Romanian education is built on an egalitarian, free-tuition model. Romania’s Constitution, specifically Article 32, guarantees access to free education. The Ministry of National Education oversees and implements regulations regarding education. Every step is governed by distinct laws and regulations and has its own structure. Numerous reforms have been made to Romania’s educational system since the communist regime fell.
For children under five, kindergarten is not required. The second year of kindergarten (grupa mijlocie), which is required in order to enter primary school, is when compulsory schooling typically begins at age 4. Up until the twelfth grade, or the age of eighteen or nineteen, attendance at school is required. The twelfth grade marks the conclusion of the school year’s curriculum.
In Romania, students must complete 15 years of compulsory education, which runs from the second grade to the twelfth grade. The private sector is almost nonexistent in Romanian education, with the exception of kindergarten (preschool) and tertiary education (university). Under the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, education in Romania became mandatory in the 19th century. This was enforced for all children, regardless of gender or social class, and required to be completed for four years in primary school. In spite of this, the law was not upheld, and widespread illiteracy continued far into the 20th century: 43% of adults lacked literacy in the 1930s. In the 1950s, the Romanian literacy campaigns that had begun in 1948 had virtually eliminated illiteracy.
In Romania, education received very little attention between 1990 and 2003. As a result, the generation that went through school during this time was illiterate, and this was especially true for the Roma population living in rural areas. 2011 saw the implementation of a new law.
After years of political discussion about the length and format of mandatory education programs, this law was finally put into effect. The legislation was never put into effect in its original form, which called for moving the ninth grade to middle school. After the preparatory school year was added to the mandatory primary education program in 2012, the required education program was made up of two years of high school or vocational school, four years of middle school or gym, and five years of primary school. Two more years of optional high school existed. 2020 saw the addition of the final two years of high school and the final year of kindergarten, making the total length of compulsory education 14 years.
Children in kindergartens receive preschool education, typically spanning three forms: „small group” for those ages three to six, „middle group” for those ages four to five, and „big group” (grupa mare) for those ages six to six. The last form will be required starting in 2020.
Since it became required in 2012, the „preparatory school year” is for children ages 6-7 and typically takes place in a school. As part of the primary education stage, the preparatory school year is a prerequisite for entering the first grade, as stated in Article 23 of Education Law No. 1/2011.
Primary school consists of the preparatory year and the following four grades of primary school, followed by four additional grades (gymnastic grades 5–8). Less than 2% of elementary school pupils attend private schools, according to data from the Ministry of Education. The majority of elementary schools are public. The future student is automatically enrolled in the school closest to his or her residence, barring earlier school choice by the parents. Reputable schools often receive a deluge of requests from parents, sometimes even two or three years in advance. One drawback of this is that classes are often held in two shifts, starting as early as 7 a.m. and ending as late as 8 p.m. in many schools.
2012 saw the implementation of the „preparatory school year,” which is now required in order to enroll in first grade. Article 23 of the Education Law No. 1/2011 states that the preparatory class is an obligatory component of primary education. For the majority of subjects, primary school classes are instructed by a single teacher, orînvățător. Only a few specialized subjects—sports, modern languages, etc.—are given additional teachers. After primary school, the curriculum is more varied. For example, a student in the fourth grade (10–11 years old) might have the following every week.
Bibliography
„Art. 32 – Dreptul la învățătură”. Constituția României.
„Legea Educatiei Nationale”.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Romania