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Parliamentary Speaker Yevgeny Shevchuk (left) presents a graduate with her diploma, a book and an official silver medal

TIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - Schools for the Moldovan minority in Pridnestrovie, teaching in the Moldovan language, outdid Ukrainian schools in the number of graduates by a factor of four to one.

On Graduation Day in Pridnestrovie, Moldovan schools produced 710 graduates versus just 162 graduating students leaving Ukrainian schools.

In the population as a whole, the two ethnic minorities make up almost equal numbers: According to the results of the 2004 Census, Pridnestrovie is home to 177,000 resident Moldovans (31,9% of the total population) and 160,000 Ukrainians (28,8%).

" - So why did PMR's Moldovan schools produce four times as many graduates as those teaching Ukrainian?" Tiraspol Times asked a ministry official present at the event. Ukrainians, as a rule, understand Russian better and many of those in PMR prefer to study in Russian schools. The Russian and Ukrainian languages are similar. Moldovan-speakers have no such benefit, as Moldovan and Russian languages spring from different roots. So whereas most Ukrainians can easily go to schools which teach in Russian, many Moldovans opt for schools teaching in their own language, Moldovan.

School leavers in Pridnestrovie were presented with a medal of the republic, hung in the country's colors: Red, green, and red - the colors of the PMR flag.

Russian - the original language of the area since 1792, and the language of inter ethnic communication - remains the favorite not just among Russian students, but among the other two main ethnic groups as well. Of the 3,812 students graduating from Russian schools this year, ethnic minorities were represented in equal numbers, with no overt dominance of ethnic Russians.

Honor students get medals

During Thursday's commencement ceremony, students from all three ethnic groups were present; receiving their diplomas, yearbooks and - for honor students - gold and silver medals.

Pridnestrovie President Igor Smirnov congratulated the graduates, adding that "under tough economic conditions we maintained the doors open in all schools, including schools teaching in the Moldovan and Ukrainian languages."

" - Our state is in a difficult economic situation. But even in critical situations we have always understood that we should care for people and the state. We have not destroyed our educational system; we offer education in three official languages," said Igor Smirnov. "The first and the longest stage of your life laid by family and school has come to an end."

Honor student in Pridnestrovie is decorated with a medal on her day of graduation.

266 honor students with all A's received medals, with graduates from the northern city of Rybnitsa taking home the largest number of medals: 75. Tiraspol, Pridnestrovie's capital and home to nearly twice as many people as Rybnitsa, finished second with 72 medal winners followed by Bender - also larger than Rybnitsa - with just 45.

K-12 free public education

Compulsory education in Pridnestrovie now follows the K-12 system, with free public education from Kindergarten (5 or 6-year-old) through 12th grade (generally 17 or 18-year-old).

Last year, Pridnestrovie changed the law and added another year. New students entering the public school system will now study for 12 years instead of 11. Those who are already in the system finish at their 11th year as planned.

The school leavers were presented with silver and golden medals at the main Republican Theater in Tiraspol. President of PMR Igor Smirnov, Speaker of Parliament Yevgeny Shevchuk, Supreme Judge of the Constitutional Court Vladimir Grigoriev, Education Minister Maria Pashchenko, and a number of other public figures all took part in the ceremony.

" - Unfortunately, more and more honor graduates go abroad and don't return, mostly due to economic problems. But there’s a home where you are always welcome," said Yevgeny Shevchuk, Speaker of PMR's Parliament and head of the Renewal opposition party, in his commencement address.

See also:
» Education system turns 15 in Transdniester [1]
» Education ministry sees minority schools as pawns in political game [2]
» Back to school for 68,000 students in Pridnestrovie [3]