EduMin Pop: In 2018 Romania will have the highest Education budget of the last 10 years

Minister of National Education, Liviu Marian Pop, on Saturday told a press conference in Iasi that Education will receive the highest budget of the last 10 years in 2018. 

While in Iasi for the National Rectors Council (CNR), the Minister stated that the budget for Education will be the highest of the last 10 years in 2018 and all the promised salary rises will happen. 

"We have a maximal budget, if I can say it like this. The largest of the last 10 years. And I believe it is important to spend more efficiently in the university area too, to ensure that all salaries are paid. As you well know, when we had the budget rectification we earmarked a part to comply with the court decisions and cover all salary increases. And next year we will have a more substantial budget that we are going to use more efficiently. All the other things that were highlighted by the National Rectors Council were assumed by the Ministry and we will do everything together, especially in the university area," Minister Liviu Marian Pop told the media. 

Asked how much larger next year's budget will be, he said he couldn't say the exact figures, but it depended a lot on the European projects that he submitted. 

"We are about to sign the financing agreements. We also have the big projects, the virtual school library, the electronic catalogue with the students record, Internet in all school units. The projects account for another 100 million euros," stated Minister Pop. 

According to his statements, within three weeks at the most the Minister will have "clear data" about the 2018 budget. 

The President of the National Rectors Council (CNR), Sorin Cimpeanu, who also attended the conference, stated that for 2018 universities asked a 40 per cent increase in the basic financing and by 50 per cent in investments compared with the current year. 

"I am certain about the commitment regarding the funds for Education being honored. There are four annual increases of 11 per cent taken into consideration, in order to reach to 6 per cent of the GDP in 2020. I am sure that Education will score an annual growth higher than 11 per cent. Unfortunately, despite the efforts made by the Ministry of Research, its budget won't increase in the same way. In 2018 and in the following years it should reach up to 1 per cent, although we see that the budget is actually dropping in the Research area. There is an opinion among universities that the Research too would have eyed a positive trend if it were to be considered as a package with Education," Sorin Cimpeanu, President of the CNR said. AGERPRES .