“Although the Teacher of the Year award is given to only nine education professionals, our gratitude goes to all teachers who have been able to raise generations of children that are solidary, resilient to the challenges of life and always curious to discover and create. There are many such teachers in Moldova and they represent an example that must be promoted and followed”, declared President Maia Sandu at the Awards Gala of the 2023 Teachers of the Year national contest.
“The quality of life in the coming decades, the quality of the medical system, all state services, justice, the environment, the state of the economy, the central and local administration, including the quality of the political class, depends on the quality of the education we offer today, and you, dear teachers, you are in the front line of this effort”, said the president.
The winners of the 2023 edition are the following:
High School Teacher of the Year:
1. First Degree Award, 50,000 lei, Pavel Polișciuc, teacher of universal literature at the Dimitrie Cantemir Lyceum in Bălți.
2. Second Degree Award, 25,000 lei, Rodica Jăpălău, teacher of Romanian language and literature at the Iulia Hasdeu Lyceum in Chisinau;
3. Third Degree Award, 15,000 lei, Lilia Gânu, geography teacher at the Mihail Sadoveanu Lyceum in Hâncești.
Primary School Teacher of the Year category:
1. First Degree Award, 50,000 lei, Valentina Iazinschi, teacher at the Petru Rareș Lyceum in Soroca.
2. Second Degree Award, 25,000 lei, Diana Castraveț, teacher at the Petre Ștefănucă Lyceum in Ialoveni.
3. Third Degree Award, 15,000 lei, Aurel Leșcic, teacher at the Spiridon Vangheli Primary School in Balti.
Kindergarten Teacher of the Year category:
1. First Degree Award, 50,000 lei, Dorina Tronciu, educator at the early childhood education institution “Poienița” in Malcoci village, Ialoveni district.
2. Second Degree Award, 25,000 lei, Mariana Popa, educator in the early education institution no. 6 “Mărțişor” in Sangerei.
3. Third Degree Award, 15,000 lei, Elena Melnic, educator in the early education institution no. 197 in Chisinau.
At the beginning of festivities, the audience kept a moment of silence in memory of the writer Ion Druță. The event was organized on the occasion of the National Day of Education Professionals, marked annually on October 5.