“My School”: Communities Contribute to Better Education Results through Participation

The project covered 21districts and municipalities, and 60 beneficiary schools learned and applied social accountability tools. Public hearings produced proposals ranging from bicycle parking to equipment for science laboratories and video surveillance. Local authorities promised to fix critical infrastructure problems such as heating systems and sanitation. In Ungheni, the district council allocated MDL 40,000 (about USD 2,000) to each beneficiary school, while mayors in Cahul and Rîșcani held public hearings on local budgets.

A 2016 Expert-Grup study of 4,200 pupils, parents, teachers and school managers found relatively high satisfaction with education. It recommended greater transparency in school budget execution, including parental contributions, and attention to food, transport and sanitary facilities. Project coordinator Ana Popa invited schools to check their profiles on the website and to apply to join in 2017.