong learning and well-being
• Formation of transformative competencies and future skills within the educational system
• Development of an accessible, flexible and relevant system of adult lifelong education
• Ensuring the necessary conditions for all children to graduate a free, fair and quality primary and secondary education
• Gradual increase of funds allocated for research and development by 0.1% of GDP each year

To ensure quality and relevant education throughout life, the National Development Strategy "European Moldova 2030" foresees the following priorities until 2030:

• Ensuring the necessary conditions for all children to complete a free, fair and quality primary and secondary education (including in rural areas).
• Including health education modules in the mandatory school curriculum, such as healthy lifestyle, nutrition, and sexual and reproductive education.
• Revising and modernising the curriculum at all educational cycles, in order to prepare pupils and students for the demands or challenges of the information and innovation age and for the jobs of the future.
• Expanding enrolment in accessible, quality higher and vocational education and substantially increasing the number of youth/adults who possess relevant skills for employment.
• Ensuring equal access to all levels of education and professional training for vulnerable individuals, including those with disabilities, children in vulnerable situations, and people of Roma ethnicity.
• Promoting sustainable development, healthy lifestyle, environmental protection, respect for human rights, gender equality, culture of peace and nonviolence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity.
• Creating the conditions for strengthening the links between the research and business environment, by developing and implementing a normative and financial framework for the development of technological entrepreneurship and the transfer of technologies.
• Supporting groups of young researchers in their professional affirmation by stimulating them, including financially, to pursue their career in research.
• Development and implementation of the national concept of educating the population in the field of human rights and equality.
• Supporting young people from the NEET group (those not in employment, education, or training), especially those from rural areas, by providing financial incentives for employment, encouraging their return to education and training, and developing their soft and life skills for professional growth.
• Development of support programmes for start-ups initiated by young people in advanced technology sectors.
• Promoting partnerships between educational institutions and businesses to provide practical training for talented, capable teachers, preparing them to equip pupils and students for a more advanced and complex future.
• Implementing the concept of continuous education and lifelong learning in line with labour market requirements, including opportunities for the working population to requalify, in order to ensure their competitiveness.

The "Education 2030" Development Strategy, approved in 2023 by Government Decision No. 114, outlines the government's policies in the field of education. It sets the strategic directions for necessary actions to address the systematically identified problems and to achieve development objectives in the education sector.

The "Education 2030" Development Strategy has been developed in alignment with the National Development Strategy "European Moldova 2030"; the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; the Association Agreement between the Republic of Moldova, on the one hand, and the European Union, the European Atomic Energy Community, and its member states, on the other hand; the Key Competences for Lifelong Learning (Brussels, 2018); the Incheon Declaration (2015); and the Council of Europe's Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education.

The "Education 2030" Development Strategy establishes the following 9 general objectives:

• Aligning education with the requirements and needs of the labour market from the perspective of sustainable development, through the restructuring of human capital development mechanisms;
• Ensuring access to quality education for all throughout life;
• Ensuring that the education system at all levels and forms of education is staffed with qualified, competent, motivated, and competitive teaching/scientific-didactic, and managerial personnel;
• Strengthening socio-educational cohesion for quality education through the joint efforts of all actors in the educational process;
• Creating new, effective, and motivating environments for development and lifelong learning for all citizens;
• Improving the functionality of the education system through the efficient implementation of digital technologies to ensure the quality and sustainability of education;
• Ensuring learning and educational opportunities for all citizens throughout life in formal, non-formal, and informal contexts;
• Promoting innovation and change in education through the development of scientific research;
• Improving the performance of the education sector through the optimisation of the network, modernisation of infrastructure, and strengthening managerial capacity and the culture of quality at all levels of the education system.

Overview of the education reform process and drivers 

The educational reforms in the Republic of Moldova represent a continuous process of modernisation and adjustment of the education system to meet the demands of contemporary society and the labour market. These reforms are mainly aimed at improving the quality of education and increasing its accessibility for all citizens.

Educational reforms in the Republic of Moldova are influenced by a variety of actors, who play essential roles in the reform process:

• Parliament: the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopts the necessary laws for the implementation of educational reforms and ensures the legal framework for the functioning of the educational system.
• Government: through the Ministry of Education and Research, the government develops and implements education policies. The government also provides the necessary funding for educational reforms and school infrastructure.
• Active education community: teachers, school principals and other education professionals are directly involved in the implementation of reforms and provide essential feedback for their adjustment and improvement.
• Civil society: non-governmental organisations, unions and associations of parents and students actively participate in public consultations and monitor the implementation of reforms, contributing to the transparency and accountability of the reform process.
• International organisations: institutions such as the World Bank, the European Union and the UN provide financial and technical support for educational reforms, as well as expertise in the development of educational policies.