School leadership
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
2.2. Selection and working conditions
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
1. Terminology
School leaders in Moldova are referred to as “director de scoala.” According to the 2014 Education Code (as amended in 2023), at the institutional level, quality management is ensured by the managers of the institutions of general education. Management staff consists of the director and deputy directors. The school leader has several legal attributions, including: signs legal documents on behalf of the institution; hires, evaluates, promotes and dismisses the staff of the institution; is responsible for executing the institution's budget; elaborates the staffing scheme of the institution; elaborates and proposes for approval to the board of administration the school component of the curriculum; elaborates the rules for completing the classes and the number of classes etc.
The new Education 2030 Strategy refers to school leaders as “managerial staff” or “managers.”
2. School principals
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
Competency standards and leadership frameworks and guidelines
In 2016, by Order of the Minster of Education no. 623/2016, the Ministry of Education approved the Professional Competency Standards of General Education Managers. The standards allow stakeholders to assess the quality of managerial activity, to monitor progress towards meeting or exceeding standards, and to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of reforms in education. They can also be used to encourage leadership accountability for continuous self-development. These standards are unitary and apply individually to each managerial framework for all the fields provided. Additionally, some dimensions of the Standards can also be applied in the competitive selection process of managerial staff, serving as a basis for the performance interview. The standards are structured on six priority areas: Vision and Strategies; Curriculum; Human Resources; Financial and Material Resources; Structures and Procedures; and Community and Partnerships. As of September 2024, these standards are in the process of revision
Roles
Setting expectations/objectives: The first standard in the Professional Competency Standards of General Education Managers states that the school manager “leads the process of developing and implementing the development projects of the general education institution in order to promote the national and local educational policy.” These projects must be based on internal and external assessments and involve the staff, students, parents, and partners during the process. Furthermore, the director identifies strategic priorities and ensures consistency between the vision, mission, and strategic objectives of the school. Strategic objectives are also developed by the director who leads the process of implementation, monitoring and evaluation, systematically documenting progress towards achieving planned outcomes, successful practices, and ways to address issues.
Developing teaching and learning: Standard two in the Professional Competency Standards of General Education Managers asks directors to develop and diversify the curriculum to align with the individual, institutional, and community potential for that specific school. The institutional curricular policies must be consistent with the national ones but also with the mission and specifics of the general education institution. The director is also responsible for providing the institution with all necessities related to the curriculum, such as the education framework plan, school textbooks, methodological guides, and information and communication means developed by the Ministry of Education and Research.
Promoting collaboration: The sixth standard of the Professional Competency Standards of General Education Managers states that the manager develops partnerships to ensure the progress of the general education institution and the community. They may do this by identifying partners from the local, district/municipal, national and international community. After forming partnerships, they carry out activities, supporting the participation of teaching staff and students in these programmes. According to the 2016 Code of Ethics for Teaching Staff, in relations with institutions and representatives of local communities, management staff must ensure qualities of mutual support while protecting the rights of the child.
Supporting staff development: The Professional Competency Standards of General Education Managers asks directors of educational institutions to ensure the professional development of the teaching staff in order to implement the school curriculum. The director identifies professional development needs and encourages and supports staff to participate in various continuing professional training activities. The staff evaluation is also organized by the director who provides advice and methodological guidance to staff in the context of the evaluation results. The third standard states that “the school manager creates and maintains a stimulating and cooperative environment for the continuous development of the school’s human capital.” The director also coordinates the mentoring programme for novice teachers. To receive promotions in accordance with the 2023 Regulation of Attestation of Management, school managers should ensure the increase of human resource quality by increasing the number of teaching staff with teaching degrees, ensuring the continuous training of all teaching staff, and ensuring the professional retraining of unqualified staff.
Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: School leaders are expected to follow the Ministry of Education’s 2016 Code of Ethics for Teaching Staff, which establishes standards and rules of conduct for management staff, teaching staff and auxiliary teaching staff. In particular, the code establishes norms of conduct in relations with students, parents, and colleagues. For example, in relations with children, teaching staff must protect their physical, mental, and moral health. Chapter nine discusses the norms of managerial conduct. Management staff must promote professional and moral standards; prohibit any form of coercion or harassment; protect the personal data of all; and carry out anti-corruption activities. According to the Professional Competency Standards of General Education Managers, school leaders are responsible for organizing the process of disseminating good practices through various methods.
Others: While teaching is not mandated, management personnel, including heads of institutions are allowed to carry out teaching activity during working hours within the limit of up to 0.5 of the teaching norm.
2.2. Selection and working conditions
Degree requirements and prior teaching experience
To become a school director in Moldova, according to the 2015 (amended in 2022) Regulation regarding the organization and conducting the competition for the appointment to the position of director and deputy director in general education institutions, an applicant must be a citizen, know the Romanian language, have a Bachelor's degree, and at least three years of teaching experience, at the date of the deadline for applying for the director position, he/she did not reach the age of 65, he/she has no criminal record, he/she has not been fired or removed from a public position in the last 5 years.
Applicants must also have taken a test at CTICE which evaluates their professional and managerial skills.
Appointment decision
Article 50 of the 2014 Education Code (as amended in 2023) states that the “positions of director and deputy director shall be filled through competition, according to the professional and managerial competence criteria. The Regulation for organization and carrying out the competition to fill the position of director or deputy director shall be approved by the Ministry of Education.” A commission is formed by the MOE. Once the Ministry has posted the job opening, candidates may apply. The competition file may include a draft development plan for the institution, various documents certifying the applicants education, proof of participation in educational, community projects, and a medical certificate and criminal record. The 2015 (amended in 2022) Regulation regarding the organization and conducting the competition for the appointment to the position of director and deputy director in general education institutions outlines the appointment process in three steps: 1) verifying the fulfillment of the conditions for participation in the contest; 2) assessment of professional and managerial knowledge (test); 3) curriculum vitae assessment and 4) the interview. Candidates prepare their managerial project at a meeting of the Competition commission. The competition commission is established by the local specialized body in the field of education and includes: a) two officials of the local body specialized in the field of education; b) a director from an educational institution from the same administrative-territorial unit (or, in case of impossibility, from another administrative-territorial unit) who has experience, professional prestige and outstanding achievements; c) a representative of the district/municipal council; d) a person from the same institution, delegated by the board of administration; e) a person from the same institution appointed by the teaching council; f) a representative delegated by the local council on whose territory the educational institution is located. Competitions for the position of director are public.
Employment equity measures
No information could be found.
Working conditions
In accordance with the 2014 Education Code (as amended in 2023), the director and deputy directors of the public general education institution shall be appointed for a period of 5 years. The director’s individual employment contract is organized with the local body specialized in the school’s education area. After 5 years, the individual employment contract of the head terminates, and the position is declared vacant. The director of the general education institution may be dismissed before the expiration of the individual employment contract if they have committed financial violation; professional ethical violation; inadequately promoted management not up to standards in force; non-observance of children, pupils, employees, and parent’s rights; and repeatedly obtaining the rating “unsatisfactory” on the institution’s assessment conducted by the National School Inspectorate.
Government Decision nr. 1234/2018 establishes the salary conditions of the staff from the educational institutions that operate under the financial-economic self-management regime. Under this document, the monthly salary consists of the fixed part (the base salary plus any monthly increases due to scientific-didactic titles) and bonuses such as performance increases and others. Base salaries increase according to seniority. Staff are also compensated for work performed in unfavorable conditions and overtime work. The salary class and related salary coefficients are found in appendix no. 7. Directors are categorized from I-VI, (3.89-4.60) with category I as the highest salary coefficient. As of January 2024 there is a minimum basic salary of 10,590 lei and a maximum basic salary of 11,242 lei. This came about with the Government Decision which amends annexes nr. 1 and 2 to the Methodological norms on the establishment of basic salaries for management positions in schools and kindergartens, approved by Government Decision no. 598/2018.
According to the 2023 Regulation of Attestation of Management Staff from General and Professional Technical Education Personnel approved by order no. 1100/2023 of the Ministry of Education, management staff have the ability to be promoted to several grades. Managers are entitled to request the granting of the next grade two years after the confirmation of the previous grade if they meet four of the following conditions: were rated very good following the external evaluation; rated positively on the degree of achievement of the institution’s strategic development plan; initiated, elaborated, and realized an educational project with impact at the institution or community level; established success of partnerships with various non-commercial organizations and economic agents; increased the human resources quality indicator; have experience as a member of various evaluation commissions; personally contributed to the development of public policy developments; and/or have experience as a national trainer in the field of education management. Trade unions are also involved in the hiring process.
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
Pre-service training
The 2023 Regulation of Attestation of Management and the 2014 Education Code (as amended in 2023) note several levels of management degrees: second, first and senior. The lowest level, second, can be obtained with 20 professional credits in the field of education management. They must also take a practical test in the form of a completed action plan and the results regarding an existing problem within the institution. The new Education 2030 Strategy aims to have initial training programmes for teaching and managerial staff which correspond to quality standards by modernizing the training curriculum.
Induction and in-service training
One of the functions of the Professional Competency Standards of General Education Managers is to orient the professional development of management staff so that they fulfill, at one high level, specific functions and roles. These standards apply to institutions authorized in continuous training of managerial staff. The 2023 Regulation of Attestation of Management states that the attestation of management staff is voluntary and carried out once every 5 years. During this process, the staff must have accumulated 20 professional credits in continuing education courses in educational management. This amounts to 600 hours of professional training activities. The new Education 2030 Strategy also aims to restructure and reconceptualize the continuous professional training of managerial staff. Relevant goals include the aim to increase the participation rate of managerial staff in continuous training to 50% and to increase the share of managers trained in the field of strategic management.
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
Article 49 of the 2014 Education Code (as amended in 2023) sets the rules and composition of management bodies of general education institutions. The Administration Board has the role of decision-making in the administrative area. The board is comprised of the director, deputy director, one representative delegated by the local public administration from the administrative-territorial unit, three representatives of parents delegated by the general assembly of parents, two representatives of the teaching staff delegated by the Teachers’ Board and one representative of pupils delegated by the Pupils’ Board from the institution. Representatives of the civil society and business environment may attend the meetings of the board. The board members vote for the chair. The Administration Board has the responsibility to: participate in the competition committee for appointing the director of the educational institution; participate in the evaluation of the director; approve the institution’s budget; approve the plan for institution development; manage the financial resources coming from sources other than the budgetary ones; approve the school component of the Framework-plan at the school level; approve the rules for filling the classes, the number of classes, and the employment scheme for the institution’s personnel.
3.2. Middle leaders
The 2014 Education Code (as amended in 2023) states that teaching and management staff in general education institutions may be awarded the following teaching and management degrees: second, first and senior. There are also different specialized positions that teachers can hold and receive additional salary for such as the head of the section or center. Teachers may also serve as mentors and master teachers. Mentors provide support, assistance and experience exchange and knowledge to another person to foster his/her professional development and acquiring skills or competences. Teaching staff may become mentors if they have obtained special training and have experience in the practiced area.
3.3. Parents
Parent councils (consiliul părinților) are mentioned in the 2014 Education Code (as amended in 2023) and in the document on the constitution and functioning of student councils. In the 2016 Code of Ethics for Teaching Staff, management staff are warned against involvement in the decision-making processes of parents’ associations (or any other form of parents’ organization). The new Education 2030 Strategy aims to strengthen partnerships between the family, local authorities and educational institutions.
3.4. Students
Appendix no. 1 to the order no. 331/2014 details instructions regarding the constitution and functioning of student councils (consiliul elevilor). According to this document, the Law on Education and the Law on the Rights of the Child oblige institutions to provide students with the necessary means to make their opinions known and to involve them in the decision-making process. The Student Council is defined as “a representative structure of students at the institutional level involved in identifying and solving problems that concern them, in partnership with the management team, teaching staff and parents, for the benefit of students and the community.” It is important because it can make educational institutions more inclusive and friendly; improve the achievement standards of the curriculum as students and teachers work together in a participatory process; involve students in the life of the educational and community institution and value their contribution; give students the opportunity to take responsibility in solving some problems that concern them; and help students practice civics, exercise their own rights, assume responsibilities, honor their obligations and respect the rights of others. Each secondary education institution is required to establish a student council. The institution develops its own regulation of the student self-management body; including establishing the number of members, the nomination and election process, and the term of office.
The student council is established and monitored by the school’s management team. At the initial stages, the director contributes to the formation of the Council, for example by discussing with the students the role of the EC, establishing the procedures and organizing the elections, and assisting in the drafting of the regulations. They train the council members and ensure the council’s involvement in the educational institution’s management. A Council represents all groups in the institution or each course; ensures gender balance; and reflects the ethnic and social affiliation of the institution, including the presence of students with disabilities.
Possible functions of the student council include: presenting the opinions of the students to the managerial team; participating in the evaluation of the institution; contributing to the institution’s policy development, such as the prevention of harassment, dress code, and extra-curricular activities; supporting educational development; promoting good communication with the educational institution; assisting students transitioning to another level of schooling; assistance in carrying out cultural and sports activities; organizing fundraising events; and ensuring connections with student councils from other educational institutions.
The new Education 2030 Strategy also emphasizes the importance of student self-governance.
4. Governance
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
According to Article 50 of the 2014 Education Code (as amended in 2023), the director of the general education institution is responsible for executing the institution’s budget. They employ, evaluate, promote, and dismiss the institution’s staff. They also develop the employment scheme for the institution’s staff and develop the school component of the curriculum for approval by the Administration Board. Standard four of the Professional Competency Standards of General Education Managers focuses on the director’s responsibility to manage and develop material and financial resources. They design and implement a financial management system and ensure the transparency of the spending of institutional, material, and financial resources of the educational institution. The standards also give school leaders the responsibility to develop partnerships with various donors and prepare reports on the organization and operation of the financial management and control system and the declaration on good governance. The 2014-2020 Education Strategy includes “human resource management” as one of the tasks of the manager of the institution.
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
Article 46 of the 2014 Education Code (as amended in 2023) states that the “assessment of the management staff activity in the general education institutions shall be carried out by the local body specialized in education area and by the National School Inspectorate, based on the assessment methodology approved by the Ministry of Education.” This assessment is carried out once every five years. The director of the educational institution submits an annual activity report during the joint meeting of the Administration and Teachers’ Boards. The Administration Board is responsible for evaluating the director. Furthermore, directors may be penalized for the educational institution’s poor performance. The assessment of the general education institutions’ activity is carried out by the local body specialized in education area and by the National School Inspectorate. If the educational institution repeatedly obtains an “unsatisfactory rating” the director’s contract may be terminated.
The 2023 Regulation of Attestation of Management Staff from General and Professional Technical Education Personnel approved by order no. 1100/2023 of the Ministry of Education establishes the attestation of management staff including the director and deputy director of educational institutions. According to this regulation, the attestation of management personnel is carried out by the Ministry of Education and Research, the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and Research (ANACEC), and localized special bodies in the field of education and educational institutions in collaboration with branch unions. In order to receive a promotion, school directors must receive positive ratings on external evaluations by ANACEC.
According to the Professional Competency Standards of General Education Managers, there is also external evaluations (by external evaluators) to determine the quality level of the managerial framework's activity, the development of evaluation tools; developing recommendations for the professional development of the managerial staff.
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
Article 45 of the 2014 Education Code (as amended in 2023) states that teaching staff in the general education institution are internally assessed yearly based on the assessment methodology of the Ministry of Education. According to the Professional Competency Standards of General Education Managers, school managers organize the internal staff evaluation process. The Ministry of Education and Research has also developed a manual to help guide school directors on how to conduct classroom observations and provide quality feedback for teachers. Teaching staff may be externally assessed every five years.
This profile was reviewed by Viorica Goraș Postica and Rima Bezede (Educational Centre PRO DIDACTICA).
