22 October 2010, 15:37
Mykola Tomenko: Paid Services for Schools and Pre-School Establishments should be cancelled
"Paid services for the educational establishments have not been cancelled. Only the Order fixing the rules of their introduction has been cancelled", the Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Mykola Tomenko declared, commenting upon the termination of the paid services in education establishments. M. Tomenko called for cancelling the paid services not only for the students, but also for the nursery and secondary schools.
Mykola Tomenko reminded that attempts to introduce paid services in education establishments have started in 1997, but the present Government, and Minister of Science and Education in particular, suggested other forms of introducing these services.
According to the Deputy Chairman, the problem is not in the rejected Order that actually issued the directive for the education establishments to promulgate the information on the register of paid and other services, but in the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (of 27 October 2010 No796 and amendments of 12 October 2010) "On Adoption of the Register of Paid Services that can be rendered by the Education Establishments and other Institutions of Education System in the State or Municipal Ownership."
M. Tomenko reminded that under the pressure of students and opposition, several amendments and proposals were introduced, while several services were excluded. He is also convinced that despite the existence or non-existence of the yesterday´s Order of Ministry on Science and Education of Ukraine, the Resolution is effective.
"Today we need to settle the problem with the paid services for the students. Not less important is the problem with the paid services for the schools", the Deputy Chairman emphasised. In particular, the most dangerous paid services are those connected with physical training, medical treatment and recreation, tourism, and leisure time of children. He cited a number of services envisaged by the Resolution: accommodation, board, rest and health improvement in sports and health centers for children, material-technical base of education establishments, temporary use of sport equipment, etc.
"In fact, the pupils, in village areas in particular, would not have an opportunity to attend cultural-education classes, go in for sport and physical training", M. Tomenko emphasised.