MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Quality and Equity

in the Romanian Education System

National Report on the development of the education system in Romania

BUCHAREST 2004

1. Overview of the education system at the beginning of the 21st century............................. 3

1.1. Main reforms and innovations included in the education and professional training

system at the beginning of the 21st century............................................................................ 3

1.2. The main achievements in terms of quantity and quality ............................................. 13

1.3. The main problems and challenges the education system must withstand in the

beginning of the 21st century................................................................................................ 22

2. Quality education for all young people: challenges, trends and priorities .......................... 23

2.1. Education and gender equality...................................................................................... 23

2.2. Education and social inclusion...................................................................................... 27

2.3. Education and skills necessary in life ........................................................................... 36

2.4. Quality education. The key role of teachers ................................................................. 43

2.5. Education from the perspective of sustainable development........................................ 47

1. Overview of the education system at the beginning of the 21st century 1.1. Main reforms and innovations included in the education and professional training system at the beginning of the 21st century

a) Amending the legal framework The concerns to adjust the education process to the ever changing requirements of the society, as well as to those related to the European Union accession, led to significant changes in the structure, organization and management of the education system in Romania. After 2000, the main changes were introduced pursuant to the Law no. 268/2003 amending and supplementing the Education Act no. 84/1995 and such changes mainly concerned: • extending the compulsory schooling duration to 10 years; • diminishing the commencing age of the compulsory schooling to the age of 6; • establishing the possible paths for pursuing the compulsory schooling after the first eight

grades, that is for the junior high school level or for the schools of arts and crafts; • changing the structure of high-school education and establishing two cycles thereof:

junior cycle (2 years) of junior secondary level and senior cycle (2-3 years) of senior secondary level;

• changing the institutional bodies related to the basic vocational training by replacing the vocational schools and the apprentice schools by schools of arts and crafts;

• developing a path of gradual professionalization within the basic vocational training, intended to commence at the level of junior high-school education within the schools of arts and crafts providing level 1 in vocational qualification, with the pursuit of studies at the senior high-school level, as a result of adding one year for supplementing studies; the latter would play a two-fold role: to provide higher vocational qualification and to provide the basis required for the pursuit of studies in the senior high-school cycle;

• improving quality at all education levels. The new Law on adult vocational training (375/2002) targets the accreditation of the vocational training suppliers, with a view to improving the quality of both the public offer, and of the private suppliers’. This law assigns the National Council for Adult Vocational Training the main role in performing such accreditations. In turn, the new Labor Code, issued in March 2003, encourages the development of continuous vocational training by compelling employers to provide for the employees’ regular participation in continuous training sessions, according to the training schemes agreed upon by the employers and the employees’ or the trade unions’ representatives. Two laws on social issues should also be mentioned in this context: the Law no. 219/2001 on equal opportunities to pursue studies in higher education by means of granting social support scholarships for studies and the Law no. 16/2003 approving the Government Expeditious Ordinance no. 96/2002 on providing dairy and bakery products to the students of the first four grades.

Over the reference period covered by this report several specific laws concerning various fields of education were also adopted:

• Law no. 44/2001 approving the Government Expeditious Order no. 8/2000 amending Law no. 128 on the Statute of the Teaching Staff;

• Law no. 441/2001 approving the Government Expeditious Order no. 133/2000 on tuition paying higher and postgraduate education;

• Law no. 719/2001 approving the Government Order no. 138/2000 on certain measures to support private education.

b) Organization, structure and management of the education system In Romania the education policies rely on a set of general principles such as the following:

• Education is lifelong, free of restrictions or discriminations • Education is a national priority • Education should not be subjected to the influence of various political ideologies • The Romanian education system is democratic, open to the European and universal

values • The education system must provide equal opportunities to all citizens • The public institutions must provide free of charge education for the pre-university

level, as well as for the university level to the limit of the existing subsidized places • The persons originating from ethnic minority groups are entitled to pursue their

studies in their respective mother tongues • The education network must be permanently adjusted to the demographic

developments and to the vocational training requirements • The Ministry of Education and Research is the central public body defining and

implementing policies in the field of education The structure of the education and basic vocational training system, implemented as of the 2003/2004 school year, is presented in the organizational chart below. According to this structure, the Romanian education system comprises the following levels: Pre-primary education (level ISCED 0) is part of the educational system and it targets the children’s socialization and their physical, emotional and cognitive development by means of specific activities. This education level includes children aged 3 to 6 and is carried out in specialized institutions called kindergartens, most of which are public. Children’s attendance of kindergartens is free of charge and optional; during the final year they are prepared for entering the primary grades. In 2002/2003, the participation ratio for pre-primary education was 69.2% on the whole, whereas the participation rate exceeded 90% for the final year (the preparatory grade for school). Pre-primary education is organized in groups (junior group, intermediate group, and the senior group – the preparatory one) corresponding to the age groups (3-4, 4-5, 5-6) and it is carried out with a normal schedule (5 hours/day), an extended schedule (10 hours/day) or with a weekly schedule (5 days/week). Compulsory schooling lasts for 10 years and it includes three stages, namely: primary education (level ISCED 1, for 4 years), first stage of the junior secondary general education (level ISCED 2, for 4 years) carried out in schools for the 5th - 8th grades, and the second stage of the junior secondary education (level ISCED 2, for 2 years) which may provide general, specialized or vocational training and may be carried out within the junior high-schools (general or specialized education) or within the schools for arts and crafts (vocational training).

Legend

This new structure of the compulsory education is the result of the amendment brought to the education act in June 2003. The duration of compulsory education was extended by two years after the junior secondary general education. The graduates of the schools for the 5th-8th grades pursue their studies on two paths: • either within the junior high-school cycle providing comprehensive education, and also

including the pre-specialization components required to orient the pursuing of studies in the senior secondary education (senior high-school cycle);

• either within the schools of arts and crafts providing vocational training according to the various professional fields and directing students towards the labor market; in this latter case, graduates must attend an additional year of schooling for supplementing their studies before they join the senior cycle of high-school education.

The classes may include 10 to 30 students; in the 2002/2003 school year, the ratio was 18 students per teacher for the primary education, and 13 students per teacher for the junior secondary education (National Institute for Statistics – Primary and Secondary Education in the beginning of the 2002/2003 School Year). In the junior high-school cycle, students who are two or more years older than the theoretical age for the respective grade may pursue their studies in evening classes or in reduced attendance education programs. At the primary level, all subject matters are taught by the same teacher, except for religion, foreign languages, physical education and music, which may be taught by specialized teachers, whereas at the junior secondary level all subject matters are taught by specialized teachers. Upon completion of the 8th grade, students sit for the national tests, whose content is developed by the Ministry of Education and Research, and the results obtained in these tests together with the results obtained throughout the 5th – 8th grades shall serve as criteria based on which graduates shall choose to pursue their studies in the junior high-school cycle or in schools of arts and crafts. Students may pursue their training in the schools of arts and crafts without taking the national tests. The graduates of the junior high-school cycle are granted a graduation certificate, an ongoing education portfolio and, upon request, a transcript of their grade report. The methodology for admission in the senior high-school cycle is decided upon by the Ministry of Education and Research and shall be published one year in advance. The graduates of schools of arts and crafts are granted the same graduation documents as the graduates of the junior high-school cycle, and, in addition, a professional qualification certificate level 1, subsequent to successfully passing an examination assessing their professional skills. After graduating from the schools of arts and crafts, students may continue their studies with the supplementing grade and then the senior high-school cycle. Senior secondary education (level ISCED 3) includes the senior high-school cycle (2-3 years), preceded by the supplementing grade in the case of graduates of schools for arts and crafts. The supplementing grade provides the former with the opportunity to reach the education level required in order to pursue their studies in the senior high-school cycle and to obtain a higher professional qualification. The senior high-school cycle provides general and specialized courses leading to the continuation of studies in the post-secondary education (post high-school – level ISCED 4) or in the higher education system (level ISCED 5). The Ministry of Education and Research develops the methodology for admission both to the supplementing grade and to the senior high-school cycle, which shall be notified in the beginning of the school year when the admission process shall take place.

The graduates of the supplementing grade shall be granted a graduation certificate, an ongoing education portfolio and, upon request, a transcript of the grade reports. Subsequent to successfully passing an examination assessing their professional skills, they may obtain a professional qualification certificate level 2 and may pursue their studies in the senior high-school cycle, according to the methodology published by the Ministry of Education and Research one year before the beginning of the school year concerned. At the end of the senior high-school cycle, students sit for the final national examination (the school-leaving examination), and the degree thus obtained is required for pursuing university studies. The higher education institutions are free to decide upon the manner in which they organize their admission process (on the basis of an admission examination or of the results obtained by students in their school-leaving examination). All graduates of the senior high-school cycle, whether holding a school-leaving degree or not, are entitled to pass the admission test to a post high-school school preparing trainees to obtain a higher professional qualification and orienting them toward the labor market. The admission into the post high-school system is generally made based on the results obtained in the admission tests. The tertiary education (higher education – level ISCED 5) comprises short-term higher education (2-3 years) provided in the university colleges, and long-term higher education (4-6 years) provided in universities, institutes or academies. The admission to the higher education system is generally made based on the results obtained in the admission examinations organized by every institution according to the general criteria set by the Ministry of Education and Research. However, the higher education institutions may decide upon the need to organize an admission examination or to take into account only the results obtained in the school-leaving examination; the school-leaving degree is required for enrolling in the tertiary education system. The graduates of university colleges are granted a graduation degree based on which they can pursue their studies in the long-term higher education institutions, in the same field or in a related field, after having successfully passed an admission examination decided upon by the boards of the faculties. The graduates of long-term higher education are granted a graduation degree providing them with the opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies. The postgraduate education (ISCED 6) provides the following study programs: postgraduate specialization studies for 2 to 3 semesters, validated by a degree of postgraduate studies; master’s studies for 2 to 4 semesters, validated by a master’s degree; postgraduate academic studies for 2 to 4 semesters, validated by a degree of postgraduate academic studies; doctoral studies for 4 years, validated by a PhD; postgraduate specialization studies with a duration decided upon by the university senates, validated by a degree of postgraduate specialization studies, and further training postgraduate courses with a duration decided upon by the university senates, validated by graduation certificates. c) Curricular policies, content and teaching and learning strategies The main issues underlying the curriculum development required by the new structure of the education system are as follows: • Ensuring the concept and methodology consistency of the national Curriculum • Ensuring consistency of the curriculum content with the changes performed within the

education units • Guaranteeing the quality of the curricular range

• Focusing on the student and on the needs of schools • Expanding the curricular range with components destined for various target groups • Introducing new fundamental skills, especially the ones recommended by the European

Union In compliance with the report on the Outcome of the public consultation on the new framework education plan draft for the 9th and 10th grades, developed by the Institute for Education Sciences in June 2003, the whole curriculum reform process was centered upon a set of actions such as: • Decentralization • Providing flexibility • Enhancing effectiveness • Harmonization with the international standards • Selection and grouping the fields of knowledge into curricular fields • Ensuring the functionality and the consistency of the school development • Providing equal opportunities and equal chances for individual development in the

process of learning • Ensuring the social relevance of the teaching/learning process, etc. In developing the new framework education plans for the junior high-school cycle and for the schools of arts and crafts, which, as a result of changing the structure of the education system were included in the compulsory education, the following were taken into account: • major principles underlying the implementation of the reform process in the pre-university

education system; • changes targeting the outcome, curriculum and structure of the compulsory education; • Romania’s assuming the Detailed working plan on the objectives of the education and

vocational training systems in Europe, ratified by the European Council of Barcelona in 2002, and the Declaration of the education ministers on strengthening European co-operation in vocational training – adopted in Copenhagen in 2002;

• outcome of the public debates on the drafts for curricular changes. The framework education plans developed for the junior high-school cycle and for the schools of arts and crafts were centered upon three components: common trunk (CT), differentiated curriculum (DC) and locally developed curriculum (LDC). The common trunk comprises a range of common subject matters which are assigned the same number of hours in all profiles, majors and specializations within one given type of education. It focuses on key skills and all students must compulsorily take all these subjects regardless of their major. Grouping the subject matters included in the common trunk in the same seven curricular fields for both primary and secondary education enabled to assure the continuity between the framework education plans for the 1st – 8th grades and the framework education plans for high-schools and the schools of arts and crafts. The differentiated curriculum comprises a range of subject matters, established at the central level, which are assigned a specific number of hours and are differentiated according to the profiles (for the theoretical and technological classes) and according to specializations (for the vocational classes), thus providing a sufficiently diversified basis to enable students to make a choice between pursuing academic or vocational training. These subject matters are compulsory for the students enrolled in a given profile or specialization.

The locally developed curriculum is a range or subject matters specific to every school unit, each of these subject matters being assigned a certain number of hours. This type of education offer assures the fact that the students’ specific learning needs and interests are met. In the case of vocational and technical training, the curriculum changes implemented for the junior high-school cycle – the technological classes and for the schools of arts and crafts mainly focused on the following: • training students in view of a double acknowledgment of the learning results, that is of the

acknowledgment for education purposes required for continuing their studies, and, respectively, of the acknowledgment for professional purposes required both for continuing their vocational training and for being employed;

• assuring the consistency of vocational training, achieved within the existing training schemes, by harmonizing the qualification levels that can be attained in the junior high-school education and the senior high-school education, and by structuring the framework education plans based on the vocational training standards;

• adjusting the content of vocational training to the requirements of the labor market by developing training modules appropriate for the categories of skills provided for in the professional training standards; the professional training standards were validated by the social partners, thus guaranteeing the graduates’ better chances to be employed;

• making the vocational and technical training more interesting by focusing the vocational training process on the outcome of learning and by enhancing the transparency of the training process.

The technological profile of the junior high-school cycle aims both at guaranteeing the acquirement of key skills by means of the general knowledge curricular fields (educational purpose), and at providing a pre-professionalization in one of the following profiles: technical, service provision and natural resources and environment protection, by means of the curricular field entitled “Technologies” and by subject matters included in the locally developed curriculum (vocational purpose). The key skills acquired are validated by the certificate of graduation from the compulsory education, and the skills related to the pre-professionalization process are validated by the ongoing education portfolio. The technological profile of the senior high-school cycle aims both at the acquirement of knowledge and social skills, by means of the general knowledge curricular fields (educational purpose), thus enabling students to continue their studies in the post high-school education system or in the tertiary education, and at the acquirement of technical and vocational skills corresponding to the 3rd level of qualification, by means of the curricular field entitled “Technologies” and by means of the subject matters included in the locally developed curriculum (vocational purpose). The knowledge and social skills are validated by the school-leaving degree, whereas the technical and vocational skills are validated by a certificate of professional qualification level 3. Although the 3rd level of professional qualification is designed as an independent level, an equivalent of a type of training, regardless of the qualifications previously acquired, the vocational training for this level of qualification is achieved for two distinct categories of qualifications: the ones which do not require (completely or partially) a practical experience in the field of training, and those that do require such an experience. The practical experience can be validated by a certificate of qualification level 2 or an equivalent document, which can also be obtained as a result of acknowledging informal or non-formal experience. The

differences in terms of practical experience (that is, of obtaining the credits for practical training) may be caught up with over the two years of the senior high-school cycle, if the student chooses this solution and the school agrees to it. For the graduates of the Schools of Arts and Crafts, acquiring level 3 qualifications requires the completion of the supplementing schools year, validated by obtaining the certificate of qualification level 2, whereas for the graduates of the junior high-school cycle, the technological profile, the acquirement of the same qualifications is regulated by the Ministry of Education and Research by means of specific methodologies. The following credits related to the various categories of skills (according to the existing conventions, 1 credit is the equivalent of 60 hours of training) were assigned to the three levels of vocational qualification:

• Level 1 – 30 credits, of which 15 for key skills and work experience, and 15 for technical and professional skills;

• Level 2 – 15 credits, of which 5 for key skills and work experience, and 10 for technical and professional skills;

• Level 3 – 30 credits, of which 10 for key skills and work experience, and 20 for technical and professional skills.

One general trend, outlined during the curriculum reviewing process, concerned the efforts to shift from a teaching process centered upon the teacher to a process centered on the student, and on the skills the latter needs to acquire during the schooling process, respectively. Under the circumstances, the Framework Plan and the school curricula include educational offers for the various subject matters in view of the students’ completing distinctively defined learning schemes. The new teaching and learning strategies aim: • to build up a variety of problematic contexts able to generate links to the other fields

related to the subject matter studied; • to promote diversity in approaching problem solving; • to organize diverse learning activities; • to build up learning sequences enabling activities of exploration/investigation on the

concepts studied. The stress is laid more and more on promoting active learning by means of which students are given a more significant role within the education process, as well as on cooperative learning by means of which competition-based activities are replaced by team work with a view to accomplishing common learning objectives.

d) Objectives and main features of the current and future reforms The Ministry of Education and Research undertook the mission to perform an effective and consistent reform of the system which should enhance the added value of the education process. In compliance with this mission, a set of objectives were developed and shall be a priority within the education reforms: • Increasing the quality of the education process, as a foundation for accomplishing the

knowledge society in Romania • Providing the training of human resources both through the regular formal education and

through the ongoing education schemes

• Developing the skills required to approach life-long learning • Developing social cohesion and enhancing citizen participation in the development

programs in the economic, social and educational fields Subsequent to the education reform, the Development Strategy for the Pre-university Education in 2001-2004, updated in 2002, also took into consideration the strategic objectives formulated at European level for 2001-2010, as well as the objectives and priorities developed by several international bodies such as the OECD, World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, etc. This strategy is available on the website of the Ministry of Education and Research: www.edu.ro. The educational reform actions in Romania shall focus on the following main priorities: • Assuring the fundamental education for all citizens and development of the key skills • Achieving equity in education • Improving the quality of the teaching/learning process, as well as of the other educational

services • Building the learning process on the needs of personal and professional development of

the youth, from the perspective of sustainable development and of assuring the economic and social cohesion

• Assuring and acknowledging complementariness between formal, non-formal and informal education, as ongoing learning becomes one of the foundation pillars of the educational policy

• Opening the education and the vocational training system to the whole society, to the economic, social and cultural environments

The curricular reforms implemented in the pilot schools within the basic education and vocational training system were extended to the entire school network included in this system, as a consequence of the favorable results revealed by the evaluation of the reform program for the vocational and technical education, carried out with Phare support (Phare VET RO 9405). Moreover, the new examination system, developed within the abovementioned program and validated with the support of the pilot schools, was extended to the entire basic education and vocational training system as of the 1999/2000 school year. The new curriculum for the technical high-schools was also implemented beginning with the 2000/2001school year. The reform of the vocational and technical training is pursued through the Phare programs for 2001, 2002 and 2003 which shall impact upon the development of the institutional capacity and shall support the economic development and social cohesion. Such programs mainly target a set of vocational and technical training institutions located in critical areas affected by industrial decline and in the rural areas. The Phare 2001 program includes a proposal on the development of a national framework for qualifications which shall be obtainable through formal learning, both through the range of programs for basic and continuous vocational training, and in the context of non-formal and informal learning. In the field of higher education, the educational reforms mainly focused on the transposition into practice of the objectives formulated in the Declaration of Bologna on the European Higher Education Area, as well as on the implementation of the Convention of Lisbon (jointly proposed by the UNESCO and the Council of Europe) on the European recognition of qualifications. The main preoccupations concerned:

• decentralization and granting increased autonomy to universities, while guaranteeing the overall consistency of the higher education system and its well-structured functioning;

• increasing public responsibility in relation with the range of education programs and adjusting the latter to the developments in the field of knowledge and to the changing requirements of the society;

• development of the European dimension in higher education by means of: – promoting transparency and comparability of the Romanian degrees with the

ones delivered in the EU Member States; – introducing a system based on two main cycles; – implementing a credit system such as the ECTS; – adopting measures to encourage the mobility of students and of the academic

teaching staff; – promoting European co-operation in the field of education quality assurance.

The Strategy for the Romanian higher education in 2002-2004 (available on www.edu.ro) sets as its main objective to improve the structure of the higher education, which shall be achieved through the following specific objectives: • reorganizing the national network of higher education institutions by supporting the

competitive institutions and by balancing the geographical distribution of the higher education institutions;

• strengthening university autonomy while enhancing synergy and consistency within the higher education system, by accelerating the process of decentralization of the specific academic activities, increasing the responsibility assigned to the university boards, implementing new cooperation mechanisms between universities and the ministry, encouraging flexibility and high demands in monitoring the higher education institutions;

• improving the performance of students and of the academic staff by reorganizing the teaching process, improving the student selection and motivation, introducing higher demands in promoting the academic staff, reviving scientific research and using the results thereof in the teaching process, enhancing the role of internal and external evaluations in improving the quality of the teaching process;

• improving the university infrastructure by upgrading the equipment, encouraging the recourse to new sources of funding, judicious management of the available resources;

• adjusting higher education to the needs of the labor market by ensuring the link between specializations and the nomenclature of professions, monitoring the graduates’ insertion on the labor market, developing the entrepreneurial spirit, implementing an appropriate ratio between the theoretical and the applied training, orienting scientific research towards solving the current problems of the society;

• reorganizing the teaching process, by grouping inter-related curricular modules into sets of courses and evaluating the students’ performance for the whole set, transferring the core responsibilities from the department level to the course director and to the team in charge of every distinct subject matter or module, promoting the use of information and communication technologies in the teaching process, encouraging the exchange of experience at national level by resorting to guest lecturers, implementing higher demands in what concerns the promotion of the academic staff, clear structuring on cycles of higher education studies, generalization of the transferable credit system;

• integrating the Romanian higher education in the European higher education system and encouraging international cooperation by means of pursuing the reforms in compliance with the European developments, stimulating participation in the European and international cooperation programs in the field of education.

The constant concern for continuing the administrative decentralization process and for assigning increased powers to the institutions is also outlined in the new legal draft jointly developed by the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Administration and Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Public Finance and the Ministry of Justice, amending the Education Act no. 84/1995 and the Law no. 128/1997 on the Statute of the Teaching Staff. The main issues concerned are related to the management, funding and administration of the education units. Pursuant to this draft available on the www.edu.ro site of the Ministry of Education and Research and submitted to the public debate, the education institutions enrolling at least 200 children shall become legal entities. Moreover, the management of the pre-university education institutions, carried out by the heads of schools, assisted by their deputies, as the case may be, shall be supported by the teachers’ board, the management board and the school board, and the activity of these boards shall be carried out in compliance with regulations issued after having consulted the representative trade unions in the field of education. The policy of decentralization for the system of managing and funding the public education institutions led to: • decentralizing the allocation of funds for education; • decentralizing the planning process and the budget execution to the level of the local

bodies and of the education institutions; • covering the operating expenses, the social subsidies and the infrastructure investments

and major repairs from the own budgets of the local administrations; • transferring the ownership of the equipment and buildings used by the pre-university

public education institutions to the local administration bodies; The rationale of the abovementioned legal draft estimates that the effects of decentralizing the management and funding system shall consist of the following: • Enhancing the decision-making capacity of the local councils both in what concerns

training, the effective assignment and use of the funds required by the pre-university public education institutions, and in what concerns the evaluation and promotion of the management staff within the education institutions.

• Enhancing the decision-making capacity of the school management boards as regards the budget planning and execution, as well as regarding the selection and evaluation of the teaching staff within the education institutions.

• Developing a flexible system for establishing the number of classes and the salary assigned to the teaching staff so as to stimulate their efforts to improve the quality of the education process.

• Encouraging quality in the management of the pre-university education institutions. • Increasing in steps the percentage of the GDP allocated for education, from 4% to 6% by

2007. Pursuant to this proposal to modify the funding system for the pre-university education, each education unit shall have its own income and expense budget, developed and approved in compliance with the legal provisions. The allocation of funds from the state budget and from the local budgets shall be performed according to the following: • funding shall be proportional with the number of students, depending on the standard

average annual costs per pre-school student, pupil, student or trainee, adjusted by differentiation coefficients, according to the circumstances in which the teaching/learning

process is carried out (environment, levels and types of education, social and economic conditions of the area), and such funding shall be allocated for staff expenses, operating expenses, expenses for services rendered, as well as for the further training of the teaching staff;

• complementary funding through programs for the following categories of expenses: reinforcement and investments, subsidies for the school hostels and cafeterias, expenses related to the organization of the national examinations for students, expenses related to the students’ scholarships, expenses related to the students’ transportation, expenses related to the commuting of the teaching staff and of the auxiliary teaching staff, expenses related to the compulsory medical examination, expenses related to the school contests and educational activities.

The high-schools, schools of arts and crafts and the schools from the disadvantaged areas in social and economic terms shall benefit of a more substantial financial support from the county councils, from the balancing funds created in favor of the former. The head and the management board of the education institutions shall be assigned increased responsibilities as regards the budget execution and establishing priorities concerning the use of the available funds. The funds left unused at the end of the year, either as a result of being judiciously used or of having obtained additional resources, shall remain available to the schools for the following financial year, without any effect on the funds allocated from the state budget and from the local budgets to which such schools are entitled in compliance with the funding criteria provided for by law. The new funding systems aims to: • multiply the funding sources of the education units and to effectively use them in

compliance with the current and future needs of the education process; • clearly outline the role of the various social partners both in monitoring and controlling

the quality of the education process, and in managing the financial resources; • engage in the school monitoring, management and funding several stakeholders from the

field of education and vocational training, such as: the school community, the local community, economic operators, local councils, etc.

• focus the responsibilities of the Ministry of Education and Research, as well as of the county departments for schools, on the elaboration of development strategies for education, on school curricula, on monitoring and evaluating the content and quality of the education process.

1.2. The main achievements in terms of quantity and quality a) Providing access to education One of the fundamental principles underlying the education policies is the provision of access to education, and that latter is aimed at the “free, complete and harmonious development of the individual and at the shaping of an autonomous and creative personality.” Access to education shall be facilitated by means of the following: • free of charge public education; • free of charge textbooks for the compulsory education; • free of charge medical, psychological and pedagogical assistance for pupils and students;

• national budget covering the expenses related to the enrolment of children in the preparatory year for the beginning of schooling, carried out within the preschool education;

• subsidized accommodation and cafeteria services for pupils and students; • free of charge provision of dairy and bakery products for the primary school pupils; • subsidized extra-curricular activities organized by the schools; • scholarships awarded to pupils and students with remarkable results or for those coming

from disadvantaged families; • discounts granted to pupils and students for the public transportation; • transportation made available for the students enrolled in compulsory education living in

isolated areas; • free of charge provision of school supplies for students enrolled in compulsory education

who come from disadvantaged families; • providing the opportunity that, beside the day classes, students can also attend the

secondary level classes (especially in the senior high-school education), and higher education courses, respectively, in the evening, reduced attendance or distance learning systems;

• providing the opportunity for the pre-university students to transfer from one school to another, from one field of studies to another or to a different profile (specialization);

• providing the opportunity for the graduates of higher education to take two majors; • providing the opportunity for the graduates of university colleges to pursue their studies in

the long-term higher education system, after passing catch-up examinations; • organization of programs to give a second chance to individuals who wish to pursue their

general or vocational training. The concern to guarantee access to education for all is underlined in the Strategy for the Development of the Pre-university Education in 2001-2004, as updated in 2002, which includes a “prospective planning until 2010”. According to this strategy, the development of a competitive economy, the strengthening of democracy and the participation to the knowledge society generate new requirements that must be met by the education system. The enrolment rate of children in pre-school education has increased according to the statistical data supplied by the National Institute for Statistics, from 66.1% in the 2000/2001 school year to 69.2% in the 2002/2003 school year, and the enrolment rate in the preparatory grade reached over 90% in the 2002/2003 school year. Moreover, based on the data supplied by the same source, an estimate was made of the degree of enrolment of the population aged 7 to 29 in various types of formal education: it increased from 49.7% in the 2000/2001 school year to 52.3% in the 2002/2003 school year. According to the document entitled Statistics in Focus, Theme 3-2/2002, developed by the Eurostat, the participation rate in continuous vocational training courses was 8% for the whole employed population, and, according to the report issued by the National Employment Agency, 2.5% of the unemployed population participated in continuous training courses. As it is obvious that the access to education is more restricted in the rural areas and given the high percentage of the population employed in the field of agriculture (40% of the employed population), a major preoccupation concerns increasing the participation of the rural population in continuous training courses and implementing specific measures to facilitate its access to the various types of continuous training. Thus, the rural population shall be prepared

to work in other economic sectors as well and shall be able to better adjust to the ever changing needs of the labor market. b) Equity in the field of education As regards ensuring equity in the field of education, the following objectives were stressed upon: • adjusting the process of teaching/learning to the students’ individual needs and own

learning pace; • guaranteeing equal chances of access to the pre-university education; • eliminating all types of discrimination or exclusion on racial, social, xenophobic,

religious, language or other grounds; • reinforcing the system of social concessions for students and promoting appropriate

policies and programs for the vulnerable groups; • developing programs targeted on the fight against and prevention of school dropping-out; • further developing an open education system enabling the mobility of students and

teachers within it; • ensuring the development of basic skills for all. The specific measures concerning the guarantee of equity focused on the following: • Improving the quality of education in the rural areas and in the disadvantaged areas by

means of: – guaranteeing the employment of qualified teaching and management staff, – regular training and assessment of such staff, – development of distance learning, – provision of additional transportation for the isolated areas, – development of guiding and counseling services for the teaching and managing staff, – infrastructure development and endowment with teaching equipment for the schools

located in the rural areas. • Providing the appropriate conditions for the education of students belonging to national

minorities by means of: – elaborating textbooks in the languages of the national minorities for the compulsory

education according to the new structure of the curriculum, – encouraging the elaboration and/or translation of textbooks for the senior high-school

level, – developing the network of school mediators encouraging the participation of the

Romany population in the compulsory education system, – basic and ongoing training of the teaching staff for the education process carried out

in the languages of the national minorities, – guaranteeing the access of every child from a national minority group to the basic

education and encouraging the participation thereof in the upper levels of the education system.

• Ensuring the access to education for the Romany by means of: – enrolling children from early ages in the pre-school education in order to stimulate

their social and educational development; – taking measures aimed to increase the rate of completing compulsory schooling and to

prevent school dropping-out; – giving a second chance to the individuals who have not graduated from the

compulsory education system; – providing inspector positions for the education of the Romany population in every

county;

– employing school mediators; – allocating special places for the Romany at the admission in high-schools, schools of

arts and crafts, universities. • Supporting young people able to achieve outstanding performance by means of:

– developing centers of excellence; – detecting young people able to achieve outstanding performance regardless of their

environment of origin or learning; – providing specific programs aimed to support, stimulate and value such young people; – developing partnerships with other institutions interested in supporting the

development of such persons. • Providing education for children with special education needs or for vulnerable

individuals by means of: – measures to include all children with special education needs in the special or general

education system; – implementing programs for the integration of children from the special education

units in the general schools, in various ways, taking into consideration every child’s specific needs;

– ensuring the presence of the required traveling or supporting teachers; – making the curricular range more flexible; – training the teaching staff from the general education system to work with children

with special education needs; – preparing general schools to accommodate and integrate children with special needs; – turning special schools into resource centers for the special and general education.

c) Quality of education Over the past few years, enhancing the quality of education and of the vocational training has been a priority of all education policies. Within the framework of pre-university education, the action taken in this respect focused on the following: • improving the teaching and learning methods and strategies with a view to:

– develop the students’ critical thinking, – motivate them and make them acquire the ability to have a positive reaction to

change, – make them actively participate in the development of the knowledge society.

• raising the training standards to the level of the current and future expectations; • professionalizing the teaching staff by means of basic and ongoing training courses on:

– new concept approaches in the curriculum theory and implementation; – evaluation of the learning performance and detection of the progress made based on

standards defined at national level, – focusing the teaching process on the student and adapting the curriculum both to the

various paces and styles of learning, and to the specific educational environment. • improving the teaching and learning methods and strategies with a view to:

– develop the students’ critical thinking, – motivate them and make them acquire the ability to have a positive reaction to

change, – make them actively participate in the development of a knowledge-based society.

• developing and improving the quality of the teaching staff’s basic and ongoing training as a result of: – developing a market for training programs relying on a fair competition system; – reviewing the relation between the theoretical and the applied components in training

the teaching staff;

– developing the cooperation between higher education and pre-university education with a view to adjusting the training of the teaching staff to the new requirements of pre-university education;

– developing and implementing national standards for educational management; – introducing the system of transferable professional credits in the training for a career

in teaching; – encouraging flexibility in the range of training programs and adjusting them so as to

remedy the malfunctions detected in the development of the education process. • professionalizing the managers of the education units with a view to monitoring and

improving the quality of education provided by the education institutions they coordinate and to support the latter by means of: – setting off a managerial assistance program to facilitate the development,

implementation and monitoring and the evaluation of the institutional development projects;

– establishing the standards for institutional evaluation at the national level; – providing specialized counseling services.

• expanding and diversifying the range of programs for the managers’ basic and ongoing training by means of: – setting up master’s, postgraduate and doctoral programs in the field of education

management; – organizing courses aimed to remedy the shortcomings detected as regards

management on the occasion of the institutional evaluations; – implementing a system of transferable professional credits for the careers in

management. • developing a new system for quality assurance in education, namely by drafting a new

law on quality assurance in education; • improving the methods of evaluation of the students’ learning results and the methods of

testing them with a view to: – assess and monitor the value added through the process of teaching and learning to

each student’s personal and professional development; – diversify and promote the evaluation activities encouraging creativity, active

participation, team work, motivation for learning, etc.; – facilitate obtaining the information required to perform a diagnosis of the education

system status. • investing in the development of the education infrastructure, especially in view of

facilitating the use of information and communication technologies in the education process.

With a view to assuring the quality of the vocational and technical training, the Ministry of Education and Research decided to adopt the European Framework for Quality Assurance. Beginning with the school year 2004/2005, several priorities included in the self-evaluation guide of the vocational training providers, which is part of the European framework, shall be implemented in 22 school units. In the field of higher education, as a result of the requirement to improve the international transparency of degrees, the Diploma Supplement was introduced as of 2000, issued upon the graduates’ request as a significant document to support educational mobility and the recognition of the qualifications obtained. The concerns related to the quality assurance in higher education and to the competitiveness thereof in compliance with the international standards led to Romania’s joining the International Network for Quality Assurance in Higher

Education (INQAAHE), the network of agencies for quality assurance in higher education from Central and Eastern Europe, and it also intends to participate as a full member to the European Network for Quality Assurance in higher education (ENQA). The concerns related to quality assurance in education led to developing a law draft in this respect, which is available for public debate on the website of the Ministry of Education and Research: www.edu.ro. The infrastructure required for quality assurance in education, established in the new legal draft, covers the national, county and education institutions and units’ levels. At national level there is the intention to set up the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education, under the coordination of the Ministry of Education and Research; its purpose shall be to develop and implement the national framework for quality assurance in the national education system. d) Content of education (major trends and challenges for the curriculum development process) The concern to assure the concept and methodological consistency in developing the content of education is set forth in the following initiatives: • • •

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•

• •

• •

• •

• •

establishing an appropriate relation between various curricular fields; regular adjustment of the content in compliance with the structural changes; permanent reviewing of the content in compliance with the requirements of knowledge and social and economic development.

The permanent adjustment of contents to the changes implemented within the education system generated the following circumstances of the compulsory education for the 2003/2004 school year:

new reviewed curricular contents, intended to be used for the first primary grade, for the generation beginning schooling at an earlier age (6 years old, instead of 7) and for the second grade for the same generation which shall be enrolled in this class in the 2004/2005 school year; new unburdened school curricula for the 2nd – 6th grades, as reviewed and approved in 2001; new school curricula for the 7th and 8th grades, as reviewed and approved in 2003; new framework plans and new curricula for the 9th and 10th grades representing the junior high-school cycle and the schools of arts and crafts, as approved in 2003.

The relevance of the education contents in relation with the social requirements is provided by means of the following:

encouraging openness to the dynamics of change; developing the ability to apply in real life various scientific and technological developments; developing critical thinking; eliminating the artificial delimitations from theory and practice, between knowledge and the application of knowledge; promoting lifelong learning; developing civic behavior.

The curricular changes occurred as a result of extending the compulsory education are presented hereunder. The new framework education plans for the junior cycle of theoretical high-schools comprises 32 hours for every school year, out of which: •

•

•

•

in the first year, 25 hours are included in the common trunk (8 hours for Language and communication, 6 hours for Mathematics and Natural Sciences, 4 hours for the Individual and the society, 2 hours for Arts, 2 hours for Technologies, 2 hours for Physical education and sports, 1 hour for Counseling and guidance), 5 hours are included in the differentiated curriculum for the humanities profile (2 hours for Language and communication and 3 hours for the Individual and the society) and 6 hours are included in the differentiated curriculum for the science profile (5 hours for Mathematics and Natural Sciences and 1 hour for technologies), and the locally developed curriculum is assigned 2 hours for the humanities profile and 1 hour for the science profile; in the second year, the common trunk comprises 24 hours (being reduced by 1 hour in the field of Language and communication), the differentiated curriculum comprises 7 hours for both profiles (3 hours for Language and communication and 4 hours for the Individual and the society – in the case of the humanities profile, and 1 hour for Language and communication, 5 hours for Mathematics and Natural Sciences and 1 hour for Technologies – in the case of the science profile), and the locally developed curriculum is assigned 1 hour for both profiles.

Where the curriculum for the junior cycle of vocational high-schools is concerned, there is a greater variation of the total number of hours dedicated to training: the latter may range, depending on the profile, from 33 to 37 hours in the first year, and from 33 to 36 hours in the second year. The common trunk preserves the same number of hours as in the case of theoretical high-schools, that is 25 hours for the first year, and 24 hours for the second year. The differentiated curriculum varies according to profiles and majors, from 6 to 10 hours for the first year, and from 7 to 10 hours for the second year, while the locally developed curriculum is assigned 1 to 2 hours, being generally dedicated to the study of the specialized subject matters. The curriculum of the junior cycle of technological high-schools is structured for all the three profiles (services, resources and technical) as follows:

in the first year, common trunk – 25 hours, differentiated curriculum – 6 hours and locally developed curriculum – 2 hours; in the second year, common trunk – 24 hours, differentiated curriculum – 7 hours and locally developed curriculum – 2 hours.

The schools of arts and crafts provide vocational training for level 1 qualification over a minimum number of 1,800 hours (the equivalent of 30 credits). Pursuant to the new education plan, the fields of general knowledge and the combined applied activities or organized during the weeks dedicated to mixed studies (general knowledge, specialized knowledge, practical training) are assigned 15 credits, and the development of technical and vocational skills, within the field entitled “Technologies”, by means of specialized knowledge, laboratory practice and applied training, is also assigned 15 credits. The major outcomes of the curricular reform carried out within the pre-university education system can be summarized as follows:

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•

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•

Development of a new consistent National Curriculum, structured on the basis of a unitary educational philosophy and on a common set of principles and standards, and designed according to a new methodology; Defining a single structure for the presentation of school curricula, so as to enable the correct understanding thereof and the accomplishment of the objectives set; Encouraging an innovative trend among the teaching staff so that they take action to disseminate and value the new teaching approaches; Raising awareness of the need to consistently promote a new teaching rationale meant to turn the “teacher centered school” into the “student centered school”.

The new common framework for the presentation of education curricula comprises a unitary structure that includes:

An introductory note presenting the education stages scheduled, the structure of the teaching process and the main recommendations related to every particular subject matter; Framework objectives which are more general and are pursued throughout the years that the subject matter concerned is studied; Benchmark objectives specifying the knowledge, skills and behaviors associated with the study of a given subject matter over one school year; Examples of learning activities containing various potential ways to organize the process of teaching and learning, based on the students’ experience and on teaching strategies appropriate for the various circumstances of learning; Contents of learning defining the content units by means of which the framework and the benchmark objectives are pursued, organized according to topics or to other specific criteria for the various subject matters; Curricular standards of performance specifying the levels of performance students may reach as regards the knowledge, skills and behaviors associated with the study of a given subject matter; such standards enable to identify both the level reached by the student at a given time and the progress achieved throughout a period of time, and they are considered as a motivating factor for students in view of ongoing learning.

The efforts made in order to redesign the curriculum targeted the promotion of individual development in agreement with the requirements of the knowledge society based on respect for the human being. Beginning in 2000, a set of initiatives to promote lifelong education and vocational training were implemented within the higher education system; such initiatives were also stimulated by Romania’s Medium Term Development Strategy (for 2000-2004). The initiatives materialized in the organization of open and distance learning programs which generally last for one year longer than the corresponding full attendance courses and are validated by nationally acknowledged graduate and postgraduate degrees. e) The political dialogue, partnerships and participation of the civil society in the process of change in the field of education The bodies relying on the social partnerships have continuously developed in 2000 – 2004, and they play an increasingly important role within the education system, and especially within the vocational training system. Thus, regional consortia were set up, made up of representatives of the departments for schools, of the county employment agencies, of the regional development agencies, as well as of the social partners. Such consortia were established as advisory bodies for the Regional Development Boards and they play a major role in elaborating the benchmarks required for the strategic planning of the vocational

training program range on the long term. The Regional action plans for the development of the vocational and technical training (PRAI), developed to cover the period until 2010, are the first result of the activity carried out by the Regional Consortia. The Local committees for the development of social partnerships within the vocational and technical training system (CLD), established in every county as advisory managerial bodies of the departments for schools, enabled a faster adjustment of the vocational and technical education to the changes occurred both within the various economic sectors, and within the society in general. This adaptation materialized in the permanent improvement and adjustment of the schooling schedules in compliance with the new requirements detected. Moreover, these local development committees are engaged in identifying the medium and long-term training needs with a view to determining numbers of places in schools as close as possible to the real social needs, taking into consideration the PRAI provisions. The result of such analyses has materialized in the Local/county regional action plans for the development of the vocational and technical education (PLAI). An important role played by the social partners as regards vocational training is to validate vocational qualifications that can be acquired through the formal system of education and vocational training and through the non-formal and informal learning circumstances. The validation juries made of representative employers for the 16 fields of vocational training specific of the education system validated these qualifications in 2004. This experience shall serve as foundation for the establishment of the sector committees in Romania by the end of 2004; these committees shall operate as bodies of the National Authority for Qualifications. In view of providing an increased consistency between the vocational training policy and the employment policy, several agreements were signed concerning the improvement of cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Labor, Social Solidarity and Family and the National Employment Agency. Besides, similar cooperation agreements were also signed with other ministries, such as the Ministry of Transports and the Ministry of Agriculture, with the aim of improving the quality and relevance of the vocational training for the sectors concerned. The efforts to involve social partners in the activity of regulating the activities within the education and vocational training system are also revealed in the new proposal for amending the Education Act which stipulates the consultation of the representative trade union federations from the field of education in the process of developing the internal rules and regulations of the boards supporting the management of the pre-university education institutions. The School Boards, set up in the towns with several school units and at county level, shall decide and have the responsibility to implement the education policy at the local level, by suggesting local initiatives in compliance with the national education policy. In the field of adult vocational training, the National Board for Adult Vocational Training, a three-party body, set up on the basis of a partnership between the Government, represented by the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Labor, Social Solidarity and Family, and representatives of the employers and the trade unions, plays the main role in the accreditation of the suppliers of vocational training for adults. The Ministry of Education and Research has set off numerous partnerships with a view to carry out education projects and programs. Here are a few examples:

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• • • • • • • • •

The National Program for Health Education, enjoying the support of several organizations such as the UNICEF, USAID, UNDP, UNFPA, etc. and having among its objectives to promote a healthy lifestyle, as well as to prevent and fight against the abuse of toxic drugs among students; The National Program for Civic Education, enjoying the support of several partners such as: UNICEF, ANER, UNHCR, LADO, CODECS, AMOBA, ARDOR, CDSR, EUROTIN, etc. and having among its objectives to train, develop and practice the democratic civil skills needed by the young generation in order for them to actively participate in the social life; The National Program for Environmental Education within the Pre-university Education System, enjoying the support of several partners such as the UNICEF, MAAPM, ARAM, the “Messengers of Health”, etc. and having among its objectives to make students acquire responsible attitudes and behaviors in relation to the environment and to the importance/need of protecting it.

In order to fulfill its tasks, the Ministry of Education and Research relies on a set of advisory bodies such as:

The National Board for Education Reform The National Board for the Validation of University Titles, Degrees and Certificates The National Board for Higher Education Funding The National Board for Public Pre-university Education Funding The National Board for Scientific Research in Higher Education The National Board of Libraries The National Board for Continuous Training and Education national specialized commissions for every subject matter managerial bodies within the reform programs

Moreover, the Ministry of Education and Research is advised, as the case may be, by the national scientific societies of the teachers, by the trade union federations representative for each sector, as social partners, as well as on the pupils’ and students’ organizations with national acknowledgement. The enhancement of the participation of social partners and of the local community in the field of education is also underlined in the legal draft for amending the Education Act no. 84/1995 and the Law no. 128/1997 on the Statute of the Teaching Staff (available on www.ed.ro) providing that the tests for taking management positions within the pre-university education units should be carried out according to a methodology developed by the Ministry of Education and Research, subsequent to consulting the representative trade union federations from the field of education, and the appointment for those positions, after successfully passing the tests, should be performed with the advisory agreement of the local councils.

1.3. The main problems and challenges the education system must withstand in the beginning of the 21st century The education system must withstand the numerous problems and challenges that the continuously changing society brings about. Several of them should be underlined hereunder: • Demographic decline and the resulting drop in the number of students

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Aging of the population and the need to develop adult education and to diversify the types of training for the adult population Requirements related to the EU accession, involving the harmonization of the education and vocational training system with the other European systems, as well as the compliance with the strategy proposed in the Lisbon Process on the occasion of the European Council of March 2000 Provision of sustainable development by means of a judicious exploitation of all resources available and the protection of the environment Human migrations considered both from the perspective of the domestic migration from the rural to the urban areas, and of the foreign migration, namely the youth migration to the developed countries and the opening towards other education markets and systems.

2. Quality education for all young people: challenges, trends and priorities

2.1. Education and gender equality The general context of gender equality In the context of social and educational policies there has been a growing concern for the elimination of gender disparities and for the provision of equal opportunities over the last years. In view of the integration in the European structures, Romania has ratified the majority of international regulations on women’s rights and on equal opportunities for men and women. At the same time, a regulation system was developed aiming at the elimination of direct and indirect discrimination based on gender in all the domains of public life and defining equal opportunities for men and women as the taking into account of the different capacities, needs and aspirations of women and men, respectively, and their equal treatment (Law no. 202 of April 19, 2002). Moreover, the interest for gender issues is illustrated by the development of governmental institutions playing a role in the promotion of gender policies. Here follows a list of some structures of this type: - The Department for Equal Opportunities for Men and Women, established in 1995 within

the framework of the Ministry of Labor, Social Solidarity and Family, having the following tasks: - to promote the access of women to the labor market without discrimination: - to perform gender analyses and studies: - to disseminate relevant information in all social backgrounds.

- The Sub-commission for Equal Opportunities, established in 1997 within the framework of the European Integration Commission of the Parliament of Romania, which initiates proposals of legislation and maintains active connections with national and international organizations working in this field.

- The Inter-ministerial Commission for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, established in 1999, having the following tasks: - to monitor the implementation of and the compliance with the legislation in this field:

- to elaborate recommendations on the implementation of sectoral policies for the promotion of equal opportunities and treatment.

- The Commission for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, established in 2000 within the framework of the Economic and Social Council, which makes proposals of bills of law to be debated by representatives of trade unions, of the employers’ associations and by the government.

- The National Anti-discrimination Council, established in 2001, in charge with the implementation of the principle of equality among citizens (stipulated in the Constitution of Romania) within the framework of the national legislation and of the international documents to which Romania is a signatory party.

- The National Agency for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, established in 2003 within the framework of the institutional twinning project (financed by the European Union) of the Ministry of Labor, Social Solidarity and Family and of the Spanish Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The program objective is the development of a national institution meant to ensure equal opportunities and treatment for men and women.

In addition to these governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations promoting and supporting equal opportunities for women and men at the level of the civil society were also established. Gender equality policies The gender equality dimension is present in most general or sectoral national plans. Thus, the National Development Plan (2004-2006), The National Plan for Employment (2004-2005), the National Anti-Poverty and Social Inclusion Promotion Plan contain objectives and guidelines on gender equality, also covering the field of education and professional training. In respect of the promotion of gender equality, including the equal access to education, we also need to mention the adoption by Romania of the Millennium Development Objectives1, and especially of the 3rd Objective concerning the Promotion of gender equality and the women’s assertion. Gender and education As far as the field of education is concerned, the Development Strategy for the Pre-university Education in 2001-20042 contains a series of strategic priorities which cover the gender dimension: - the accomplishment of equity in the field of education: - the provision of basic education for all citizens: - the grounding of the education act on the personal and professional development needs of

pupils from the point of view of sustainable development and in order to ensure economic and social cohesion.

One of the education programs promoting the specific strategic education objectives – the Program entitled Ensuring Equity in Education – specifically aims at eliminating any types of

1 Resolution no. 55/2 the Declaration of the Millennium, The General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation, September 2002. 2 The Development Strategy for the Pre-university Education in 2001-2004; updated in 2002. Prospective planning up to 2010, The Ministry of Education and Research.

discrimination and exclusion of a racial, social, xenophobe, religious, linguistic, gender-based type etc. The equal access of boys and girls to education is stipulated in all legal regulations. Thus, the Constitution of Romania guarantees the right to education for all children and young persons, regardless of their social or ethnic background, sex or religious beliefs. The Education Act reiterates the right to education of all children, without any discrimination, gender-based discrimination included. Statistical indicators on the access to education confirm such policies favoring gender equality. Thus, the gross coverage rate and the net enrolment rate in junior secondary education (11-14 years) and in senior secondary education (15-18 years) show that there are no major gender-based disparities in Romania. Moreover, as shown in table 1, the female population is not subject to discrimination as far as the access to education is concerned.

Table 1. The gross and net coverage rate for both genders (school year 2002/2003)

Total Girls Boys Difference based on gender

Junior secondary education (gymnasium) Gross rate 91.9 91.4 92.3 0.9 Net rate 84.6 85.0 84.3 0.7 Senior secondary education (high school and vocational education) Gross rate 75.7 77.8 73.7 4.1

Source: Data calculated based on the information provided by the National Institute for Statistics. Moreover, according to other indicators on the participation to education (rate of graduates successfully passing the final examinations, the rate of transition to the next level of education) and to the indicators reflecting the internal effectiveness of the system (the rate of pupils repeating a school year and the dropping-out rate), girls are in a significantly better position as compared to boys (see table 2).

Table 2. The values of participation and internal efficiency indicators (school year 2001/2002)

Total Girls Boys Difference based on gender

Junior secondary education (gymnasium) Proportion of graduates not passing the capacity examination from the graduating population (aged 14)

68.0 73.0 63.2 9.8

The rate of transition to senior secondary education1 88.6 89.3 88.0 1.3 Rate of pupils repeating the school year 3.5 2.2 4.7 2.5 Dropping-out rate 1.4 1.2 1.6 0.4 Higher secondary education (high-school and vocational education) Proportion of graduates who passed the final examinations from the graduating population2

66.5 68.6 64.6 4.0 The rate of transition to post high-school and higher education3 35.9 38.6 32.7 5.9

Rate of pupils repeating the school year 1.2 0.9 1.5 0.6 Dropping-out rate 5.0 4.2 5.7 1.5

1 The calculation of the rate of transition to the senior level of secondary education was based on the number of pupils enrolled in the 8th grade during the 2001-2002 school year and on the number of pupils enrolled in senior secondary education during the 2002-2003 school year. The pupils repeating the first year of secondary education during the reference year were thus excluded. 2 The proportion of graduates from the total population at the age of graduation is an estimate. It was calculated based on the number of high-school graduates (only those who passed the school-leaving examination) and on the number of vocational and technical education graduates in the current year who obtained the graduation diploma. The theoretical age of graduation was 18. 3 The rate of transition to post high-school education is an estimate. It was calculated based on the number of pupils enrolled in the 12th grade during the 2001/2002 school year. Source: Data calculated based on the information provided by the National Institute for Statistics.

As far as the participation to education is concerned, the advantage of the feminine population is also indicated by the gross coverage rate of the population aged 7 to 23 at all levels of education: the difference between genders is of 3.5 percentage points (74.7% for the feminine population as compared to 71.2% in the case of the masculine population, according to the data calculated based on the information provided by the National Institute for Statistics). Although, at the level of the entire population, the coverage is satisfactory at the level of compulsory education in general, with insignificant sex-based differences, the situation greatly differs in what concerns the participation of Romany children to basic education, and the existing data is alarming. Thus, in 19983, only 61.4% of the Romany young people and children in the 6 - 17 age group were included in the education system. Gender based differences in the participation to education are more important in this ethnic group, to the disadvantage of the feminine population. Thus, out of the total number of Romany children and young people included in the education system (aged 6 to 17), 53.1% are boys and 46.9% are girls4. Taking into account this situation, the strategic objectives of the National Anti-Poverty and Social Inclusion Promotion Plan (PNAinc) aim at the improvement of the participation of children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and especially of the Romany children, at all levels of education. In what concerns the allocated resources (infrastructure, equipment, human resources) there are no gender-based differences, both boys and girls benefiting from the same opportunity system. Moreover, a series of programs were carried out in order to enhance the quality of education and to improve the education infrastructure (the Program for the Rehabilitation of School Buildings, co-financed by the World Bank and by the Social Development Fund), and education units in the rural areas were endowed with equipment, teaching materials and school furniture (the Program for the Re-launch of Rural Education, co-financed by the Government of Romania and by the World Bank). 3 Situaţia social-economică a romilor (The Social and Economic Situation of the Romany), Bucharest, The Life Quality Research Institute, 1998 (data obtained from a survey based on hetero-identification, not on self-identification – performed on a representative sample). 4 The data presented does not reflect the real difference in the participation of boys and girls to education calculated by comparison to the total population in the same age group, but only the percentage of children of each sex included in the education system.

In what concerns the training of teachers and school managers, the gender dimension appeared only in experimental programs or in initiatives of the civil society. Within the framework of continuous training, gender equality was approached in the context of the debate on various issues connected to equal education opportunities (rights of ethnic and religious minorities, teaching in the mother tongue, education for disadvantaged groups, the education of the Romany population, etc.). A new national curriculum was adopted starting from the school year 1999-2000. As shown by a national level impact assessment5, the gender dimension had not been an explicit concern in the case of this curriculum version. This research yielded clear conclusions on the gender dimension: - school curricula and textbooks promote a predominantly masculine world, traditional and

patriarchal, with a propensity towards the essentialization of gender differences; - gender roles are predominantly traditional, anachronous and static; - gender is constructed and defined by uniformity; - there is a gender discrepancy at the level of the success models promoted; information and

references to life experiences specific to women (such as childbirth, pregnancy) are absent, etc.

The respective study also provided a series of recommendations, such as: - the introduction of gender issues in the curricular field entitled Counseling and orientation

throughout the education route; - the introduction of specific topics in the curricula of all subject matters; - the introduction of the gender dimension as a major criteria in the assessment of school

textbooks; - the elaboration of auxiliary materials dedicated to gender issues for both pupils and

teachers. The extension of the duration of compulsory education from the 2004/2005 school year brought about a new national curriculum. On this occasion, and especially at the level of content, new aspects were taken into consideration, related to gender equality and to the change in the vision of social roles, identities and representations of masculinity and femininity (e.g. the new history, civic education and literature curricula).

2.2. Education and social inclusion The objectives of social inclusion policies Equity is a major goal of public policies in Romania. As far as education is concerned, the following objectives need to be highlighted: • to ensure equal and universal access to primary and junior secondary level education, to

improve education opportunities for disadvantaged areas and social segments (rural environment, Romany population, marginalized persons, persons in extreme poverty situations, children with special educational needs);

5 Şcoala la răscruce. Schimbare şi continuitate în curriculum-ul învăţământului obligatoriu. Studiu de impact (The School at Crossroads. Change and Continuity in the Compulsory Education Curriculum. Impact Study), Iasi, Polirom Publishing house, 2002.

• to improve the opportunities to participate to education and to professional training, to ensure quality education, including in disadvantaged areas and for disadvantaged categories;

• to provide the opportunity for compulsory education graduates to specialize in a profession in view of their actual insertion on the labor market;

• to improve and diversify the types of support for persons and children with special educational needs; to expand the principle of inclusive education by increasing the participation to regular education.

The main vulnerable educational groups targeted by social inclusion policies are the following: • the population of rural and disadvantaged areas; • the Romany population; • the children with special educational needs; • other vulnerable groups (institutionalized children, migrants, homeless children, HIV

positive children, etc.); Measures concerning the education of disadvantaged categories In order to ensure the access to quality education for disadvantaged population categories and vulnerable groups, besides the legal framework guaranteeing the right to education, a system of regulations centered on specific aspects was developed, national plans and strategies for social inclusion were elaborated, intervention programs meant for various target groups were implemented. a) The legal framework regulating the access to education in Romania The Romanian legal system stipulates the right to education and the equal access to education through a range of general regulations included both in the Constitution and in the Education Act and in other regulations specially meant to prevent and combat discrimination and to promote social inclusion. • The Constitution of Romania establishes the general principles concerning the

fundamental rights, freedoms and duties of all citizens and guarantees the right to education, regardless of social or ethnic background, gender or religious beliefs.

• The Education Act no. 84/1995, as subsequently amended, stipulates that education is a

national priority and also stipulates the right to education of all citizens, without discrimination, their right to benefit from education in their mother tongue, as well as the right to benefit from the cultural and linguistic patrimony of minorities.

• Law no. 268/2003 amending and supplementing the Education Act no. 84/1995 covers

mainly the extension of compulsory education duration from 8 to 10 years. The provisions on the facilitation of professional insertion of compulsory education graduates are important from the point of view of social inclusion promotion. Thus, the new amendments introduce the possibility for the graduates from the first 8 grades to continue their education either in the junior high-school cycle, where comprehensive education is provided which includes pre-specialization elements necessary for the orientation towards subsequent senior secondary education (the senior high-school cycle), or towards schools

of arts and crafts providing appropriate professional training in various occupational fields.

• Law no. 48/2002 approving Order no. 137/2000 on the prevention and sanctioning of

all forms of discrimination. Based on this law, denying the access of a person or of a group of persons to any level or type of education on grounds of their race, nationality, ethnic background, religion, social background or because they are part of a disadvantaged category is a minor offence and is punished according to the law. The law complies with the provisions of international agreements on fighting intolerance and racism.

• Law no. 219/2001 on equal opportunities to receive higher education provides the

granting of social support scholarships. b) National policies meant to stimulate the participation to education Besides these regulations which are of major importance, measures were adopted within the framework of the education reform in order to improve the participation of all children and young people to education and to reduce dropping-out and non-schooling. The first regulations in this respect were adopted in 1998. They concern the following types of measures: • Direct intervention measures aimed at the causes and effects of the non-participation

to education - Order of the Ministry of National Education no. 423/1999 on the experimental

implementation of the Program combating the marginalization and social and professional exclusion of young dropouts from compulsory education who did not acquire the minimum skills necessary for employment. The program is meant for young people aged 14 – 25 and aims at supplementing and completing the basic education parallel to the education provided by apprentice schools.

- Order of the Ministry of National Education no. 5080/1999 and Order of the Ministry of

National Education no. 4780/1999 on the “Second Chance through Education” program. This program is meant for young people who left school because of social reasons and provides opportunities to resume education and acquire minimum professional skills.

- Order of the Ministry of National Education no. 3510/2000 on new actions to eradicate

illiteracy through the agency of which county school departments are required to create a monitoring system in respect of the illiteracy phenomenon at the local level.

- Order of the Ministry of National Education no. 3907/2000 on the prevention of dropping-

out and guaranteeing the schooling of children and young people at the age of schooling within the framework of the pre-university education. Measures are envisaged for the inclusion of all young people of schooling age in a form of compulsory education, such measures being necessary in order for the graduates from compulsory education to be able to proceed with the various types of secondary education paths (with an emphasis on professional orientation and counseling), as well as special regulations on the quality of education in rural areas.

• Education improvement in rural areas, impacting on the stimulation of participation to education and of the improvement of human resources quality in disadvantaged areas

Given the lower rate of coverage of children in rural areas (during the 2002-2003 school year, for example, as far as compulsory education is concerned, the net coverage rate was of 83.9% in rural areas as compared to 91.6% in urban areas), these regulations promote measures aimed at improving the participation to education and the quality of education. - Order of the Ministry of National Education no. 3179/2000 on the Program for the Re-

launch of Rural Education. Initiated as early as 1998 by the Ministry of Education and Research according to the governmental program for medium term strategic development in rural areas, the program aimed at “providing equal chances to education for pupils in rural areas”.

- The legislation on the teaching staff (Law no. 44/2001 approving Expeditious Government Order no. 8/2000 amending Law no. 128 on the Statute of the Teaching Staff and other regulations on the training of pre-university education teaching staff) provides specific measures for disadvantaged areas: - the granting of certain benefits (e.g. salary increases for the teaching staff working in

isolated rural areas, reimbursement of transportation costs for commuters, the possibility to use agricultural land, building loans);

- the elaboration of specific conditions for the allocation of positions and for securing full didactic norms in rural areas;

- the elaboration and implementation of the “Access to education for disadvantaged groups with an emphasis on the Romany” Phare program RO 0104.02 meant to prevent and combat marginalization and social exclusion;

- the diversification of continuos training for the teaching staff; - to attract the teaching staff to disadvantaged areas by providing contract-based

scholarships to university students having their permanent residence in rural areas; such contracts provide that, upon graduation, the beneficiaries shall work in rural areas in the field they specialized in for a period of time equal to at least the duration of their studies.

Such regulations create a framework which favors the quality of educational activities and the improvement of school achievements and of participation to education. • Stimulating the participation of Romany children and young people to education The Ministry of Education and Research has adopted, since 1998, a series of specific measures with a view to stimulating the participation of Romany children and young people to education. In 2002, the Ministry of Education and Research elaborated, in collaboration with the Institute for Education Sciences and within the framework of the National strategy for the improvement of the social and economic life standards of the Romany population, a sectoral strategy: the Strategy for stimulating the participation of Romany children and young people to education. The strategy materialized in a series of regulations and development measures, sometimes involving a cooperation with NGOs.

Given the reduced participation of the Romany population to education (61.4% of the total population aged 7 –16 in 19986), the affirmative actions oriented towards children and young people from this ethnic group materialized in a series of arrangements: - special arrangements for Romany candidates for the admission to the 9th grade (high-

school and vocational education); - a higher number of Romany students benefiting from subsidized higher education; this

measure was first implemented during the 1992/1993 academic year and then expanded; - the creation within the framework of pedagogic schools and colleges of classes/groups

dedicated to the training of primary school teachers of Romany or of other origin which will work with Romany classes; this system was initiated during the school year 1990/1991 and is still operational; these measures aim at stimulating the training of teaching staff having a good command of the Romany language;

- the appointment of Romany school inspectors or of inspectors for the Romany in each county department for schools;

- the creation of a department for the study of the Romany language and literature within the framework of the Faculty of Letters in Bucharest beginning with the academic year 1998/1999;

- the organization of introductory and improvement courses of Romany language for qualified and non-qualified Romany and non-Romany teachers;

- the elaboration of curricula, textbooks and auxiliary materials for the Romany language and for the history and traditions of the Romany minority;

- incentives for studying the Romany language: - the opportunity to study the Romany language as native language at any point during

the school year and in any grade; - to encourage schools to employ teaching staff qualified in the teaching of the Romany

language or, if not possible, Romany high-school graduates or Romany graduates completing at least 10 years of education.

• Other regulations on the facilitation of the access to education for disadvantaged

categories Such measures aim at rendering more flexible the structure of the school year and the organization of the education process: - Order of the Ministry of National Education no. 3705/1999 on the structure of the school

year provides the possibility to adjust the structure of the school year to the local climate and landscape and to the specificity of local occupations. This measure is particularly important for education units located in rural areas and has beneficial effects on the participation to education.

- Order of the Ministry of Education and Research no. 4370/2000 on the methodology for

the organization and functioning of reduced attendance classes during grades 5-8 provides for the organization of such alternatives for persons above the upper age limit for enrollment in day education or for persons who, because of social or health reasons, cannot attend day education. This regulation aims at diversifying the organization of the education process (through the provision of reduced attendance education, supplementary classes, summer schools, etc). It is meant to broaden the access to education of certain groups such as: pupils living in isolated areas, children from families travelling because of

6 Indicatori privind comunităţile de romi în România (Indicators on the Romany Communities in Romania), Expert Publishing House, Bucharest, 2002.

their profession, persons who dropped out before the completion of their compulsory education and are now re-entering the system, etc.

Besides the legal framework regulating the right and equal access to education, there is also a range of provisions dedicated to child protection. First and foremost, the Constitution of Romania and the Labor Code limit the use of child work by fixing the minimum age for admission to employment at 15/16 and then Law 203 ratifying the International Labor Organization Convention concerning the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor. Moreover, one of the reasons for the extension of the duration of compulsory education to 10 years was to achieve the compatibility between the age at the end of compulsory education and the legal age for admission to employment. The access of children and young people to education is also facilitated through the agency of a social protection system comprising: - the provision of free of charge education, assistance and logistics and free of charge

textbooks (for compulsory education), medical and psychological assistance for pupils and kindergarten students;

- financing/co-financing from the state budget (full financing of schooling costs for the preparatory grade; co-financing of meals and accommodation of kindergarten students and pupils in boarding schools, dormitories and school restaurants);

- the provision of institutional services and facilities by granting social support scholarships and through other types of support for students enrolled in state pre-university education coming from families affected by social and economic disadvantages or from disadvantaged areas or areas affected by unemployment;

- the provision of school supplies for children from families with a low income; - transportation subsidies for pupils travelling from one locality to another; - the provision of a daily free of charge snack/meal for primary school pupils (Law no.

16/2003 approving the Expeditious Government Order no. 96/2002 on the provision of milk and bakery products for 1st - 4th grade pupils and subsequently for kindergarten students);

- social protection for children and pupils with special education needs through the agency of adjusted institutions and classes/groups of kindergarten students and pupils with special needs.

In respect of children with disabilities, HIV positive children and children suffering from AIDS, the relevant policies promote the principle of inclusive education. It is achieved through a range of measures meant to protect their rights, including a law targeting HIV positive persons and persons suffering from AIDS – Law no. 584/2002 on the measures for the prevention of AIDS in Romania and for the protection of HIV positive persons and of persons suffering from AIDS. Other measures promoted by the Ministry of Education and Research (Order of the Ministry of Education and Research no. 10.365/10.07.2000) concern the integration and rehabilitation of children with disabilities in their community and with its help and the implementation of “inclusive education” as provided in the Salamanca Declaration. The campaign entitled “Open your eyes! Open your Heart!” carried out by the Ministry of Education and Research in partnership with the Ministry of Health, with international institutions and non-governmental organizations attempted to raise awareness within communities on the fact that the isolation behavior does not prevent the transmission of the disease but only leads to a severe social exclusion of children affected by HIV/AIDS.

c) National plans, social inclusion strategies and programs Based on the challenges related to social inclusion and in compliance with the recommendations of the European Council of Nice (2000), Romania prepared the National Anti-Poverty and Social Inclusion Promotion Plan (PNAinc). This document contains strategic objectives to be achieved immediately, during this government mandate (2002-2004), and on the medium/long term (2002-2012). The strategic objectives set in the above-mentioned document also include objectives meant to promote the social inclusion of children and young people from vulnerable groups and to provide solutions / remedies for the most difficult problems and circumstances. The following objectives are of particular interest from the point of view of education: • The elimination of severe social exclusion situations and the promotion of social

inclusion through: - Universal access to the first 8 years of education (the total elimination of cases of non-

enrolment in education; the compensation of the education deficit at the level of the young and adult generations through literacy courses/completion of education; the increase of the personal, social and professional relevance of the school through an accelerate reform of the content of education);

- The gradual generalization of the participation to vocational and high-school education (diversification of the pre-university vocational training range – technological or vocational high-schools, vocational and apprentice schools; a program aimed at attracting people to complete their education targeted at persons aged 20-29 who only completed their compulsory education or less; the increase of the personal, social and professional relevance of vocational education; the extension of the opportunities available for pupils from disadvantaged groups to participate in education after the 8th grade; to complete the reform of the vocational education system and of the ongoing learning system);

- The eradication of the “homeless children” phenomenon; - Inclusive education for disabled persons; - The adoption of a new legislation on the prevention of juvenile delinquency based on the

principle of social inclusion (prevention / recovery / social re-insertion); • The promotion of social cohesion and development by: - Increasing the investments in education and in health, which are two major factors

leading to social development; - The promotion of social cohesion by providing equal educational opportunities (the

reduction of educational failures; the increase of educational opportunities for children from poor families, from rural areas, from Romany families);

- To empower young people in view of a more competent approach of adulthood (to ensure a level of education appropriate to the requirements of modern society; every young person graduating from school must have a professional qualification).

• To ensure a decent life standard for children and access to development

opportunities, which requires: - To improve the participation of children from all the disadvantaged environment to

education at all levels: children from rural areas, from poor and/or broken families, from Romany families, children with special educational needs, girls from social backgrounds who are discriminated or whose participation to education is limited;

- The organization of a coherent and effective support system for abandoned children. Other current and long term national plans, in compliance with the objectives under the National Plan for Poverty Control and Promotion of Social Inclusion (PNAinc), contain objectives and guidelines, strategies and action directions related to social inclusion, including in the field of education and professional training. In this respect one should mention: • The National Action Plan for Employment (2004-2005) among the objectives of which

is the promotion of social inclusion through special measures aiming at providing occupational opportunities for disadvantaged groups (Romany, persons with disabilities, women, young persons with no work experience, etc.);

• The National Plan for Development 2004-2006 which introduces an objective related to “the active fighting of social exclusion” among the priorities related to the development of human resources.

Other trends and strategies: • The National strategy for the Improvement of the Social and Economic Living

Standard of the Romany Population (2001), where the education plays an important role within the framework of the various measures for the elimination of social exclusion;

• The Joint Memoranda on Social Inclusion (JIM), a currently drafted7 common document of the European Union and of the Government of Romania, playing an important role in the promotion of social inclusion policies;

• The Development Strategy for the Pre-university Education in 2001-2004, updated in 2002, which contains a prospective planning up to 2010 proposing a range of strategic priorities out of which some have a direct impact on the access to quality education of all population categories: the achievement of equity in education, the provision of basic education for all citizens, the creation of key skills, etc.

The priorities set within the framework of the Development Strategy for the Pre-university Education in 2001-2004 are implemented through the agency of specific educational programs. One of these programs – the Program for the Achievement of Equity in Education – aims at balancing the equity to quality ratio, which involves, on the one hand, the promotion of equity in education, and, on the other hand, the permanent improvement of the quality of education in compliance with the EU and OECD performance standards. A range of specific projects is being carried out in order to achieve the program objectives: • Ensuring the quality of education in rural and disadvantaged areas, centered on a set of

actions meant to improve the quality of human and material resources in education units and to facilitate the access to education for children and young persons from such areas (distance education programs, the endowment of the school network with transportation facilities);

• Provision of education for ethnic minorities by: ensuring the access of each child belonging to an ethnic minority (including the Romany population) to basic education and the stimulation of their participation to higher education: restructuring of the school curricula from a multicultural perspective; elaboration of textbooks in the languages of the ethnic minorities, etc.

7 In view of the elaboration of the Joint Memoranda on Social Inclusion a study entitled “Surse ale excluziunii sociale” (Sources of social exclusion) was performed, Bucharest University, 2004.

• Provision of education for children with special education needs which aims at stimulating the participation to education and the quality of education services provided for children with special education needs. The project aims at: the inclusion of all children with special needs in the special or mass education system; the implementation of programs for the integration in the mass education system of the pupils enrolled in special education in various ways and based on the type and severity of their disabilities; the availability of travelling teachers, etc.

• Education for health (a project included in the program entitled Education through extra-curricular activities and activities implemented outside the school) which includes a set of actions aiming at: the provision of education for a healthy life; the creation of hygiene skills and the prevention of diseases caused by the lack of hygiene; the fighting of alcohol and drug use and of smoking; the fighting of AIDS; the education for a healthy nutrition.

d) Intervention programs benefiting from external financing • The Program for the re-launch of rural education (1998-2001), co-financed by the

Government of Romania and by the World Bank, having the following main objectives: the improvement of the quality of education resources (material and human), of the quality of education and the facilitation of the access to education for children in rural areas.

• The Program for the rehabilitation of school buildings, (1998-2002 – stage I; 2003-2009 – stage II) co-financed by the World Bank and by the Social Development Fund, which aims at providing equal access to quality education by improving the material situation and resources.

• The Program for education in rural areas (2003-2009), co-financed by the Government of Romania and by the World Bank, which aims at: improving the teaching/learning process in rural areas; developing the partnership between the school and the community; the creation of monitoring, evaluation and policy development capacities;

• The program entitled Access to education for disadvantaged groups with an emphasis on the Romany (2002-2004), co-financed by the European Union and by Government of Romania which aims at: increasing the quality of kindergarten education; stimulating pupils in order to complete the basic education (prevention of early dropping-out); providing a second chance to benefit from education for persons who did not complete compulsory education.

• The TVET Phare Program (2001-2005), having two main components – the development of institutional capacities and investments; the general objectives of the program aim at: the restructuring of the TVET system, the rehabilitation of the infrastructure and the endowment of the education units in the TVET system.

An analysis of the Romania social inclusion policies performed from the perspective of education reveals the following: • Romania is a signatory part to the main European and international instruments related to

the observance of human rights and of the rights of minorities and to the prevention and sanctioning of al forms of discrimination.

• The Romanian legal framework stipulates the right to education as a basic right and guarantees the access of all citizens to education and training.

• One may notice that over the last period of time, at the level of educational and social inclusion policies, there has been a growing interest in improving the participation to education of disadvantaged categories and of the most vulnerable groups. The governmental regulations and programs comprise intervention measures addressing both

the causes of non-participation to schooling and its effects on professional insertion and social inclusion.

• Education policy documents provide a range of affirmative measures targeting certain vulnerable groups in view of facilitating their access to education.

• The majority of regulations adopted over the last years contain measures for the improvement of the quality of education, especially in rural areas, in education units with a high percentage of Romany, etc.

• There is a tendency for the unification of the efforts made by various bodies at both the central level and at the level of communities for the development of common cooperation programs meant to improve the participation of the Romany to education.

2.3. Education and skills necessary in life The extension of compulsory education The need to develop new skills (ICT - information and communications technologies, technological culture, foreign languages, entrepreneurship, social skills)8 led to the extension of compulsory education. In order to support the development of such skills, Romania expanded compulsory education from eight to ten grades9 by raising the age upon completion of education and by lowering the inferior age limit for enrollment in compulsory education. Thus, compulsory education as a public service aims at providing all young persons aged 6 to 16 with the same set of skills required for their integration and for a good performance in the professional and social environment. The extension of compulsory education resulted in a change in the structure of the pre-university education system. According to Law no. 268/2003 amending and supplementing the Education Act no. 84/1995, compulsory education is structured as follows: primary education (4 years), gymnasium education – or the first stage of junior secondary education (4 years) and high-school education – junior cycle/ schools for arts and crafts – the second stage of junior secondary education (2 years). The preoccupation for the achievement of comprehensive education, the democratization of the access to education and the extension of the schooling period led to the elimination of the capacity examination beginning with the school year 2004-2005 and to its replacement with national tests for the 8th grade at the following subject matters: Romanian Language and Literature, Mathematics, Romanian History or the Geography of Romania (as optional test subjects). The enrolment of pupils graduating from the 8th grade in the 9th grade of the junior high-school cycle or in schools for arts and crafts is based on the average grade achieved in the national tests (50%) and on the average grade achieved upon graduation from the 5th – 8th grades (50%), thus reflecting the development of basic skills over the previous cycles of education. Changes at the level of the junior secondary curriculum. General education and majors 8 According to the Development Strategy for the Pre-university Education in 2001-2004, the development of these skills is a priority of the reform of education. 9 A study was conducted at the request of the Ministry of Education and Research by IES (Institute for Education Sciences) on the impact and potential results of the extension of compulsory education to ten grades entitled „Extinderea învăţământului obligatoriu. Analiza condiţiilor de implementare” (The Extension of Compulsory Education. An analysis of the implementation conditions), Bucharest, 2004.

The changes at the level of the curriculum10 are equally oriented towards the balanced development of all key skills, towards education for lifelong learning11 and towards the initiation to specialized training routes. Opportunities were created through the curriculum for the development of basic skills within the framework of educational routes adjusted to various personal needs: professional insertion, continuation of education, recovery, etc. The junior high-school cycle provides comprehensive education, also including pre-specialization components required to orient the pursuing of studies, while the schools of arts and crafts, as a model for the organization of the vocational activity, ensures the qualification in various occupational fields and leads to employment. The continuation of the educational route by the graduates of schools of arts and crafts is facilitated through the addition of one year of supplementing studies providing the opportunity to achieve the level of education required for enrolment in the senior cycle of technological high-schools. Curricular products (curricula, education plans) became more pragmatic, and are better adjusted to the pupils’ age and characteristics, more focused on professional benchmarks, on the increase of professional training standards in compliance with the requirements on the national and European labor market, on enhancing the contact between the educational, social and economic environments, on improving the quality of the teaching, learning and assessment environment, parallel with a more active involvement of association structures and social partnerships. The new framework education plans for the 9th – 10th grades12 – the final years of compulsory education were prepared and entered into force starting with the school year 2004-2005, taking into account the fact that the 9th and 10th grade are part of both compulsory education and of high-school or vocational education – school of arts and crafts. • The structure of the plan and the development of various types of skills* The framework education plans are centered on three components: common trunk (CT), differentiated curriculum (DC) and locally developed curriculum (LDC). The element of novelty consists in the introduction of the differentiated curriculum, which represents the

10 They are determined by the high level of complexity of the purposes of compulsory education in its new structure: real opportunities; the provision of basic education for all; the parallel promotion of social stability and change; the training of children for adulthood and for the active life, for spare time, family and society; the training and motivation of children to pursue learning in a changing world. 11 In 2001 the Ministry of Education and Research has initiated to this purpose a program entitled Ensuring basic education for all citizens; development of key skills, which materialized in the following projects: Ensuring the fundamental education through formal education, The development of the key skills of democratic citizenship and the motivation for an active participation to the social and political life in view of ensuring social cohesion and Extension of computer-based learning. (Development Strategy for the Pre-university Education in 2001-2004. Prospective planing p to 2010, MEC; www.edu.ro 12 The draft of the new framework education plan has been subjected to a public debate. IES (Institute for Education Sciences) coordinated this activity at the request of the Ministry of Education and Research and elaborated a report entitled Proiectul noului plan-cadru de învăţământ pentru clasele a IX-a şi a X-a. Rezultatele consultării publice (The Draft of the New Framework Education Plan for the 9th and 10th grades. The Results of Public Consultations), Bucharest, June 2003. * The structure, objectives and content of pre-university education reflect the role of basic education from the perspective of lifelong learning, described in the Memorandum on Lifelong Learning prepared by the European Commission in 2000. (The Reform of Compulsory Education, the Ministry of Education and Research, 2003).

educational range decided upon at the central level and comprises a range of subject matters which are assigned a number of hours in such a way as to enable variations according to profiles (in the case of the theoretical and technological path) and according to specializations (in the case of the vocational path). Junior high-school (theoretical, technological and vocational education) - The development of general skills based on the CT is compulsory for all pupils – the

educational range consists of the same subject matters which are assigned the same number of hours for all paths, profiles and specializations. The CT range brings a contribution to: a) the provision of equal opportunities for all pupils, regardless of the high-school they

attend (path, profile); b) ensuring the continuity between the first stage of junior secondary education and high

school education; c) the education for lifelong learning.

- The common grounds for specialization based on a profile (in the case of the theoretical and technological paths) is ensured by the DC which initiates pupils to specialized educational routes and provides sufficiently diversified training in order to enable the pursuing of education or the social and professional integration in the case of completion of education. The courses in the differentiated curriculum are compulsory for the pupils enrolled in the respective profile or specialization.

- The support of differentiated performance and of specific learning needs and interests of pupils is achieved through the LDC – the number of hours assigned for the development of curricular ranges that are specific to each education unit.

Schools for arts and crafts - The development of skills related to knowledge, personal and social development is

ensured through the agency of the CT. - The development of skills specific to professional qualification is achieved through the DC

which comprises sets of subject matters established at the national level and provides the foundation for the national recognition of professional qualifications;

- The development of the specific skills meeting the needs of local labor markets and the increase of employment opportunities are ensured by the locally developed curriculum13 (LDC).

Here follows a synthetic presentation of the objectives of the LDC: - to expand the educational field and to develop both key skills and personal and

social skills: communication, teamwork, critical thinking, taking responsibilities, creativity and entrepreneurship;

- the development of the skills and abilities required for the setting up of a business based on professional training in a specific field;

- the promotion of democratic values in the curriculum, thus enabling the future graduates to become responsible citizens of an open society.

• 60% of the core curriculum for compulsory education is also used for the 9th and 10th

grades in schools for arts and crafts. 13 The LDC is approved at county level, based on the favorable opinion of the Local Committee for the Development of the Social Partnership and is assigned a number of 2 hours of theoretical training over a period of 28 weeks and 30 hours of practical training provided over a period of 10 weeks.

• The curriculum reviews for professional and technical education for the 9th and 10th

grades (junior high-school cycle – the technological path and the schools of arts and crafts) focused on:

- facilitating pupil training in view of a double acknowledgement of learning results: that is of the acknowledgement for educational purposes (the compulsory education graduation certificate) required for continuing their studies and, respectively, of the acknowledgement for professional purposes (the ongoing education portfolio specifying the skills acquired and the professional qualification certificate level I in the case of a qualification) required both for continuing their vocational training and in order to exercise a profession;

A range of measures were implemented in this respect, such as the following: a) the restructuring of framework education plans for schools of arts and crafts by

providing training for level one qualification over a number of 1,800 hours (the equivalent of 30 credits)14;

b) the restructuring of framework education plans for schools of arts and crafts by increasing the number of weeks allocated to combined study (general culture, specialized education, practical training) from the total number of weeks in such a way as to ensure real opportunities for pupils to obtain the compulsory education graduation certificate;

c) the restructuring of the framework education plans for junior high-school, the technological path, so as to enable pupils to acquire both the basic skills reflected in the graduation certificate and to benefit from pre-specialization, thus creating the basis for the achievement of level III professional qualification (the equivalent of specialized training certified upon graduation from senior high-school).

- the structuring of framework education plans based on professional training standards in view of the harmonization of the qualification levels achieved through junior secondary education (9th and 10th grades) and senior secondary education (11th, 12th and 13th grades respectively);

- the adjustment of the content of professional training to the requirements of the labor market as formulated by employers based on professional training standards;

- the design of the curriculum based on categories of skills15 - the categories of skills related to key abilities (social abilities) and the categories of skills related to technical and professional abilities (general and specialized) – in the vocational training standard16. The

14 The professional qualification is designed both in high-schools and schools for arts and crafts based on transferable credits derived from professional skills. This system is structured based on levels of qualification as follows: level I – the school of arts and crafts - 30 credits, level II- the year for supplementing studies - 15 credits, level III – high-school - 30 credits. According to the conventional equivalation pocedure based on which 1 credit = 60 hours of training, the minimum total number of hours in the education plan of schools of arts and crafts required for level I certification is 1,800. 15 A category of skills is a major function of a qualification generating a result that can be assessed. 16 From the point of view of training, these categories of professional skills are quantified as credits. At this point the categories of skills are based on variable numbers of credits, according to the level of qualification:

• Level I – 30 credits, out of which 15 for key skills and work experience and 15 for technical and professional skills

• Level II – 15 credits, out of which 5 for key skills and work experience and 10 for technical and professional skills

curricular fields in the education plan of the school of arts and crafts enable pupils to acquire the following skills:

a) key abilities (“communication in a foreign language”, “computer literacy an information processing”, “personal development centered on performance”, “the transition from school to employment”) are acquired through the agency of general culture fields;

b) skills such as “work experience” are acquired through concentrated practical training (within the framework of the LDC) and through weekly practical training;

c) technical and professional skills are developed within the framework of the “technology” curricular field through specialized knowledge, laboratory training and weekly practical training.

• The curriculum provides flexible learning opportunities through the agency of the LDC

(1-2 hours per week), which comprises the following components: thoroughgoing study for remedial education, extension in order to encourage individual learning routes, new subject matters providing inter and intra-disciplinary approaches. Starting from the school year 2003-2004, the allocation of the LDC is no longer field based, as it used to, but cross-curricular. Here follow some of the optional subject matters included in the “school range”: Education for health (optional for grades 1 to 12), Education for quality, European integration, Mass-media education, Education for development, Education for human rights, Intercultural education, Education for a democratic citizenship.

• The new curricula for the 9th high-school grade and for the 9th and 10th grades of

schools for arts and crafts have been prepared, approved and used in schools since 2004. This change was based on an approach centered on key skills, established at the European level. A major change is also to be noticed at the level of the curricula of schools for arts and crafts, which have a modular structure.

• The set of general skills and attitudes provided in the high-school curricula explicitly or

implicitly17 includes key skills. General skills contributing to the development of key skills were identified in respect of each subject matter.

• The educational range for the development of new key skills - Entrepreneurial and ICT education are integrated in the Technology field.

ICT are studied as a compulsory subject matter to which 2 hour/week are assigned in the 9th grade (junior high-school cycle and schools of arts and crafts) and 1 hour/week is assigned in the 10th grade (junior high-school). Entrepreneurship is encouraged throughout the education system both at the level of specific subject matters and at the level of optional courses. Activities of this type are more frequent after the 8th grade. Entrepreneurship is assigned in the curriculum 1 hour/week within the framework of the CT for the 10th grade (high-school) and 1 hour/week within the framework of the CT for the 9th grade (schools of arts and crafts).

- The Technology education subject matter is based on curricula comprising modules approaching the various aspects of economic life.

- As far as the learning of foreign languages is concerned, pupils have the opportunity to study at least two foreign languages during their compulsory schooling. In the case of

• Level III – 30 credits, out of which 10 for key skills and work experience and 20 for

technical and professional skills. 17 This is about “learning how to learn” and about “interpersonal, intercultural and social skills”

schooling in the language of national minorities, the school makes a decision on whether the pupils study a second foreign language. The foreign languages taught in school are: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Russian. The education system also comprises classes with teaching in a foreign language as well as bilingual classes. The study of foreign languages is assigned 4 hours/week within the framework of the CT (for the 9th and 10th high-school grades) and 2 hours/week within the framework of the CT in the schools of arts and crafts.

- Civic culture is a compulsory subject matter for grades 7 and 8 and aims at the development of the key skills of an active and responsible citizen. Beginning with the 2003-2004 school year, Civic culture is included in the national LDC range for grades 5 and 6 (1 hour/week), the teaching approach being centered on the moral and civil dimension.

The evaluation of skills Since skills are illustrated through the personal performance at work, school achievements cannot be taken for an absolute indicator, but only as an indicator of the development of key skills. From this perspective and in relation to the evaluation of school achievements, one must notice the following aspects: • the increased importance (50%) of current evaluations within the framework of the

selection and enrolment of students in junior high-school or in school of arts and crafts. This leads to the introduction and use of evaluation standards18 and of grading criteria within the framework of the current evaluation in order to ensure that grades are objective, unitary and comparable;

• the diversification of the methodologies for the evaluation of the new skills (special self-evaluation notebooks, evaluation software, standardized tests, computer-assisted testing, practical applications, project-based, investigation-based, portfolio-based evaluations, etc.);

• the concern for the elaboration of customized methods for the communication of school achievements: individual sheets, reports at the end of major training periods, annual reports;

• the creation of a long term national evaluation program also attempting to extend the evaluation to other grades, not only to the 4th grade (1995, 1997, 1998 and 2000) – for instance to the 6th or 11th grade – with a view to monitor the national standards and to investigate school achievements at the respective ages in terms of capacities and skills.

Other opportunities for the development of basic skills Alternative types of education (evening classes, reduced attendance classes, open and distance education, intensive education) for students and persons who dropped out are part of a range of measures meant to facilitate the development of basic skills.

18 The reference objectives of the national curriculum for all subject matters are materialized in the evaluation standards, which cover two levels of performance (minimum and maximum). In order to ensure unitary grades at the national level, evaluation standards must be supplemented by thorough grading criteria. Experiments on such criteria shall be conducted in schools, parallel to the organization of training sessions for the teaching staff dedicated to their correct implementation.

The development of basic skills is achieved not only through formal education projects, but also by supporting and validating the skills acquired in non-formal and informal learning contexts in the case of young persons, adults, vulnerable social groups at risk of social marginalization and of persons needing vocational training or a new professional qualification. The “Second chance” program was designed for young people aged 14 to 25 who graduated from primary education (1st to 4th grades) but dropped out before the completion of compulsory education. Having a duration of 3 years and a half and relying on a specially designed curriculum, the program aims at the development of the key skills necessary upon completion of the compulsory education, providing at the same time vocational training leading to the first level of qualification. Extra-curricular activities and activities outside the school • The national program entitled Education for democratic citizenship (EDC) was launched

in February 2003 by the Ministry of Education and Research. It aims at promoting education for democratic citizenship at the level of both formal and non-formal education, through the development of a curriculum for the grades 1 – 2, 5 – 6, 9 – 10 and of a curriculum for non-formal education activities carried out by Children’s Clubs. The training of the teaching staff in view of the implementation of the EDC curriculum is a distinct component of the program.

• The national program entitled Education for health aims both at integrating the health education component as an optional subject matter within the framework of the formal curriculum (relevant modular curricula for grades 1 to 12 were prepared and approved in 2003) and at the development of this component through the agency of extra-curricular activities and of outside school activities. The main objectives of the program are to educate pupils for a healthy lifestyle and to facilitate the access to sound and reliable information in both urban and the rural areas.

• Other ranges of complementary education developed by the Ministry of Education and Research in 2002-2003: education for health (“AIDS – a solidarity challenge”), civic education (“Bridging cities and villages”), traffic education, sports-based education, environmental education and cultural, artistic and scientific education.

• The Ministry of Education and Research financed contests opened to pupils such as the following: Culture and Civilization, Democracy and Civilization, Sciences of the Earth, Computer Science.

• In order to foster entrepreneurship among young people, the Ministry of Education and Research: - initiated the services under the program entitled “You really can”; - signed, in 2003, a Memorandum with UNPD for the development of specific modules

dedicated to entrepreneurship within the framework of the network of youth centers; - launched a research topic, “Young people and the economic activity” which will result

in the elaboration of an integrated national strategy encouraging the initiatives of young persons;

- carried out the ECONET program (with the support of KulturKontact and of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, within the framework of the South-Eastern European Stability Pact) providing training for 200 teachers and heads of schools.

2.4. Quality education. The key role of teachers As the focus is now on the quality of education, the training of teachers is subject to new approaches. In Romania, the implementation of various reform projects during the 1990s required a growing involvement of teachers in the process of change. The results showed that we still need a long and medium term approach for both the continuous training and the basic training as elements of the current approaches meant to improve the quality of education. At the level of the national policy concerning the situation and the role of the personnel working in the field of education, the declaration and the recommendations of the 45th session of the International Education Conference resulted in the elaboration of two documents referring to the training and career development of teaching staff members. The first document is the Development Strategy for the Pre-university Education in 2001-200419, initiated by the Ministry of Education and Research, which allocates an important place to the project entitled “The Basic and continuous training of the teaching staff and of the auxiliary teaching staff” within the framework of the program entitled Ensuring the quality of the teaching/learning processes as well as of educational services. The project places a special focus on the improvement of the quality of teacher training and aims at achieving the following objectives: • to render the teacher career more professional and to review the didactic hierarchy from

this perspective; • to establish a correlation between the structures and stages of the teaching career and the

educational standards and to generate a professional dynamics through the employment of a system of transferable credits;

• to resize the proportion of the theoretical and of the practical components of the curriculum for the training of teachers;

• the inclusion into basic and continuous training programs of contents an methods facilitating the development of personal and social skills;

• the setting up of a central institutional structure in charge with the accreditation of training programs in order to optimize the continuous training activities for teachers;

• the development of an educational market of continuous training programs based on competition;

• the promotion of a broader range of improvement training courses for the teaching staff and for the auxiliary teaching staff at the level of pre-university education.

These objectives related to basic and continuous training were include in the sectoral strategy of the Ministry of Education and Research entitled the Strategy for the development of the basic and continuous training system for teachers and managers at the level of pre-university education in 2001-200420. The following measures are being implemented within the framework of this strategy: - the elaboration and implementation of national standards for teachers; - the establishment of national curricular standards for basic and continuous training; - the restructuring of the continuous training methodology and the modification of the

system on which the evolution of the teaching career and promotions are based; - the introduction of the system of transferable credits for basic and continuous training;

19 Source: www.edu.ro. 20 Source: www.edu.ro.

- the introduction of “mentoring” within the framework of basic training and the elaboration of a statute of the trainers involved in continuous training programs;

- the modification of the methodology based on which pedagogical training, mentoring and continuous training activities are financed.

The above mentioned measures are meant to lead to the following results: - the improvement in the statute of the teaching staff; - to make the teaching profession more attractive by rendering career stages more flexible

and by relying more on the professional competence criterion in the promotion of the teaching staff and for the continuation of employment on the same position;

- an update of the basic and continuous training curriculum in order to meet the new requirements of compulsory education which now lasts for 10 years and the new education challenges. Increasing attention is also focused on the following fields: education for democratic citizenship, intercultural education, environmental education, inclusive education, computer-based training, development of community-based partnerships, etc.

- the development of new skills of the teaching staff enabling them to actively participate in the process of change and in the enforcement of reform measures.

Here follow some of the measures taken based on the recommendations of CIE: a) measures in the field of teaching staff recruitment: the increase in the proportion of qualified members of the teaching staff (especially in rural areas, where their proportion is lower) at all level of education (see the table below).

Total number of teachers Qualified personnel Level of education

2001/2002 2002-2003 2003-2004

2001-2002 %

2002-2003 %

2003-2004 %

Primary and first stage of junior secondary education

157,592 147,398 144,165 127,335 80.821 130,159 88.322 133,782 92.823

High-school 64,729 60,988 58,925 59,903 92.5 56,853 93.2 57,681 97.9 Vocational 7,154 7,559 7,115 5,835 81.6 6,451 86.5 6,407 90.0

Source: The National Institute for Statistics

As shown in the table, over the last three years, the proportion of qualified teachers increased from 80.8% to 92.8% at the level of primary education and of the first stage of junior secondary education, from 92.5% to 98% at the level of high-school education, and from 81.6% to 90% at the level of vocational education. This improvement in the level of teaching staff training at all levels of education is due to a steady policy in the field of teacher recruitment aiming at the decrease of the number of non-qualified teachers employed in the field of compulsory education. b) Measures meant to encourage the participation of the teaching staff in the decision-making process related to the reform of education were implemented starting from the entry into force of the Law on the transparency of decision-making in the public administration (Law no. 52 published in the Official Gazette no. 70/02.03.2003). The Ministry of Education 21 - 87.3% – urban and 74.8% – rural – at the beginning of the school year 2001-2002. 22 - 93.8% - urban and 83.5 % – rural - at the beginning of the school year 2002-2003. 23 - 97.2% - urban and 89.1% - rural – at the beginning of the school year 2003-2004.

and Research has created for this purpose a forum hosted by the site of the ministry, where the members of the teaching staff have the opportunity to express their points of view on legislation drafts. This consultation mechanism enables the members of the teaching staff to make proposals and suggestions and to express opinions on the initiatives of the Ministry. In addition, another way in which the members of the teaching staff can debate and express opinions on the reform measures taken by the Ministry of Education and Research consists in the periodical meetings organized at the level of education units or of groups of education units, such as reunions of the methodological commissions, pedagogic round tables, symposia or communication sessions. Such meetings also provide a framework for the debate on specific issues the members of the teaching staff are confronted with in their daily activity and a way in which innovation is stimulated and positive experiences replicated. By participating in such meetings, the members of the teaching staff have the opportunity to improve pedagogical practices and to find answers to various questions related to the teaching/learning process. c) Measures meant to support the activity of teaching staff members working in education units located in socially and economically disadvantaged areas. Since the 1990s, the Ministry of Education and Research has been carrying out projects meant to improve the working conditions and the quality of the education process in education units located in rural areas. Here follows a list of some of the actions taken in this respect: • the improvement of working conditions by implementing, in 1997, the Program for the

Rehabilitation of School Buildings, within the framework of which the schools located in rural areas benefited from reconstruction and rehabilitation measures;

• the introduction, from 1998, of a bonus for working in rural areas amounting to 5 – 80% of the salary paid to the members of the teaching staff working in villages based on the distance from urban areas;

• the implementation in the year 2000 of the Program for the Re-launch of Education in Rural Areas financed from a loan from the World Bank; the program started with the setting up of 5 rural centers for the documentation, information and training of the members of the teaching staff, used as resource and innovation units in support for the implementation of reform measures. The program was continued in 2001 with a pilot project meant for the rural schools in 7 counties and dedicated to their endowment with teaching material, resulting in the creation of improved conditions for the teaching/learning activities.

• the implementation of the program entitled Education in Rural Areas, which targets: - the improvement of the teaching/learning process in rural areas by supporting and

assisting teacher and heads of schools in the carrying out of the didactic activities; - the qualification of unqualified teachers (through basic and continuous training and by

providing training materials); - the improvement of the existing conditions for the carrying out of didactic activities

(equipment, teaching materials, rehabilitation of buildings). The National Center for the Training of Pre-university Education Staff was set up in June 2001. Its main functions are the following: - the elaboration of standards for the basic and continuous training of the teaching staff; - the accreditation of the continuous training programs offered by public and private

training providers; - the elaboration of a system of credits reflecting the participation of the teaching staff to

training.

The creation of this institution led to the setting up of a control mechanism for the quality of training programs related to the curriculum, methods, means and to the way these are organized and evaluated. All training ranges are subject to an accreditation procedure based on a specific methodology. Here follow some of the requirements a training program must meet: - to propose a curricular range meeting the needs expressed by the teaching staff and to

contribute to the successful implementation of the national curriculum; - to adjust the methods to the contents approached and to use more interactive methods such

as group activities, case studies, debates, role play etc.; - applied activities must cover two thirds of the program duration; - the introduction of methods and techniques meant to develop the skills required for the

reflection of one’s own didactic activities. - the application of a method for the initiation of the teaching staff in participatory research

in various fields of the didactic and educational activity. The curriculum for the basic and continuous education of the teaching staff was reviewed and updated in order to: - develop new skills of the teaching staff which improve professional autonomy and

responsibility; - ensure a balance between the theoretical and the practical training; - update the curriculum and provide new didactic practices compatible with a democratic

education system which ensures the right to education, and the educational and professional success of all students.

In what concerns the basic and continuous training within the framework of the VET system, considerable efforts were made in order to promote a reform policy in the field of professional training. A central objective of the reform of the VET system consisted in its adjustment to the requirements and changes of the national and local labor market. In this respect the stress was laid on rendering flexible the educational range of the VET basic professional training system through: - the introduction of new profiles, specializations and professions; - the elaboration of new professional training standards in respect of certain professions, in

collaboration with economic units; - the elaboration of new modular curricula for all professions; - the resizing of the proportion of practical and theoretical training in the curricula; - the increase of the proportion of the locally developed curriculum centered on the local

needs of the labor market; - the setting up of vocational schools at the request of employers; - the development of social partnership structures. Within the framework of the Phare VET RO 9405 reform program completed in 1998, the teaching staff benefited from training centered on the following aspects: curriculum standards and development, active training methods, class management, professional orientation and counseling, evaluation and examination, entrepreneurial education, civic education. Training programs for school managers (heads of schools, school inspectors) were also carried out. Such programs were centered on the new role of the schools in the vocational education system in a competitive market economy, on the management of human resources, on planning and evaluation, on the relationship with local and social partners, on interpersonal communication techniques and teamwork, on the democratization of internal school management.

Currently, the objectives of the teacher training component of the second Phare VET program (Phare TVET RO 0108.01) target fields such as: - the promotion of pupil-centered learning through the use of modern work methodologies

to be used in the classroom; - the elaboration and use of teaching materials for pupil-centered learning; - the education of children with special needs; - the integration at work/integration of learning and practical activities; - the vocational orientation; - the use of information technology and the creation of a web site.

2.5. Education from the perspective of sustainable development Sustainable development emerged as an objective of the Romanian education system in the middle of the 1990s. Although it is not a distinct subject matter in the national curriculum, sustainable development is a universal dimension to be found at the level of the appropriate objectives and contents within the framework of other subject matters, as follows: a) The following dimensions related to sustainable development are included in the

methodological guide for the teaching of geography (4th – 8th grades): • The geo-ecological dimension: it reflects the actual problems of the contemporary

world: knowledge of the environment, its conservation and rehabilitation. Pupils shall develop a type of thinking enabling the establishment of a correct, objective and coherent relationship between the individual, the society and the environment. This translates in the shaping of basic attitudes, skills, capacities, abilities and knowledge on the environment.

• The global dimension: it concerns the relationship between the whole planet, the natural and human elements and the elements resulting from the interaction between humans and nature. From the point of view of education, this dimension contributes to the shaping of a universal conscience.

• The human dimension reflects the human society and its spatial and time coordinates in relation with the elements of the environment. The global perception of humankind, of countries and nations enables the correct positioning of each person in a universal perspective. (8th grade, the human geography of the contemporary world).

Some framework objectives of geography directly support sustainable development: • The shaping of a constructive and responsible attitude towards the environment • The understanding of how important the conservation of the environment is • The identification of the ways in which the degradation of the environment can be

fought; • The industrial activity – its beginnings and evolution. The degradation of the

environment caused by industrial activities. • The main characteristics of the environment – synthetic and regional analysis; ways of

combating the degradation of the environment.

b) Civic education (3rd and 4th grades) and civic culture (7th and 8th grades) cover contents related to sustainable education. Here are some of the key concepts to be found in the content of the curriculum: citizenship, interdependency, administration, needs and rights

of the next generation, diversity, quality of life, sustainable change, precaution and uncertainty, civil society and initiative (initiatives of local communities, legislative initiatives), decision making, action and accountability for its consequences.

c) The curricular field of sciences covers: • The observation and interpretation of the natural processes occurring in the environment; • The understanding of the impact of natural processes on human activities and of the

impact of human activities on the environment; • The investigation of interdependencies between and within physical, chemical and

biological systems • The encouragement of pupils to undertake responsibilities and to cooperate. The curricular field of Sciences aims at the development of skills related to communication, individual study, understanding and use of technical information, to the relationship with the natural and social environments; these are supplemented by the development of new attitudes such as: the concern for the natural environment, the interest in reasonable explanations in respect of natural phenomena and the curiosity and creativity in the investigation of the immediate environment. The development of such skills and attitudes shall be based on other knowledge on the environment, individual, on groups of individuals, relationships between individuals and with the environment, on the phenomena and interactions specific of such relations and on the changes in the environment caused by human intervention. The framework objectives to be found in the curriculum for Sciences concern: • The stimulation of an interest in the creation and preservation of an environment favorable

to life • Projects/debates on pollution sources affecting various environments and on the

consequences of pollution • Awareness in respect of the role of certain factors in the creation of imbalances at the

level of various systems d) The curricular field of “Technologies” (5th – 12th grades) comprises the following

framework objectives: • Understanding the technical development and its implications on the environment and on

society • The identification of pollution sources that can affect the quality of life and the

identification of the means to combat such sources • The organization of environment protection activities • The analysis of the influence environmental factors have on the raising of animals and on

the growing of plants • A debate on the effects of metal processing technologies on the environment • Suggestions for the protection of the environment from the pollutant effects of

transportation means • The analysis of the effects of energy generating technologies on the environment • The understanding and use of the specific concepts in the field of ecology and

environment protection • The interpretation of the effects of pollutant factors on the ecological balance • The elaboration of environment protection and pollution fighting measures • An evaluation of the impact of watercourse and agricultural land development on the

environment • Water, air and soil pollution sources and the dispersion of pollutants

• The identification of possible uses of recyclable products. e) The History curriculum comprises a series of contents related to sustainable education.

The issue of “the human being and the environment” is thus touched upon: the use of natural resources, case study, Mesopotamia, the Valley of the Nile.

f) The introduction of Education for health in schools (1st – 12th grades) as an optional

subject matter from the 2004-2005 school year is an important step towards sustainable development. One of the issues covered by the curriculum is the health of the environment (major environmental issues of our society and of the global society; Main sources of pollution at the local, national and global level; The prevention of pollution sources, etc. – www.edu.ro)

All the other subject matters approach various aspects of sustainable development (environment protection, new energies, population development, child protection, regional development, social cohesion) as transversal topics which become more specialized during the following education cycles. Non-formal education has a major potential related to sustainable development. Although still in their pioneering stage, non-formal education projects are more and more present in the Romanian schools. They are promoted both by the schools and by specialized NGOs. Here are some examples in this respect: a) “The Eco-school Program” coordinated at the international level by the Foundation for

Environmental Education – FEE. In Romania the program has the following objectives: • to develop the pupils’ civic spirit and decision-making capacity; • to raise awareness in respect of environmental issues; • the creation of curricular materials related to the protection of the environment; • the organization of national contests dedicated to environmental topics, • the elaboration of projects for the saving of water and energy or for the use of

recyclable waste; • the participation in the national waste collection contest; • suggestions of environmental alternatives of leisure.

b) The project entitled “The Analysis of pro-environmental and anti-corruption policies” carried out by the Center for Psychological Studies and Research – Timisoara has among its objectives the scientific substantiation of the decision made in Romania in the sphere of sustainable education. A symposium was organized within the framework of this project (March 24-28, Timisoara) hosting a working group dedicated to “The opportunities of pro-environmental education in Romania: an analysis of the policies related to the implementation of environmental education at the level of pre-university education”.

c) The organization of the third edition of the ECO-CHALLENGE inter-school ecology

and environment protection contest (March 6, 2004) by Ecotop – an NGO specializing in environmental issues. 120 pupils from Oradea from the 5th, 6th and 7th grades took part in the contest.

d) The Romanian Center for Sustainable Education and Development (CREDD) is a non-governmental association carrying out education activities related to the relationship between human beings and nature for young persons and adults.

Sustainable development is a transversal activity related to both the formal curriculum and to non-formal education. It is achieved through cross-curricular contents that actually involve all the curricular fields. A recent tendency consists in the creation of partnerships between the school and the civil society dedicated to a better knowledge and preservation of the immediate environment and to the carrying out of actual sustainable development projects reaching beyond the environmental dimension. There is a tendency to focus on issues of demography, human rights, and moral responsibility towards the next generations. BIBLIOGRAPHY • The National Curriculum – School Curricula for grades 5 - 8, www.edu.ro

• The National Curriculum. Methodological guide for the application of the civic education

and civic culture curriculum (primary and first stage of junior secondary education).

Under the aegis of the Ministry of Education and Research and of the National Board for

the Curriculum. 2001

• The National Curriculum. Methodological guide for the application of the geography

curriculum (4th and 8th grades). Under the aegis of the Ministry of Education and Research

and of the National Board for the Curriculum. 2001

• The curricular field of technologies. Profile: Natural resources and protection of the

environment, Liceu Series, volume. 7, The Ministry of Education and Research, 2001

• www.edu.ro

• www.infoeuropa.ro

• www.cji.ro

• www.hydrop.pub.ro

• www.un.ro/WSSDinRomania.pdf

• http://www.nc.uk.net/esd

• www.credd.ro

• http://www.caleidoscop.org.ro

• http://www.greenagenda.org

Structure of the basic education and vocational training system in Romania

Legend