1 The Romanian Education System Romania endorses the principle of equal chances in education...

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The Romanian Education SystemThe Romanian Education System

Romania endorses the principle of Romania endorses the principle of equal chances in equal chances in educationeducation regardless of the individual characteristics – regardless of the individual characteristics – physical or mental impairments, cultural or socio-economic physical or mental impairments, cultural or socio-economic background, mother tongue, ethnic origin, geographically background, mother tongue, ethnic origin, geographically remote area of origin etc. remote area of origin etc.

The Ministry The Ministry of Education of Education considers that the education is a considers that the education is a key instrument for preventing social exclusion of key instrument for preventing social exclusion of disadvantaged groups, especially Roma. disadvantaged groups, especially Roma.

In Romania, according to the EducationIn Romania, according to the Education LLaaw (1995, revised w (1995, revised in 200in 20033), education is), education is free and compulsory between the ages free and compulsory between the ages of 6(7) and 1of 6(7) and 166(1(177).).

ROMANIATHE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

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The national education system comprises:The national education system comprises:

• PRE-SCHOOL education (PRE-SCHOOL education (children aged children aged 3 to 6/7)3 to 6/7);;

• PRIMARY education (PRIMARY education (grades grades I I -- IV, IV, children aged children aged 6/7 to 6/7 to 10/11);10/11);

• LOWER SECLOWER SECOONDARY education (NDARY education (grades grades V V –– VIII and grades VIII and grades IX-XIX-X, , children aged children aged 10/11 to 110/11 to 166/1/177););

• UPPER SECUPPER SECOONDARY education NDARY education ((grades grades XXI -I -XII/XIII);XII/XIII);

• HIGHER education (University - 4 to 6 years or University HIGHER education (University - 4 to 6 years or University College - 3 years of studies);College - 3 years of studies);

• CONTINCONTINUUOUS education.OUS education.


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The The NNational Bacalaureate Examational Bacalaureate Exam certifies the pupil’scertifies the pupil’scapacities at the end of high-school and allows capacities at the end of high-school and allows access toaccess toHIGHERHIGHER education system.education system.

OTHER ACCESS WAYS TO

EDUCATION:• Second chance schoolsSecond chance schools (compulsory education and (compulsory education and

professional qualificationprofessional qualification, 3.5 years, 3.5 years););

• ProfessionalProfessional education education (professional qualification in (professional qualification in art and craft schoolsart and craft schools,, 2 or 3 years studies for students 2 or 3 years studies for students with a low rate of school performances);with a low rate of school performances);

• PostPost-high schools-high schools (eg. pedagogical, sanitary, (eg. pedagogical, sanitary, economic profiles, 3 years studies, after Upper economic profiles, 3 years studies, after Upper Secondary Education).Secondary Education).


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RomaRoma registers registers the highest ratethe highest rate of of pre-school and school pre-school and school non-attendance and school abandonnon-attendance and school abandon. . The causes are multiple, and often conjugated, limiting the The causes are multiple, and often conjugated, limiting the access to quality education:access to quality education:

• - - isolated communities, with highly difficult roads and no isolated communities, with highly difficult roads and no means of transportation;means of transportation;

• - the low level of economic development of the areas;- the low level of economic development of the areas; precarious financial situation of the families;precarious financial situation of the families;

- children as working force, in the household activities and - children as working force, in the household activities and agricultural activities;agricultural activities;

- lack of confidence in the education system of Roma - lack of confidence in the education system of Roma families;families;


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- - unqualified teaching staff;unqualified teaching staff;

- parental illiteracy;- parental illiteracy;

- linguistic difficulties, as an important number of Roma - linguistic difficulties, as an important number of Roma have the Romani language as mother tongue;have the Romani language as mother tongue;

- - the issue of missing the ID;the issue of missing the ID;

- - discriminating mentalities towards the Roma population.discriminating mentalities towards the Roma population.


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After After analysing the frequent causesanalysing the frequent causes that resulted in that resulted in school abandon and the lack of education, school abandon and the lack of education, the Ministry of the Ministry of EducationEducation has taken the following has taken the following measures:measures:

- - organising - - organising classes with reduced frequencyclasses with reduced frequency in the in the primary school for illiterate adults;primary school for illiterate adults;

- - organising - - organising home teachinghome teaching for the handicapped persons; for the handicapped persons;

- - setting up - - setting up a Roma inspector positiona Roma inspector position in each school in each school county inspectorate;county inspectorate;

- initiating the - initiating the programme for re-vitalising rural programme for re-vitalising rural educationeducation;;

- - ggranting special placesranting special places in high schools, professional in high schools, professional schools and colleges schools and colleges for Roma pupilsfor Roma pupils;;


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-- - - maintaining in the school network the maintaining in the school network the classes with very classes with very low number of studentslow number of students in the rural areas and in the in the rural areas and in the communities of minorities;communities of minorities;

- - providing - - providing school buses for childrenschool buses for children in schools from in schools from isolated communities;isolated communities;

- - - - providing providing school supplies for childrenschool supplies for children from socio- from socio-economic disadvantaged families;economic disadvantaged families;

- - - - providing providing daily a glass of milk and a croissant for daily a glass of milk and a croissant for childrenchildren in primary school; in primary school;

- in- initiating a itiating a three years open distance-learning three years open distance-learning programmeprogramme for Roma high school graduates in teaching in for Roma high school graduates in teaching in Roma communities.Roma communities.


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The SECOND CHANCE SCHOOLS in The SECOND CHANCE SCHOOLS in RomaniaRomania

In 1999, the Ministry of National EducationIn 1999, the Ministry of National Education,, in in association with an NGO - “Education 2000+”association with an NGO - “Education 2000+” Center, setsCenter, sets the 2CS inthe 2CS in RomaniaRomania, , by a ministby a ministerer order order..

PREMISES AND CONDITIONSPREMISES AND CONDITIONS• the analysis of school dropout in rural areas and in the analysis of school dropout in rural areas and in

roma communities;roma communities;

• a previous Phare VET Programme,RO -9a previous Phare VET Programme,RO -9440055, , developed in developed in 7575 schools from 7 counties; schools from 7 counties;

• good equipment for vocational education and well good equipment for vocational education and well trained teachers in the targeted schools.trained teachers in the targeted schools.


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PRESENTATION OF Romanian 2CSPRESENTATION OF Romanian 2CS

• a flexiblea flexible, specific and adapted, specific and adapted curriculum curriculum for for children/youngsters aged 14 to children/youngsters aged 14 to 25, aiming to offer 25, aiming to offer them the continuation or the completion of them the continuation or the completion of compulsory education and also pre-vocational compulsory education and also pre-vocational preparationpreparation;;

• a flexible timetablea flexible timetable, adapted to the needs of the , adapted to the needs of the students (eg. evening courses);students (eg. evening courses);

• an internal evaluation systeman internal evaluation system and also and also national national standards for evaluationstandards for evaluation (the students have the (the students have the right to be registered for the National Capacity Exam);right to be registered for the National Capacity Exam);

• selectedselected and periodically and periodically trained teacherstrained teachers;;• a school mediatora school mediator, involving in school activities and , involving in school activities and

in communication between the school, the family and in communication between the school, the family and the local community.the local community.


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PRESENTATION OF PRESENTATION OF Romanian Romanian PHARE 2001 ProgrammePHARE 2001 Programme

““Access to education for disadvantaged groups, with a Access to education for disadvantaged groups, with a special focus on Roma”special focus on Roma”

The overall objective of the project is to fight against The overall objective of the project is to fight against marginalisation and social exclusion by improving access to marginalisation and social exclusion by improving access to education for disadvantaged groups, with a special focus on education for disadvantaged groups, with a special focus on Roma and the project purpose is:Roma and the project purpose is:

- to increaseto increase the availability and improve the conditions of the availability and improve the conditions of pre-school education to stimulate early enrolment that is pre-school education to stimulate early enrolment that is critical to children’s social and educational development, critical to children’s social and educational development, particularly for children from disadvantaged groups, particularly for children from disadvantaged groups, including Roma;including Roma;

- to stimulateto stimulate that children finalise compulsory education that children finalise compulsory education (prevention of dropout);(prevention of dropout);

- to provideto provide second chance education for persons who did second chance education for persons who did not complete their compulsory education (correction of not complete their compulsory education (correction of dropout).dropout).


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The resultsThe results of this project will be measurable in August of this project will be measurable in August 2004, at its completion and will include: 2004, at its completion and will include:

• - - training programmes for teacherstraining programmes for teachers working in schools working in schools with disadvantaged Roma population on teaching methods with disadvantaged Roma population on teaching methods adapted to the children needs and specific, intercultural adapted to the children needs and specific, intercultural education, curriculum development etc. available at county education, curriculum development etc. available at county level;level;

• - - Open distance learning programmeOpen distance learning programme, targeted to Roma , targeted to Roma students to become primary and pre-primary school students to become primary and pre-primary school teachers and Romani language teachers;teachers and Romani language teachers;

• - - Roma mediators’ trainingRoma mediators’ training programmes; programmes;

• - - enriched educational offerenriched educational offer developed on the basis of developed on the basis of assessed needs and values of the Roma community;assessed needs and values of the Roma community;


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-- schoolsschools in disadvantaged communities, with a large in disadvantaged communities, with a large Roma population Roma population with suitable human resources and with suitable human resources and proper facilities,proper facilities, able to provide quality education starting able to provide quality education starting with the preparatory class in kindergarten, up to the 8th with the preparatory class in kindergarten, up to the 8th grade and pre-vocational training;grade and pre-vocational training;

-- - - educational equipment and materials in Roma related educational equipment and materials in Roma related teaching subjectsteaching subjects;;

- - co-operation between school and Roma communityco-operation between school and Roma community in in educational matters. educational matters.


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