“This project appealed to me because of its originality and the multitude of opportunities it offers for working with pupils. We explored targets of historical and cultural value, creating contexts for group interaction and exploration of specific issues…”
‘I was very pleased with the attitude and support of the institution’s administration, which saw in this project a possibility to diversify and enrich non-formal education activities…’
‘It is a project with great potential for development, which deserves to be continued and extended, for as many generations as possible of curious, active and knowledge-loving ’little explorers‘…’

These reflections belong to some teachers participating in the piloting process of a new non-formal education programme – ‘Little Explorers Academy’. The initiative takes place within the project ‘Academy of Little Explorers’, implemented by the Educational Centre PRO DIDACTICA, in partnership with Y-PEER, co-financed by the Polish-American Freedom Foundation, within the programme ‘RITA – Transformations in the Region’, implemented by the Foundation Education for Democracy. The overall objective of the project is to encourage young pupils to discover and explore the cultural, historical and natural sights of the municipality of Chisinau, developing their curiosity, spirit of observation and love for their home city.

Aware of the importance of promoting cultural heritage among children, LT ‘Da Vinci’, LT ‘M. Berezovschi’, LT ‘Ion Pelivan’ and LT ,, Onisifor Ghibu” have enthusiastically accepted to become partner schools in the process of piloting this subject in primary classes.

The programme encourages schoolchildren to learn about the history, values and traditions of their home town. Inspired by the practice of colleagues in Poland (the ‘Akademia Gdańskich Lionek’ educational programme), this first-ever approach is being carried out with the support of teachers as coordinators, parents as partners in the exploration activity, and local guides as learning facilitators – a collaboration that creates a network of support and reinforces the role of education as a collective and relevant process.

The student’s guide ‘Little Explorers’ Academy’, developed by Daniela State, accompanies the whole journey of discovery of museums, monuments, historical buildings, parks, etc. in the capital of the Republic of Moldova. It helps students choose the sights they want to visit, provides information about them and an algorithm for organising their visit. It also contains an explorer’s diary, which is intended to be filled in after each trip, asking students to write down the date of their visit, their impressions and emotions.

The 1,000 pupils involved in the experimentation of the subject, who have attracted an impressive number of parents, brothers and sisters in this educational adventure, have discovered the city where they live or have enriched their knowledge about it, having memorable experiences.
The results of piloting the “Little Explorers Academy” and the openness of the actors involved to study it provide a solid basis for extending and consolidating the project at national level.

On the International Day of Families, established by the United Nations and marked annually on 15 May, a series of actions were organized throughout the republic. They were joined by activities organized by the Safe Space of the Chisinau Young Naturalists’ Youth Center, set up as part of the project “Initiative to Support Refugees”.

Interactive workshops and information sessions were attended by children, young people and women Ukrainian refugees. The activities took place in a very warm and emotional atmosphere. The children were enthusiastically involved in educational games and artistic works on the theme “Family”, while the “Women’s Club” proposed to its beneficiaries several rounds of discussion on the role and importance of the family in the life of each individual and society, as well as a set of recommendations on education and communication in the family, the values that should be promoted by the family.

The “Refugee Support Initiative” project is implemented by the Educational Center PRO DIDACTICA, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), as part of the Humanitarian Response in the Republic of Moldova.

The Safe Spaces set up under the “Supporting Refugees Initiative” project continue to offer its beneficiaries a wide range of activities. One of the areas they address is digital education.

Thus, the UTM Safe Space, Student Street, aimed to carry out an activity geared towards the development of behaviors for the correct use of ICT devices, both from a technical point of view and from the perspective of health, online safety and digital responsibility. The participants of the activity were familiarized with the rules of using a computer or mobile phone, a tablet (correct position, switching off/on, charging the battery, etc.) and proper use of the internet (passwords, secure sites, applications from official sources, etc.). By carrying out a series of exercises and solving various problem-situations – in groups, in pairs or individually – they learned how to turn a device on and off correctly; find a secure website on a given topic; create a secure password; check privacy settings, etc. The role-plays chosen by the facilitator for this activity had several scenarios, built around three questions: “What do you do if you receive a suspicious link?”, “How do you react when your device asks you for an update?” and “What is too much screen time?”.

Participants were actively involved at all stages: they collaborated and expressed ideas, reflecting on their own digital behavior. They understood the importance of protecting personal data, strengthened their knowledge on the subject, acquired or developed their skills to navigate in cyberspace.

The activity was carried out within the project “Refugee Support Initiative”, implemented by the Educational Center PRO DIDACTICA, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), as part of the Humanitarian Response in the Republic of Moldova.