Non-formal education - Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum

Liliana Postan
NON-FORMAL EDUCATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA (2012):
STATUS AND PROBLEMS
The post-modern paradigm of the modern study of phenomena and relations contributes to the
creation of platforms for self-expression and various informal forms of organization and activityin the
Republic of Moldova.
The term “non-formal”, which is used more often in the system of education, has no clear definition.
However, it is obvious that the “non-formal education” and “non-formal sector” saysabout reducing of
government interference into social relations, including education, strengthening participatory functions
of society and social responsibility and business interests.
Society perceives ambiguously non-formal forms of organization of modern processes. In traditional
societies, which the Republic of Moldovais, there remains paternalistic attitude to the state, and the
level of public confidence in state is higher than in other institutions of society.
Creation of civil society and the development of civic participation in Moldova are active processes
for more than two decades of independence and self-determination of the country. In Moldova, the
Ministry of Justice 39 registered about 6,810 non-governmental organizationsat the national level, as well
as more than 1,400 NGOs registered at the local level. Recent studies related to the activities of civil
society are 8200 officially registered NGOs 40 , among which 30% are active.
Civil society organizations in Moldova are about 1.9 associations per 1,000 residents, more than
in Ukraine (1.2), and Russia (1.6), but significantly lower than in other Western European countries
– Romania (2.9), Macedonia (5.6), Hungary (6.6), and Herzegovina (9.6). These approximate figures
have been calculated based on the 2010 NGO Sustainability Index 42 .
Almost half of the civil society organizations involved in social and educational activitiesin Moldova.
One in ten non-governmental organization dealing with human rights, 7.4% of NGOs – Youth, 6.5%
– environmental problems, 4.3% – the opportunities of economic development, 3.4% – the problems of
mass-media, etc. Important role is given to the problems of a communitarian development.
The target groups of NGOs are all categories of people, but still, most of the activities of the NGOs
(60.3%) are focused on the education of children and youth. Problems of people of middle and advanced
age and professional groups interest respectively 17.8% and 17.0% of NGOs. 4.6% of organizations
are involved in womenproblems.
Every tenth NGO aims at assisting the institutions of the public sector-pits in solving everyday
problems of communities (community organization, mobilization of citizens, the development of
volunteering, collecting funds from the public for the realization of projects of social and economic
development, etc.); also one of ten organizations deals with problems of people in the area of social
risk, and 7.8% of the organizations are resource organization for the development of the civil sector,
7.8% – representing the concerns and interests of all groups of the population.
The level of development in the country areas of adult education is another important factor in
the interpretation and development of non-formal education. Unfortunately, it is necessary to note the
relatively recent interest in the various institutions of society and the state to the non-formal sector of
adult education.
39
Реестр НПО Министерство Юстиции РМ. http://rson.justice.md/organizations.
40
http://www.fhi360.md/files/Raportul_Studiu_de_Transparenta_si_durabilitatea_ONG_Final.pdf
41
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/europe_eurasia/dem_gov/ngoindex/2010/complete_document.pdf
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