More young Roma pursue studies: 110 merit scholarships from the Education Ministry this year
A total of 110 Roma students will receive merit scholarships valued at 1,200 lei per month for the 2025-2026 academic year. This support, provided by the Ministry of Education and Research (MEC), aims to encourage young Roma to continue their studies and excel academically.
The scholarships are distributed by education level: high school – 39 scholarships; secondary technical – 17 scholarships; post-secondary technical – 30 scholarships and higher education – 24 scholarships.
The Minister of Education and Research, Dan Perciun, claims that more and more young Roma are discovering their vocation through education.
“If in 2023 we had 49 beneficiaries, and in 2024 – 94, this year the number of scholarship holders reached 110. It is clear proof that when we offer real support and trust, the results are not long in coming. Through this program, we aim to offer young Roma not only financial support, but also a signal that education opens up equal opportunities for all”, mentioned Dan Perciun.
The scholarship holders were selected through a competition organized by the Ministry of Education and Research in partnership with the Interethnic Relations Agency. Young people study in various fields – from economics, technology and agriculture, to pedagogy, journalism, psychology, law and international relations.
Previously, the education authorities announced that school dropout in the Republic of Moldova was decreasing. According to official data, in 2003-2004 about 250 children who dropped out of school were registered each year; currently, that number has reduced to approximately 90-100.
According to the 2024 Population and Housing Census, approximately 0.4% of the Republic of Moldova's total population, or slightly over 9,600 people, declared themselves to be of Roma ethnicity. However, according to estimates by the Interethnic Relations Agency, based on mapping of Roma communities and additional data, such as local reports, estimates by community mediators and local authorities, the number of Roma citizens is much higher – over 27 thousand people.
