It is moral to state aloud what you are, it is moral to be consistent in affirming your own beliefs, it is moral to think in the long run, it is moral to affirm your own identity. It is moral to have the courage to say you are different from the others, even if the others represent, for the time being, the majority.Investing in education is investing in the future. Our future prosperity depends to a good extent on the education of our children. The reform of the education system will produce not only people better equipped for the competition on the job market, but also a new political class.
The current problems of the education system are not going to be solved by throwing more money at it. In education, it is not money that is missing, but rather the ideas of competition and responsibility. It is frustrating to see that not a single Romanian university is listed among the best 500 in the world. Are teachers responsible for the current situation? No, for they simply follow the rules, tasks and directions set by the Ministry.
Over 50% of schools, particularly in rural areas, suffer from severe infrastructure problems, in spite of the complete monopoly enjoyed by the state in this respect.
The fundamental problem is that the state cannot adapt the centralised, monopolistic education system to the decentralized demands of the job market. It is not the politicians, but the market which should determine the qualifications and competences needed by the Romanian economy, and the number of philosophers or of whitesmiths needed.
The current education system is more like a lever through which the centralistic state acts on social psychology, curtailing individual freedom. The purpose of state-owned education is to teach people they do not belong to themselves, but to the state.
We must transform the school from an institution belonging to the Ministry to one belonging to the student and his family, who are the true beneficiaries. We must ensure diversity and competition between schools.
Liberal principles and measures in education:
Autonomy of school institutions from the political and administrative bodies. Do we want equal opportunities? This desire can only be achieved through autonomy and diversity. Autonomy imposes freedom of decision and responsibility for schools. True autonomy – with regard to finances and to the decision-making process- is the only stimulus for innovation and creativity. Each school ought to have the freedom to pay different wages to different teachers, according to professional qualifications and performance.
The second measure is represented by a simplification in the legislative framework, allowing private schools to function at all education levels. The role of the Ministry will be restricted to ensuring minimum standards in infrastructure and number of students, similar to the successful Dutch or Danish model.
The true assessors of a diploma’s value will be parents and employers. Private schools are much more nimble, adapting much faster to the demands of both these authorities.
Financing the student, not the institution, by introducing education vouchers. In America, Sweden or Chile, a system of free education based on vouchers has been successfully applied for nearly two decades. Using these vouchers, parents opt for a particular school. In case they move, or are discontent with the institution, parents take their vouchers to a different institution. As soon as the student is transferred, the financing is transferred automatically. This stimulates competition between schools.
Offering a 100% fiscal credit to all contributors who direct sums to financing schools, research projects or scholarships. The state can also stimulate private participation in the educational act by this measure, which is broadly practiced in the US and in Canada.
These reform measures have proven their effectiveness across the world, wherever there was sufficient political will to ensure change.
Gabriel Staicu
Cosmin Marinescu
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