Curriculum, subjects, number of hours

Curriculum evaluation is an essential part of systemic evaluation in general education and is carried out by the Ministry of Education and other relevant bodies.

The curriculum in general education serves as a conceptual framework that shapes the direction of education, reflecting society's expectations of learning objectives for each school subject at the different levels of education. The national curriculum comprises various elements, such as the reference framework, the framework plans for primary, secondary and high school education, the curriculum for early education, and the programmes of compulsory and optional subjects. It also includes school textbooks, methodological guides and other learning resources. The organisation of the curriculum by school subjects is set out in the National Curriculum Framework and is subject to approval by the Ministry of Education.

In particular, the curriculum for primary education is approved by the Ministry of Education. It may be adapted or modified to meet the needs of children with special educational needs. The way in which the curriculum is followed is reflected in the Individual Education Plan for these children and pupils.

The framework plans include compulsory and optional subjects and the maximum and minimum number of hours allocated to each of them. The optional subjects included in the framework plans have a specific weighting depending on the level of education: in particular, 10-15% in primary education.

Framework plans are compulsory for all general education institutions and are approved by the Ministry of Education at least 6 months before the start of the new school year. In the case of educational alternatives, the framework plans and curricula are drawn up by representatives of the institutions concerned and are subject to approval by the Ministry of Education.

The authorities of the second level local public administration and of the Gagauzia Autonomous Territorial Unit may establish the local component of the curriculum for their subordinate institutions, with a specific quota of optional subjects, i.e. not more than 5% in primary education (Education Code). 

Language of instruction

In the educational system from the Republic of Moldova, the educational process is predominantly conducted in Romanian and, within the possibilities, in one of the languages of international circulation or in the languages of national minorities. In traditionally inhabited areas or in communities where there is a significant number of persons belonging to national minorities, the state ensures, as much as possible, adequate conditions for learning the language of the minority concerned or for receiving education in that language at the level of compulsory education.

The study of the Romanian language is compulsory in all educational institutions and is regulated according to national educational standards. The state ensures the necessary conditions for the study of the Romanian language in all educational institutions, including by increasing the proportion of subjects studied in Romanian in general education institutions with another language of instruction. Methodological, didactic and curricular support is also provided for education in Romanian for the diaspora, in compliance with the legislation of the countries of residence (Education Code).

Teaching methods and materials

The teaching methods used in primary education are diverse and are adapted to meet the different needs of pupils. These include active methods, which involve pupils' active participation in the learning process, and play-based teaching, which uses games and recreational activities in order to facilitate the understanding of educational content.

Project-based teaching is also a common practice in primary education in Moldova. Pupils are encouraged to work in teams and to develop their research and presentation skills by carrying out projects on different topics of study.

Textbooks

In general education institutions, school textbooks developed according to the National Curriculum are used. These textbooks are selected and published through a competition, according to a regulation approved by the Ministry of Education. Alternative textbooks, which comply with the National Curriculum, selected by competition and recommended by the Ministry of Education, may also be used. Primary school pupils receive textbooks free of charge.

According to the Methodological Guidelines on the organisation of the educational process in primary education, for teachers, the textbook has to be a basic tool with the role of an open pedagogical project, closely guiding the teaching activity in order to implement the curriculum. For pupils, the textbook is the most important working tool, revealing in appropriate language the experiences necessary for them to achieve the goals set by the curriculum. Working with the textbook, as a support for learning, is one of the main components for the key competence of “learning to learn”. 

Online learning and the use of ICT in primary education

The integration of technology into the teaching-learning process is another important feature of the educational system in the Republic of Moldova. Online platforms, educational applications and digital resources are used to diversify and enrich students' learning experience, as well as to develop the necessary digital skills.

At the beginning of the 2023/24 school year, primary and secondary schools had 47.9 thousand computers used for educational purposes (18.3% more than in the 2022/23 school year), of which 22.2 thousand (46.3%) were connected to the common school network, and 43.0 thousand (89.9%) had an internet connection. At the same time, 26.8 thousand computers were used by pupils, 19.6 thousand by teaching staff and 1.5 thousand computers were used in libraries (National Bureau of Statistics study).

However, there are problems in the education system with the effective implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT) and ensuring access to educational software. These problems also include limited access to the internet, insufficient financial resources allocated to computerisation of the education sector and misuse of these resources. Thus, the availability of ICT resources in educational institutions remains low, which creates difficulties in implementing computer-assisted instruction and computer-based educational management, including where, on a statistical average, there is one computer for every nine students. (Education 2030 Development Strategy).   

With the combination of in-school learning and online learning, which started to be widely implemented in the pandemic conditions of 2020/21, it became possible to use different types of digital educational resources and online services. Thus G Suite for Education is a suite of Google applications recommended by the Ministry of Education. On 17.07.2020, MECC and Google corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of Google for Education in the Republic of Moldova. Among the Google technologies used by teachers and students in the Republic of Moldova, Google Classroom (interaction between teachers and students), Google Meet (organising online video lessons), Google Drive (storing materials on the Cloud and collaboration), Google Sites (organising and presenting homework), as well as other useful applications for the study process are highlighted.

Another suite of programs and services recommended by Ministry of Education is offered by Microsoft Office 365 Education. Based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Ministry of Education and Microsoft Company on 25.09.2020, Office 365 A1 Plan for Education is completely free for both pupils and teachers. It contains the completely free online version of Office (Word online, Excel online, PowerPoint online, Outlook online and OneNote online) with email, video conferencing, customised hub for teamwork in the classroom with Microsoft Teams, forms, digital catalogues, internal communication network, compliance tools and information protection. 

The Ministry of Education also recommends the use of the SIME electronic register. The register is free of charge, contains several integrated services: marks, type of lesson (including remote lessons), homework, useful attachments, link to recorded lessons, personalised lesson timetable, school year structure, access to online lessons, etc. (Methodological guidelines on the organisation of the educational process in primary education).

Homework

In the first grade, during the first semester, pupils do not receive homework in written form. During this period homework is oriented on observation, communication, interaction with family members, planning of activities for the next day, taking responsibility for preparing the necessary school supplies, housekeeping of own school items (backpack, pen, utensils for art subjects). The emphasis is on getting used to school life, changing the pace of life, adapted to the school schedule.

In the second semester, first grade, and beyond, there is written homework, which needs to be very well thought out. Teachers, being also headmasters, balance homework to avoid overloading the pupil. They also coordinate with the specialist teachers who teach in primary classes. 

The actual working time for both oral and written or practical homework should not exceed 1 hour for first grade; 1.5 hours for second grade; 2 hours for third and fourth grades (Methodological guidelines for the organisation of the educational process in primary education).