Sergiu Musteata, prof. univ. dr. hab., „Ion Creanga” Pedagogical State University of Chisinau

Corina Lungu, Ministry of Education and Research, Republic of Moldova

Content:

1. Background

2. Definition of Citizenship Education

3. Ecosystem of Non-formal Citizenship Education

4. Legal Environment

5. Stakeholders

6. Challenges

7. Footnotes

1. Background

The current territory of the Republic of Moldova was part of the medieval state of Moldova but was annexed by the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 19^th century, and named Bessarabia. After the disintegration of the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 20^th century, Bessarabia becomes part of Romania between 1918 and 1940. But, as a result of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact of 1939, the USSR occupied the territory of Bessarabia in June 1940 and created the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. In the context of the Second World War, Bessarabia returned to Romania, but in the Summer of 1944, it was again occupied by the Soviets. Thus, the Moldavian SSR existed until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, when the Republic of Moldova declared its independence.

The national emancipation movement launched during the years of Gorbachev’s restructuring, the Declaration of Sovereignty (1990) and the Declaration of Independence (1991) demonstrated the desire of the inhabitants of the Republic of Moldova to live in a democratic society where the rule of law ensures the freedoms and rights of all citizens. However, the transition from a totalitarian system to a democratic one turned out to be quite difficult. Thus, in the 33 years of independence, the Republic of Moldova went through several challenges, including the 1992 war against the secessionist forces on the left of the Dniester. Unfortunately, the separatist trend supported by the Russian Federation divided the Republic of Moldova into two parts. Today, although the Republic of Moldova is considered an integral state, both from the point of view of the Constitution (1994) and international recognition, in reality, the districts to the left of the Dniester are still under the control of the separatist bodies.

The Republic of Moldova through its Declaration of Independence announced its alignment with democratic states, as evidenced by its accession to the UN (1992), the Council of Europe (1995), and other international organizations. The reformation of Moldovan society, with a mentality strongly dogmatized by the Communist regime, proved to be a rather complicated process. Thus, the reforms launched at the beginning of the 1990s were intended to lay the foundations of an independent state based on democratic institutions, and active and responsible citizens. In this context, reforms in the field of education had a special role. The World Bank, through a special program, directly supported the Republic of Moldova in reforming the educational system, in particular through the development of the National Curriculum and the first series of school textbooks for all subjects and all educational levels: primary (grades 1-4), secondary (grades 5-9) and high school (grades 10-12). Unfortunately, the schools in the districts on the left of the Dniester under the control of the separatist forces did not benefit from democratic treatment and a real democratic reformation. That is why today in the Republic of Moldova we have practically two parallel educational systems, one administered by the Government from Chisinau and another by the secessionist administration from Tiraspol, except a few schools in the cities of Bender, and Tiraspol, which are under the Ministry of Education and Research from Chisinau.

The reform of the educational system of the Republic of Moldova included several structural and conceptual components. Thus, the educational levels of pre-university and university education, the structure of the school year, the depoliticization of education, and the exclusion of ideological subjects from the educational system (History of the USSR, Primary military training, Basics of the rule of law and Soviet law, etc.) were established. In the first years of independence, new school disciplines were included, such as Romanian History, WE and the Law (civic education), Religion, Health Education, etc. An important role in the democratization of the educational system and the promotion of civic education was played by several non-governmental organizations and non-formal education centers, such as the Pro Didactica Educational Center, the CONTACT Center, the Society for Education and Human Rights (SIEDO), the Promo LEX Association, the Information and Documentation Center for Children’s Rights from Moldova (CIDDC), the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, Amnesty International Moldova, La Strada, etc.

For three decades in the Republic of Moldova, the course dedicated to citizenship education was taught at all levels of pre-university education based on several curricula adopted by the Ministry of Education with different names and objectives: We and the Law for high school classes (2001-2005), Education for life skills for secondary school (2005-2006); Civic education for secondary and high schools (2000-2018), Moral-spiritual education for primary classes since 2010; and since 2019 Education for society for secondary school and high school. At the same time, we mention the fact that during this period a series of extracurricular and non-formal projects in the field of civic education were carried out by various NGOs and initiative groups at the local and national level. These community initiatives, activities and projects were part of various fields: the defense of human rights, ecological education, health education, electoral education, etc.

In the schools on the left of the Dniester controlled by the secessionist administration, teaching is based on Russian models that do not include independent subjects of civic education. Issues related to democracy, human rights, and civil society are addressed in the context of other subjects, such as history.

2. Definition of Citizenship Education

The definition of education for citizenship has become an increasingly discussed topic in the last two decades in Moldovan society. These approaches fit perfectly into global trends to form educated, responsible, and active citizens in decision-making processes [2]. An important role in the promotion of citizenship education is played by the Council of Europe, which has adopted a series of normative acts and recommendations for member states that aim to better conceptualize this field. Thus, emerging from the provisions of the Charter of the Council of Europe on education for democratic citizenship and education for human rights (2010) citizenship education can be defined as “education, training, awareness, information, practices, and activities that aim, by equipping students with knowledge, skills, and understanding and developing their attitudes and behaviour, empowering them to exercise and defend their democratic rights and responsibilities in society, to value diversity and to play an active role in democratic life, in order to promote and protect democracy and the state by right” [3].

Most theoretical and conceptual approaches regarding the definition of citizenship education draw attention to the fact that it includes a system of societal values that lead to the formation of citizens, the growth of democratic culture, the promotion of civil society, and the development of the rule of law. To realize this concept in practice, civic education must be part of the formal education system, where one of the main objectives is to prepare children and adults to participate actively in democratic life. At the same time, an important role in the promotion of citizenship education is played by the field of non-formal education and the involvement of associative environments (non-governmental) in the promotion of democratic values, tolerance, the rule of law where citizens actively participate in social-political, economic and cultural life. Thus, education for democratic citizenship is based on three fundamental pillars: the person providing the training, the civic participation of citizens of all ages, and the shared use of the results of the training [4].

The curriculum for Civic Education, modernized in 2010, stipulates that through this discipline, it aims to train the qualities of an active and responsible citizen, a promoter of national, general human, and democratic values, able to assume responsibility for his destiny and the destiny of the community. The topicality of the discipline is also determined by the Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union regarding key competencies from the perspective of lifelong learning (2006/962/EC) which outlines, for graduates of compulsory education, a “European training profile”. In this sense, the discipline of civic education aims at the formation of the feeling of devotion to the Republic of Moldova in all its citizens, regardless of ethnic origin, culture, and beliefs, as well as the formation of identity, manifested in personal identity and civic identity, with a view to their active participation in building democratic societies at the local, national, European and global community level [5].

The current curriculum for the Education for Society discipline approved in 2018 aims to develop students’ skills for a democratic culture. That course also includes other key concepts: identity; diversity and pluralism; responsibility; conflict and communication; rules and law; governance; equality; rights and freedoms; and mass media. At the same time, the curriculum proposes the debate of some current and controversial topics, including radical views, corruption and integrity, populism, fake news, online citizenship, propaganda and manipulation, and citizens’ apathy to get involved in public/political life [6].

From the above, we can see that the definitions and theoretical concepts regarding citizenship education can be found, in one form or another, in the curriculum for the subjects of civic education and/or education for society in the Republic of Moldova, which shows the alignment of educational documents with the trends current from the western states.

3. Ecosystem of Non-formal Citizenship Education

Non-formal education for democratic citizenship plays an important role in building a truly democratic society where citizens actively participate in community life, decision-making processes, and the rule of law. Non-formal education targets different age groups, and social and cultural backgrounds, thus complementing formal education or recovering certain gaps in the state education system.

From an institutional point of view, the most representative and active in the field of non-formal education for democratic citizenship, the defense of human rights, or the promotion of tolerance are non-governmental organizations, non-formal groups, training centers, etc. In the last two decades, several partnerships have been formed between NGOs and central and local public administrations that have had a positive impact on the promotion of civic education among children, young people, and adults, such as:

• The Society for Education and Human Rights (SIEDO) supported the Ministry of Education in the development and implementation of the New discipline and the Law in the period 2001 – 2005;
• The Pro Didactica Educational Center has carried out a series of projects both in the field of teacher training and the development of didactic materials necessary for quality training [7];
• The Moldovan Child Rights Information and Documentation Center (CIDDC) supports the integration of children’s rights into educational programs, through the development of didactic and informational materials for Civic Education, teacher training, etc. [8]
• Information Office of the Council of Europe in the Republic of Moldova [9];
• Amnesty International Moldova developed and piloted the Human Rights optional course for secondary school students;
• The National Association of Young Historians from Moldova carried out a series of projects and activities dedicated to teachers of history and civic education [10].

Regarding the participation of students in decision-making processes in schools, we highlight the role of some NGOs in the creation of representative councils such as:

• National Council of Secondary Education Students;
• The National Council of Students in Vocational Education;
• Working groups for Children’s Rights;
• Ad hoc groups for consulting specific issues (mandatory school uniform, final exam methodology, etc.)

Student councils have proven to be some of the most effective ways of organizing students at the level of each school, identifying their problems and interests. Finally, the National Council of Students, as a representative national body, provides a platform for dialogue between students and teaching staff, as well as a forum through which children can acquire the necessary skills to participate actively in society. An example of the effectiveness of this council was the elaboration of the Regulation on the establishment and operation of the National Council of Students in general education, approved by order no. 136 of the Minister of Education of March 26, 2014.

In the more than 30 years of indecency in the Republic of Moldova, civil society took shape, the number of NGOs was constantly growing, and some of them proved to be not only sustainable but also effective in promoting non-formal education. The activities of NGOs active in the field of education are focused not only on the promotion of democratic values, human rights, and European integration but also on carrying out practical activities with a direct impact on students, young people, and teaching staff: training and training seminars, round tables and debates of current problems and the search for effective solutions, summer schools, information campaigns, publication of didactic materials and guides, etc.

4. Legal Environment

The educational system of the Republic of Moldova was based in recent years on a series of normative acts approved by the Parliament, the Government, and the Ministry of Education. Of course, the foundation act of a state is its Constitution, which in the case of the Republic of Moldova was adopted in 1994, which guarantees the right to education among the fundamental rights. But one of the most important normative documents, which was the basis of educational reforms, was the Education Law, functional between 1995 and 2014. In 2014, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopted the Education Code, which regulates the system until now of education. Thus, Article 11 of the Education Code of the Republic of Moldova establishes the key competencies that constitute educational goals for all levels of education, including social and civic competencies. Civic competencies include, in particular, knowledge of social and political concepts and structures (democracy, justice, equality, citizenship, and civil rights), which make possible the active and democratic participation of people [11].

In this sense, the policies of the Ministry of Education and Research are oriented towards the insertion of the New Educations that come to ensure the trans- and interdisciplinary character of the National Curriculum, implemented thanks to the various partnerships established and which fall within the objectives of the accession policies to the European Union.

Once the Republic of Moldova joined international organizations, in the process of reforming and legislating the educational system and contents, several conventions, resolutions, and recommendations regarding the governance of a democratic state were taken into account, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Education for Human Rights (2010), etc.

In addition to the laws approved by the Parliament, we also highlight the Education development strategies, which in the last two decades have become essential in drawing the state’s priorities in the field of education, among them are the Education Development Strategy for 2014-2020 – “Education 2020” and the Development Strategy “Education 2030”, supported by the Implementation Program for the years 2023-2025 [12].

Practically in all normative or regulatory acts in the field of education, there are provisions regarding the promotion of quality education and the training of democratic citizens. Thus, the Chisinau authorities are perfectly aligned with the competencies for democratic culture promoted by the Council of Europe [13].

Today, citizenship education known as Education for Society (reconceptualized in 2018) is taught as a school subject (grades 5-12) in all pre-university educational institutions in the Republic of Moldova. In the secondary school cycle (grades 5-9) [14] and the high school cycle (grades 10-12) [15], the discipline Education for Society is a compulsory course for all students, one hour per week. Community education can be a compulsory course for 1 hour per week, depending on the school model. Education for society aims to develop students’ competencies for a democratic culture and is based on approaches centered on learning about, through, and for democracy and human rights as a distinct discipline in forming the knowledge and skills students need to become citizens active and responsible, thereby ensuring the promotion of the integrated approach of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes, with an emphasis on the democratic functioning of schools and the integration of the civic experiences of young people in the community according to the Reference Framework of Competences for a Democratic Culture of the Council of Europe (within of the Education for Democracy project in the Republic of Moldova (2019-2022) implemented in partnership with the Council of Europe, with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation within the program Moldova: Promoting Active Civic Involvement.

Another activity on the Human Rights Education dimension was the development of the Democratic School Governance Guide, which aims to help schools increase the level of stakeholder participation in day-to-day work and governance. The guide focuses in particular on the role of parents and students and what can be done to encourage them to be more actively involved in the day-to-day life and decision-making process of their institution [16].

Education for integrity is another priority area of the policies of the Ministry of Education and Research. In this sense, the formation of students’ skills to critically analyze integrity issues in society is part of and is carried out through the national curriculum. At the level of general education, starting with the 2018-2019 academic year, in grades 1-12, the compulsory subject of Personal Development is taught.

For the first time for the educational system in the Republic of Moldova, starting from 2023, as a result of the gradual implementation of the discipline, the following curricular contents are studied in the 9th grade: “Corruption vs. integrity”, “Corruption vs. democratic principles”, “Based learning on the project. At the same time, within the Education for society discipline in the 9th grade and in the 10th grade, the Code of Integrity of the Citizen was developed”.

In addition to the basic subjects, a series of optional courses are promoted, which complete the theme of issues dedicated to citizenship education:

1. In 2017, the optional discipline Education for Human Rights was approved (grades 1-9) [17];
2. In 2018, the curriculum for Media Education (grades 7-8) was adopted, where students study the following curriculum contents in this gradually implemented discipline: “Information from various sources”, “Propaganda and manipulation”, “True news/fake news”, “Citizen’s behaviour to mass media”, “How to protect myself from fake news, manipulation, and propaganda” [18];
3. In 2021, the curriculum for the optional course Education for Legal Socialization (grades 8-11) was approved, which includes the study of the state’s democratic institutions and those of law enforcement, the rights and responsibilities of citizens, legal liability and sanctions applied in case of violation of the law, creating a positive opinion about the functionality of the legal framework in the rule of law, as well as about promoting the knowledge, values and capabilities inherent in responsible citizens, capable of choosing their educational path, starting from their needs and interests [19];
4. In 2022, the curriculum for the Harmonious Family Relations course (grades 8-11) will be adopted, which includes studying and understanding the role, functions, and responsibilities of the family, the culture of harmonious relations and communication in the family, about the importance of behaviours that demonstrate dignity and trust in own forces and actions [20];
5. In 2022, the Electoral education curriculum (grades 9-10) will also be adopted, which includes the electoral literacy of young people in a formalized and well-conceptualized framework, intended to contribute to strengthening the political/democratic culture of future voters, to ensuring participation actively and informed of them in the electoral campaigns, as well as increasing the level of confidence of young citizens in the electoral system of the Republic of Moldova [21].

The legislation of the Republic of Moldova through the Education Law, currently the Education Code, the Law on Public Associations, encourages the promotion of non-formal education and the activity of public associations. This legal framework has been improved over the years and today there is a normative atmosphere that encourages the civic spirit and the participation of citizens both in decision-making processes and in the search for effective solutions to the problems that Moldovan society faces. 

From the above, we can see that in the Republic of Moldova, the legal framework regarding the teaching of citizenship education (formal and non-formal) is quite complex and delimits both conceptual and pragmatic aspects. Thus we can consider that the government pays special attention to citizenship education through compulsory and optional subjects. However, there are still several issues that need to be addressed to ensure quality civic education with a sustainable impact on Moldovan society.

5. Stakeholders

Democratic citizenship must be taught and practiced in schools and local communities, making full use of the potential offered by formal, and non-formal education and civic initiatives. A large number of interested parties are involved in this process, both within state institutions and associative ones. Democratic citizenship education targets students and teachers from schools and high schools, teaching staff from higher education institutions (especially those involved in the initial and continuous training of civic education teachers), local public administration, NGOs, independent experts, the academic community, local and foreign donors, etc.

Promoting a quality civic education means, first of all, the training of highly qualified teaching staff. Thus, in the Republic of Moldova, the most active in the initial and continuous training of civic education teachers are the State Pedagogical University “Ion Creangă” from Chisinau and the State University of Moldova through the bachelor’s and master’s programs.

In recent years, several foreign funding programs and foundations have supported educational projects in the Republic of Moldova that aimed to promote democracy, tolerance, the defense of human rights, and the development of a sustainable society. Essential contributions in this regard were made by the Soros-Moldova Foundation, USAID, SIDA, the Council of Europe, the European Union, etc.

One of the recently implemented projects is “Education for Democracy in the Republic of Moldova” carried out by the Council of Europe in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova in the period 2019-2022, with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation within the program “Moldova: Promoting Active Civic Involvement”. The project aimed to contribute to an inclusive, peaceful, and democratic society in the Republic of Moldova by strengthening the capacity of the education system in the Republic of Moldova to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for students to become civically engaged citizens. Through this project, the standards of the Council of Europe in the field of civic education were promoted: the holistic vision of knowledge, skills, values, and aptitudes, focus on the democratic development of schools, and integration of civic experiences of young people in the community. The next phase of the project (2023-2026) foresees a series of activities that will further strengthen education for democracy in the Republic of Moldova:

• The development of the inter- and trans-disciplinary approach of the reference framework of the Competences for a Democratic Culture of the Council of Europe starting from the national disciplinary curricula and the educational goals stipulated in the Education Code in both formal and non-formal education;
• Developing and supporting democratic school governance processes;
• The development of didactic tools that would facilitate the process of understanding and forming responsible and democratic behaviours in primary education.

If employees of educational institutions, members of non-governmental organizations are quite active in promoting civic education, then the academic community in the Republic of Moldova is very modestly involved in teaching democratic citizenship. In most cases, university teaching staff are involved in this process, and researchers from the Academy of Sciences of Moldova are practically absent in this field. Research regarding civic education/democratic citizenship education/education for society, to the greatest extent, is also carried out by university teachers. This reality is also because the academic environment considers educational sciences as part of the university environment.

6. Challenges

Even after 33 years of independence, the Republic of Moldova faces a series of problems that endanger the integrity of the state, the security of citizens, and the peaceful development of society. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the war on the territory of the neighboring state demonstrate how complicated the situation in Eastern Europe is today. Thus, the war in Ukraine, the separatist regime on the left of the Dniester, Russia’s propaganda and provocations directed against the Republic of Moldova, dependence on Russian energy resources, society divided from a social, political, identity, confessional point of view, the high rate of migration, Euroscepticism, etc. these are just some of the challenges to which Moldovan society is currently exposed.

The key to these challenges in most cases lies in the quality of education of the inhabitants of the Republic of Moldova on both banks of the Dniester. Thus, after three decades, a good part of the inhabitants of the districts on the left of the Dniester controlled by the separatist regime look at the citizens of the Republic of Moldova with hatred, fight the European course and consider that only Russia is their “true friend”. The citizens of the right bank of the Dniester are also divided regarding the relationship with the districts on the left of the Dniester. Thus, the hate speech, lack of consensus, and real intentions to reunify the Republic of Moldova continue to maintain the state of instability and fear in the Moldovan society. European integration is a lifeline for the Republic of Moldova, accepting the status of a candidate country and initiating the negotiation process between the EU and the Republic of Moldova is a real chance to overcome these challenges and build an integrated state, with a democratic regime to dominate rule of law and prosperous economy.

Education, in general, and the education of democratic citizenship, in particular, must become de facto strategic priorities and not just at the declarative level for the districts on both banks of the Dniester. The reunification of the state and the construction of a democratic society where respect for human rights, tolerance, and peace dominate means a legal framework and common educational policies. The purpose of civic education must be oriented toward an advanced democratic culture, where every citizen matters regardless of their ethnic, religious, and gender affiliation. In this sense, the administrations from Chisinau and Tiraspol must understand that challenges, risks, and instability can be overcome through education. Overcoming fear and mistrust can also be achieved through human interaction. Teachers and students on both banks of the Dniester must communicate intensively, they must discuss problems, they must look for solutions together, and the field of civic education is one of the easiest in this regard. At the same time, we must also take into account the fact that a sustainable society can only be built if the majority of citizens are aware of this perspective, actively participate in decision-making processes, are not indifferent to challenges, do not fall prey to challenges and look for solutions suitable for a state by right.

As for citizenship education, the challenges are related to several factors, among which we note the underappreciation of the role and importance of this subject, both by school managers and by teachers from other subjects, teachers from the Gagauz autonomy, Transnistrian separatist region and schools with Russian language teaching they use textbooks from Russia, the lack of textbooks, the lack of a grading system in this discipline, etc. The non-governmental organizations in this region are few, and their activity is quite modest and sporadic. Attempts to involve teachers or young people from the left side of the Dniester were sporadic and often could not be realized due to the prohibitions of the separatist regime. 

The Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova launched 2024 the School Curriculum Development Concept (2024-2027) which is based on the recommendations of the Council of Europe regarding key competencies for lifelong learning, as well as the objectives regarding curriculum development stipulated in the Development Strategy “Education 2030”. The new concept of curricular development highlights the fact that the educational ideal of the school in the Republic of Moldova consists in the formation of a personality with a spirit of initiative, capable of self-development, who possesses not only a system of knowledge and skills necessary for employment on the labour market but also independence from opinion and action, being open for intercultural dialogue in the context of assumed national and universal values. Thus, although one of the objectives of this concept is the decongestion of the educational system, the role of citizenship education (I and society for all levels of education: primary, secondary, and high school – grades 1-12) is essential in the new curriculum reform, based on key competences for lifelong learning, key competences for sustainable development, transversal/transdisciplinary competences, general competences in school subjects, subject-specific competences [22]. In the context of the challenges that the Republic of Moldova is going through today, we hope that the new concept will take these realities into account and will finally propose a document that guarantees a qualitative leap in education in our country.

7. Footnotes

1. This study completes a series of reports dedicated to developing civic education in the Republic of Moldova, like Human Rights Education in the Republic of Moldova. A policy paper. UNDP Moldova. Chisinau, 2010; Cezar Gavriliuc, Report „Mapping of the EDC/HRE system in the Republic of Moldova, Chișinău, 2016”; Corina Lungu, Pavel Cerbușcă, Rodica Solovei, Svetlana Vasilache, Raport de sinteză a evaluării curriculumului la disciplina Educație civică, treapta gimnazială și treapta liceală (Summary report of the evaluation of the curriculum in the subject Civic Education, secondary school and high school level), Chișinău, 2017; Tatiana Turco and Oxana Alistratova, “Citizenship Education in the Republic of Moldova”, 2021 – https://www.bpb.de/die-bpb/partner/nece/338506/citizenship-education-in-the-republic-of-moldova/ (accessed 08.08.2024).

2. M.S. Branson, The Role of Civic Education, 1998 – https://civiced.org/papers/articles_role.html (accessed 15.09.2024).

3. Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education, 2010 – https://www.coe.int/ru/web/compass/council-of-europe-charter-on-education-for-democratic-citizenship-and-human-rights-education (accessed 15.09.2024).

4. V. Ursu, Didactica educației civice. Suport de curs, Chișinău, 2005, p. 9-10.

5. Educația civică. Curriculum pentru învățământul gimnazial (clasele V-IX), Chișinău, 2010 – https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/curric_civica_tipograf.pdf (accessed 15.09. 2024).

6. Curriculum Național. Disciplina Educația pentru societate, (clasele V-IX), Chișinău, 2018 – https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/eps_gimnaziu_2018-08-14_curriculum_ghid.pdf (accessed 15.09.2024).

7. https://prodidactica.md/ (accessed 15.09.2024). An example of this is the two optional and manual courses dedicated to European integration: https://prodidactica.md/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Elev_RO.pdf and https://prodidactica.md/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CO-Integrare-European%C4%83-pentru-Tine.pdf (accessed 17.09.2024).

8. https://www.drepturilecopilului.md/index.php?lang=en (accessed 15.09.2024).

9. For a long time, the Information Office of the Council of Europe in the Republic of Moldova supported a series of activities addressed to the educational environment regarding the promotion of democratic values and citizenship education. For example, 2005 – Anul European al cetățeniei prin democrație „A învăța și a trăi democrație”, Materiale ale Conferinței Naționale de lansare a Anului European al Cetățeniei prin Democrație, Chișinău, 21 decembrie 2004, publicate în anul 2005. 

10. S. Musteață, (ed.), Educația toleranței și cetățeniei democratice prin intermediul istoriei, Chișinău, Cartidact, 2005.

11. https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=143290&lang=ro# (accessed 15.09.2024)

12. https://mecc.gov.md/ro/content/guvernul-aprobat-strategia-de-dezvoltare-educatia-2030 (accessed 15.09.2024).

13. Competences for Democratic Culture, 2017 – https://rm.coe.int/prems-147517-rus-2652-competences-for-democratic-culture-8522-web-16×2/1680782139 (accessed 15.09.2024).

14. https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/eps_gimnaziu_2018-08-14_curriculum_ghid.pdf (accessed 15.09.2024).

15. https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/eps_liceu_2018-08-14_curriculum_ghid.pdf (accessed 15.09.2024).

16. https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/20240118-045_compressed.pdf (accessed 15.09.2024).

17. https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/curriculum_optional_educatie_pentru_drepturile_omului_cl_i-iv.pdf și https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/curriculum_optional_educatie_pentru_drepturile_omului_cl._v-ix.pdf (accessed 15.09.2024).

18. https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/curriculum_educatie_pentru_media_gimnaziu.pdf (accessed 15.09.2024).

19. The curriculum was developed in partnership with the General Police Inspectorate and PH International, within the Legal Socialization Program in the Schools of the Republic of Moldova, financed by the US State Department through the Office of International Affairs in the field of Combating Drugs and Law Enforcement), https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/curriculum_epsj-cl.viii_tipar.pdf and https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/curriculum_pentru_disciplina_optionala_educatie_pentru_socializare_juridica._cl_xi_ro.pdf (accessed 15.09.2024).

20. The curriculum was developed in partnership with UN Women Moldova and the International Center “LA STRADA”, within the Project “Development of gender-based violence and violence against women in the school curriculum”), https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/curriculum_pentru_disciplina_optionala_relatii_armonioase_in_familie._claseleviii-ix._ro.pdf (accessed 15.09.2024).

21. This curriculum was developed in partnership with the Center for Continuous Training in the Electoral Field within the Central Electoral Commission), https://mecc.gov.md/sites/default/files/curriculum_pentru_disciplina_optioonala_educatie_electorala._cl.ix._cl_x.pdf (accessed 15.09.2024).22. V. Gușu, A. Gremalschi, V. Andrițchi, A. Țîbuleac, Conceptul Dezvoltării Curriculumului Școlar, Chișinău, 2024.