Moldova's education system sees rising student numbers amid school closures and teacher shortages

Over the past seven years the number of pupils and university students in Moldova has risen by more than 14,000, while the total count of educational institutions fell by 103. Student enrollment per 10,000 inhabitants grew from 1,600 in 2019 to 1,900 in 2025.

At the same time the teaching workforce shrank: school teachers fell by 1,600 (from 27,400 to 25,800), technical‑college staff by about 400 and university faculty by roughly 600. In the 2025‑2026 school year 13,438 students entered secondary schools, with a majority choosing humanities (51%). The demographic trend is a sharp decline in the child population, driven by low birth rates and internal migration from rural areas to cities, especially the capital Chișinău, which now hosts over 110,000 students.

Economic analyst Veaceslav Ioniță warns that although total student numbers remain stable around 334‑335 thousand, the structural shift toward urban centres and the continuing loss of teachers will further deteriorate the system in coming years.