For the Republic of Moldova, the Education represents a national priority or the basic factor in the transmission and creation of the new cultural and general human values, in the development of the human capital, in forming the conscience and national identity and it has a primary role in creating the premises for the durable human development and building a society based on knowledge. The quality of education determines largely the quality of life and it creates opportunities for the full realization of the capabilities of each citizen.
The Sectorial Strategy of the Development of Education for 2013–2020 is the main document of policies in the field of education. For the reason of integrated coordination of the process of sectorial strategic planning in the field of education, the provisions of the Strategy were correlated with the documents of relevant policies, with the reforms started in the educational system, with other reforms which represent an operational continuity of the projected actions in the National Development Strategy „Moldova – 2020”.
At the beginning of the study year 2015-2016 in the Republic of Moldova were functioning 2899 educational institutions with a total number of 610437 children/pupils/students. In comparison with the study year 2009-2010 the total number of the educational institutions was reduced with 4,3 %. At the same time, the number of institutions of early education was increased with 6,3 %, and the number of institutions of primary and general secondary education – was reduced with 12,5 %. The number of teaching professionals constituted 51558 persons and it was reduced in comparison with the anterior study year with 1533 persons or with 2,9 %.
It was considerable ameliorated the access of children to earlier education. The number of institutions of early education was increased with 91 units, situation on 01.01.2015, in comparison to 2009 or more with 5,0 %, constituting 1453 units.
Now in the Republic of Moldova are functioning 118 primary schools, 794 gymnasiums, 392 lyceums and 17 institutions for special education. At the beginning of the study year 2015-2016, in the primary and general secondary education were enrolled 334,5 thousand pupils, thus representing a reduction of 1,9 % in comparison with previous study year.
The number of pupils in the secondary technical vocational education constituted 16, 1 thousand pupils, less with 8, 1 %, if compared with the previous study year. At the beginning of the study year 2015-2016 in the republic have been functioning 44 of professional schools, 2 job schools, 4 centers of excellence and 42 colleges.
In the study year 2015-2016, the total number of the higher educational institutions is of 31 units, including 19 state institutions and 12 non-state institutions. At the beginning of the study year 2015-2016, the number of students constituted 81 669 persons (except foreign students). The total number of students in the higher education was reduced with 8,0 thousand persons, if compared with the study year 2014-2015 or with 8,8 %.
In 2015, the total number of Ph. D students constituted 1751 persons (exclusively the foreigners), being increased with 7,6% if compared with previous year, enregistering the biggest value in the last 10 years. Distribution of the number of Ph. D students by scientific fields shows a preponderance of Ph. D students in the field of social and economic sciences (54,1%), followed by medical sciences (14,6%) and human sciences (12,0%).
The total number of postdoctoral students in 2017 constituted 47 persons; at postdoctoral studies were enrolled 20 persons, and the number of graduates was of 14 persons. The share of women in the total number of postdoctoral students is of de 46,8%.
More details about the education from the Republic of Moldova see on web page www.edu.gov.md