During Education Week, held from April 22nd to 28th, UNFPA organized several thematic events focused on the partnership between school, family, community, and the business sector to support adolescents and young people in developing the life skills necessary for their personal and professional journey.
"I am proud that the organization I represent is part of the changes that have started in education in Moldova. The #EduLIFE model piloted by UNFPA in both general and vocational-technical education provides friendly conditions for learning and development, psychological counseling, medical assistance, sanitation, and free menstrual hygiene products. Such conditions help adolescents and young people learn, develop, and prepare for adult life. Here, students are seen, heard, and respected, and we aim for this model to be adopted by every school," said Karina Nersesyan, UNFPA Moldova Country Representative, at the opening event of Education Week.
EduLIFE Classes
The EduLIFE classroom model piloted by UNFPA in 12 vocational-technical education institutions and 4 general education schools was presented at the Education Week exhibition in Moldova. The friendly classrooms are designed for studying life skills disciplines for adolescents and include interactive teaching materials, modular furniture, and a bright and colorful space designed with the help of students. In the four general education schools, UNFPA, in partnership with the suntparinte.md platform, conducts a health and menstrual hygiene program, piloting the extended #EduLIFE concept. Thus, in schools in the districts of Strășeni, Hâncești, Ștefan Vodă, and Căușeni, in addition to friendly classrooms, a medical office, a psychologist's office, and dispensers and menstrual hygiene products have been equipped.
Connecting Youth to the Job Market through Life Skills Development
Grigore Tuhar is graduating from the Polytechnic College in Bălți this year, and in the meantime, he has been hired for his first job, where he was welcomed with openness and offered flexibility in his schedule to be able to finish his studies and participate in extracurricular activities in which he is involved. "I am pleasantly surprised by the company's attitude; I feel heard and supported at the beginning of my journey," mentioned the young man. Grigore shared his inspirational journey at the conference "Connecting Youth to the Job Market through Life Skills Development," organized by UNFPA. The event brought together representatives of business companies, students, institutions from vocational-technical education, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Ministry of Education and Research to discuss creating friendly environments for young people in school and at the workplace.
"This program develops soft skills in young people, which are increasingly demanded by employers and also addresses critical topics related to sexual education. We are glad that young people have the opportunity to learn this information to be more aware in the decisions they make," emphasized Minister of Education and Research, Dan Perciun.
The conference agenda also included two panels discussing how schools initiate partnerships for the development of students' life skills and companies' experience in creating youth-friendly jobs.
The conference is part of the program "Connecting Youth to the Job Market through Life Skills Development" implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA Moldova) with financial support from the Austrian Development Agency from the Austrian Development Cooperation funds, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova.
How We Raise Healthy Adolescents: The School-Family Partnership
Over 200 parents learned answers to questions about adolescent development and health, as well as the importance of close collaboration with the school at the conference "How We Raise Healthy Adolescents: The School-Family Partnership."
Experts in working with adolescents spoke about communication, gadget dependency, age-specific behaviors, sleep, and the importance of partnership with the school to support adolescents in the challenges they face.
Over 11,000 people followed the event online, and the recording is still available HERE.
"We are here today to learn how to support adolescents to navigate through this challenging period for them. We adults must each take responsibility for the adolescents we interact with, whether at school, in the family, or at an institution they attend in their free time. Together, if we know what we have to do, we can help young people overcome the specific challenges of their age and understand what they are going through," Natalia Plugaru, UNFPA Moldova Deputy Representative, conveyed to parents.
Adolescence is an important period of life when personality is formed, and life skills are developed to help adolescents in their journey to maturity. Strengthening the partnership and dialogue between family and school is indispensable in supporting the life preparation of the young generation. Understanding the development specifics and knowledge needs of girls and boys will help parents manage this period together with their children - are some of the ideas mentioned by each of the experts who spoke at the event.
The conference was organized in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova and the suntparinte.md media platform.
Education Week in Moldova, themed "Moldova for Education," was organized by the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova, under the patronage of the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova. The initiative aims to mobilize the entire society, including the business community, to support the improvement of the quality of education in our country.
