Romanian Education Min Frowns At Teaching Staff Cut Proposition

Andronescu said she cannot accept the propositions of the Ministry of Finance, which said Ministry of Education spending should be lowered through staff or salary cuts, since this could put the education system out of order.

Andronescu added none of the Ministry of Finance propositions, regarding ways to reduce spending at the Ministry of Education, are acceptable, and went on saying that even though the economic situation is difficult, this cannot justify sacrificing the education system.

Asked if the differences of opinion between the two ministries could endanger the government coalition, Andronescu said the functioning of the coalition is not touched in this matter.

Romanian education employees threaten protests and even general strike over the government’s planned budget revision, which could cut back on education staff by 20,000 people or freeze salaries in the sector.

Unionists told the Education Ministry officials that they would take to the streets and even go on general strike if ministry officials fail to solve all deficiencies regarding certain articles stipulated in the collective labor contract, Gheorghe Isvoranu, head of the Romanian “Spiru Haret” Union Federation, said Monday.

According to Isvoranu, the number of teachers can only be reduced if the number of students is also reduced, adding that salaries have already been frozen.

Unionists also blasted education minister Ecaterina Andronescu, saying she promised to do her best to prevent "counter-productive measures in the education sector."

Razvan Bobulescu, head of the "Alma Mater" Union Federation, on Monday said the measures proposed by the government cannot be applied, stressing the education sector faces workforce shortage as it is.

Romanian education unionists rejected the government’s decision to cut back on education staff by 20,000 people or freeze salaries in the sector, Aurel Cornea, head of the Federation of Free Unions in Education (FSLI), said Monday.

Cornea also said the government plans to reduce the education budget by 811 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1549), in the upcoming budget revision.

Unionists will meet with President Traian Basescu next week, but said they are not at all optimistic.

The government’s upcoming budget revision will reduce the budgets of all ministries. However, the budgets of the agriculture, defense, interior and education ministries will be mainly affected, while the Labor Ministry will be the only one to receive additional funds. Thus, the budget of the Education Ministry will be lower by RON676 million and the budget of the Interior Ministry will be lower by RON427 million, ministry sources said.

Romania's estimated consolidated budget revenues will be cut by RON18.83 billion, while expenses will be cut by RON6.28 billion, trough the budget revision and the introduction of new financial-budgetary measures, according to a government’s document.

The 2009 budget will be revised in the upcoming period, and will be based on a deficit of 4.6% of the GDP, compared with 2% initially decided, given a GDP adjustment from RON579 billion to RON531 billion.

 

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