The Minister of Education and Research, Daniel David, responds firmly to several coalition politicians who have criticized certain austerity and research austerity measures, although they are elements assumed in the government program.
Daniel David has a message for the ruling coalition. Photo: Gov.ro.
The austerity measures that have been assumed by the coalition in government in the education area cause negative reactions from some social-democratic politicians, despite the fact that the PSD is one of the main parties of the coalition.
Thus, three PSD MPs allied with two gold representatives to address, on Monday, an open letter to Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, in which they demand the reassessment of the austerity measures adopted in the field of education, on the grounds that they “I can generate negative effects in the medium and long term.”
These are the negative effects generated, according to the signatories, the classes, the reduction of the school scholarships and the stopping of the investments in the educational infrastructure, especially in the rural area, as well as the increase of the didactic norm, along with the decrease of the hourly.
The signatories of the letter are Natalia Intotero (PSD deputy), Tiberiu Barstan (deputy gold), Ilie Toma (PSD deputy), along with Cristian Resmeriță (PSD senator) and Vasilică Potecă (Senator Aur).
At the end of June, PSD senator Dan Caşcaval, rector of the “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University in Iaşi did not understand why among the first measures announced by the new government is the reduction of students’ scholarships. “I am a rector and I am a PSD senator. I know what the partnership with the students means. I do not understand why we do not prioritize the financial measures we have to take. I do not understand why among the first measures announced are the students of the students, of the students who have had a significant role in obtaining an essential vote for our European course, as we like to say.“, Said Dan Caşcaval.
Alexandru Mihai Ghigiu, deputy and president of the Commission for Education of the Chamber of Deputies, wrote on the blogs “Adevărul”: “In contexts of economic crisis, the temptation to reduce the funds allocated to education, including scholarships, may seem like a solution. However, such measures risk compromising the future of generations and emphasizing the most disadvantaged.”
PSD deputy from Arad Mihai Fifor, as well as the PSD MEP Victor Negrescu, vice-president of the European Parliament, were among those who criticized certain austerity and research austerity measures.
“Adevărul” asked the Minister of Education and Research, Daniel David, a reaction to the divergent positions in the ruling coalition on education-research.
“The ruling coalition assumed its reform of the education-research”
The Minister of Education and Research explained in five points his position vis-à-vis these messages that come from some social-democratic politicians.
At the first point, David explains the objectives he assumed when he accepted the mandate of Minister of Education and Research:
“(1) as a technocrat minister supported by PNL, I was employed in the first term, to contribute to resolving the political crisis by ensuring the Euro-Atlantic road and to the proper functioning of the education-research system in this crisis (including with some absolutely necessary reforms), doubled by a diagnosis and proposals of medium-Lung term (2), in the second term financial-budgeting of the country and the education-research and at the reform of the Education-Reception (by the QX report). ”
At the second point, David recalls that both the reform of the education and research he proposed, as well as the austerity measures proposed by the technical group organized at the level of the Presidency, were found in the government program assumed by all the parties in the ruling coalition:
“The ruling coalition assumed its reform of the education-research (A) based on the QX and (B) report based on the fiscal-budgetary decisions proposed by the experts of the” Technical Group “organized at the Presidential Administration, necessary to prevent the country to enter into payment difficulties in the autumn. Both were clearly expressed in the government program 2025-2028. ”
“If the coalition no longer assumes in education-research the governance commitments I should know, in order not to confuse.”
At the third point, the minister points out that we are going through a crisis situation from which we can go through solidarity and rational measures, but after the country’s budgetary difficulties will be resolved, Romania will have to honor their responsibilities towards education-research.
“If the coalition no longer assumes in education-research the governance commitments I should know, so as not to confuse. I do not follow a political career and only the honor forces me to continue to implement a governance program assumed by a ruling coalition. But for this we must have it! other contextswe live in a crisis situation that none of us wanted and from which we can only go together, through solidarity and with rational and decent actions, to protect our system and people dedicated to education-research. We do it for ourselves but, especially, for the future of our children. But if the education-research will now correct its contribution to the country’s current difficulties, the country, once stabilized, will have to honor its responsibilities towards education-research ”
David explains, in point 4, the fact that he accepted the taking of these unpopular measures, because otherwise the functioning of the education/research system was in danger and not only:
“We have accepted their implementation because it saves the country (its ability to function, ensuring salaries/pensions/scholarships/help, etc.), and then, on medium-long term, through the QX ratio, we can change the paradigm of education-research from a non-performing and inequitable one in a performing and equitable, with the benefit to the country, with the benefit to the country and to the country.“
Call to the ruling coalition
The Minister of Education and Research calls on the ruling coalition to continue to support the government program assumed in education and research, in order not to remain in the same paradigm that generates too frequently school dropout, functional illiteracy, inequity (eg rural-urban) and predisposes us to become a “scientific colony”.
“The fiscal-budgetary decisions proposed by the” technical group “necessary to avoid the country to be incapacitated in autumn are difficult, affecting almost all Romania, and the rescue of the country comes with the discomfort of all. This conclusion is also true for the education-research component, where, by the number and relationships of those involved (children, teachers, parents, etc.), any system decisions affect almost all Romania. If the ruling coalition does not make a common effort to save the education of some people of uncomfortable education and change and/or to defend some people of themselves (you would make the situation correctly understand and to be part of the solution, not the problems), the approach is to the failure, and school, functional illiteracy, inequity (eg rural-urban) and predisposes us to become a “scientific colony”, the minister explained.
In the end, David claims that he intends to bear discussions at the coalition level, but also with the President of Romania, Nicușor Dan:
“I will wait for such a clarification after a discussion with the prime minister, asking him to have a coalition discussion. Another clarification is necessary from the president of the country, because, while some decisions in education-research are provisional, as the president says, others recommended by the” Technical Group “are not good!
