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3. COMPULSORY EDUCATION
According to Article 6 of the Education Act,
all Romanian citizens must receive education
for a period of eight years after pre-primary
education. (The last year of pre-primary
education is also compulsory). The
Regulations on Pre-university Education
contain guidelines on the organisation of
primary and secondary education.
This eight-year period includes primary
education (years 1-4) and lower secondary
education at a gimnaziu (years 5-8).
Compulsory education covers the 7- to 15-
year-old age group. According to the law, the
obligation to attend school terminates when
pupils are 16 years old or when they have
completed lower secondary school,
whichever occurs first.
According to Law 151/30.07.1999,
compulsory education lasts 9 years instead
of 8; the first generation concluding 9 years
began lower secondary education (the 5th
grade) in 1998/99. The leaving examination
of lower secondary education, for this
generation will be held at the end of the 9th
grade in 2004.
3.A Primary education
In accordance with the Education Act
84/1995, primary education provides general
education for the first four years of school.
Children can obtain primary education both in
Romanian or in the language of one of the
national minorities.
Primary education focuses on the mental and
physical development of children. More
specifically, primary schools help the children
to:
- learn the Romanian language (listening,
speaking, reading, writing) as a means of
communication;
- learn to count and practise the four basic
arithmetical operations, and oral and
written calculation;
- acquire knowledge, respect and interest
for the environment;
- acquire basic scientific knowledge;
- acquire basic skills;
- develop an awareness of moral and civic
values;
- develop a love for their country and a
respect for the historical past of the
Romanian people;
- develop their own personality
harmoniously;
- acquire sporting abilities and receive
health education;
- develop civilised behaviour and moral
qualities: honesty, truthfulness, respect
for parents, people and work.
The learning process is carried out in
coeducational classes, which on average
have 20 pupils, with a minimum of 10 and a
maximum of 25. In regions with a reduced
number of pupils, classes may have fewer
pupils. As a result, teachers work with more
than one class simultaneously, if the Ministry
of National Education gives its approval.
Primary education covers the 7- to 11- yearold
age group. Children are invited to attend
school in their seventh year. At the request of
their parents or legal guardians, children can
attend school in their sixth year, if they have
reached an appropriate stage of physical and
mental development.
There are no entrance requirements for
primary education. Primary school
attendance is compulsory. In the school year
1997/98, the attendance rate was 96% for
primary education as a whole. Primary
education is completely free of charge.
3A.1 Organisation of the school
Primary education is provided in three types
of school, offering the same structure of
education, but covering different levels:
- schools with years 1 to 4;
- schools with years 1 to 8 (institutions
covering primary and lower secondary
education);
- schools with years 1 to 12 (or 13) ROMANIA
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(institutions covering primary and full
secondary education).
Usually, primary schools operate only in the
morning with one set of pupils per day. Pupils
attend five days per week. The organisation
of the school year 1998/99 in primary
education was the same for the rest of preuniversity
education: two semesters of study
(34 weeks), a summer holiday, winter and
spring holidays (Christmas and Easter), and
three one-week holidays (beginning of
November, end of January, beginning of
June).
Classes are organised according to age
group; the same classroom is generally used
for all subjects. Subject teachers are free to
recommend a certain textbook to their pupils. 3A.2 Curriculum
The main objective of the primary education
curriculum is to provide an all-round
education. The following aspects are given
special attention:
- scientific knowledge about the world and
human beings, the environment and
environmental protection;
- knowledge of the national language and,
beginning in the 3rd year, of foreign
languages;
- knowledge of mathematics;
- knowledge of history and civics;
- artistic education (painting and music);
development of a sense of the aesthetic;
- sports and physical education;
- health education;
- knowledge of human and children's
rights and the development of democratic
behaviour.
The old education plan for primary schools
covered five fields of study: humanities,
artistic, scientific, physical and religious
education. Starting from the school year
1998/99, the single education plan for
primary schools has been replaced with a
curriculum framework, which allows schools
to design their own timetable schemes; the
core curriculum represents 80% and 20% of
the curriculum is determined by the school.
The curriculum framework covers seven
curricular areas: language and
communication, mathematics and natural
sciences, people and society, arts, physical
education, technologies, counselling and
guidance. The number of hours allocated to
each of these fields varies with their
importance.
Teaching methods are not imposed by official
regulations, but there are some
recommendations concerning alternative
textbooks, homework, use of ICT for didactic
purposes. In regions with a reduced number
of pupils especially in rural areas, the primary
school teacher has to provide simultaneous
teaching to two or more classes, and having
regard to the relevant curriculum, syllabi and
textbooks. The teacher may also provide
differentiated teaching to small groups of
highly gifted pupils.
Curricular
Area/Subject-matter
Until 1997/98
Order No.
4634/03.08.1995
In 1998/99
Order No. 4150/13.07.1998
I II II
I
I
V I II III IV
I Language and
communication 9 1
0
1
0 9 7-9 7-9 7-9 7-9
II Mathematics and
natural sciences 4 5 5 5 3-4 3-4 4-6 4-6
III People and
society 1 1 2 5 1 1 2-3 3-5
IV Arts 2 2 2 2 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3
V Physical
education 3 2 2 2 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3
VI Technologies - - - - 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2
VII Counselling and
Guidance - - - - 0-1 0-1 0-1 0-1
Total 2
0
2
1
2
2
2
4 - - - -
Core Curriculum 2
0
2
1
2
2
2
4 16 16 18 18
Minimum number of
hours/week - - - - 18 18 20 21
Maximum number of
hours/week - - - - 20 20 22 23 3A.3 Assessment/Certification/
Guidance
Starting from the school year 1998/99, a new
evaluation system has been implemented in
primary education, allowing for assessment
based on these performance levels: higher,
intermediate and minimum.
Pupils are assessed continuously by the
class teacher. Primary schools organise
compulsory summative assessments at the
end of each semester. There are also
assessments at regular intervals in the form
of school exercises, especially in the basic
subjects.
The following scale has been established:
very good, good, sufficient and insufficient.
A teacher can compel a pupil to repeat a
class if the marks obtained are not
satisfactory. There is no examination at the
end of primary school.
The County Centres for Psycho-Pedagogical
Assistance have competencies in
educational guidance and in assisting
teachers and parents to ensure the proper
development of children. ROMANIA
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Generally, the learning process is managed
by a single teacher for each class (învățător
or institutor); some subjects (religion, foreign
languages, physical education and music)
are taught by specialist teachers (profesori).
Primary school teachers are învățători trained
in teacher-training high schools and institutori
trained in university colleges (short-duration
university education). Training in university
colleges lasts for two years (for students from
a teacher-training high school) or three years
(for those from other types of high schools).
New legislation stipulates that starting from
1999, the initial training of all teachers of
primary education will be provided
exclusively by university colleges.
The specialist teachers (profesori) have a
diploma and have completed a long- or a
short-duration form of higher education,
depending on the subject they are teaching.
Primary school teachers are civil servants.
Generally, they are permanently engaged
and work full-time or part-time. During a
period of five years the teaching staff must
follow in-service training courses (100 hours),
delivered by teacher-training high schools,
Teachers' Resource Centres, university
colleges or teacher training departments in
universities. 3A.5 Statistics
Number of pupils 1,356,138
Total teaching staff 67,136
Teachers for primary school
învățători, institutori) 62,858
Specialist teachers
(profesori) 4,278
Number of institutions 13,672
Source: National Commission for Statistics,
Bucharest, 1998. 3B Compulsory Secondary
Education (Gimnaziu)
Lower secondary education provides general
education and covers the last four years of
compulsory education. The general
objectives of lower secondary education are:
- to transmit knowledge and instil respect
for the cultural and historical heritage;
- to develop basic skills and working
methods ;
- to develop communication skills in a
foreign language;
- to promote personal development;
- to motivate pupils to continue learning;
- to stimulate pupils' creativity and
initiative;
- to prepare pupils for adult life.
Lower secondary education generally covers
the 11- to 15- year-old age group. The
learning process is carried out in
coeducational classes, which have an
average of 25 pupils (a minimum of 10 and a
maximum of 30). Classes are organised
according to age-group.
Pupils who have completed primary
education are automatically moved up to
compulsory secondary education. There are
no other entrance requirements and school
attendance is compulsory. In the school year
1997/98, the attendance rate was 91%. The
lower secondary studies are completely free
of charge. 3B.1 Organisation of the school
Lower secondary education can be provided
in two types of school (offering the same
structure of education):
- schools with years 1 to 8;
- schools with years 1 to 12 (or 13).
Generally, compulsory secondary schools
operate in two shifts: classes in the morning
and classes in the afternoon. Exceptionally,
compulsory secondary schools can offer
evening classes or extra-mural classes for
pupils who are two years or more older than
other pupils in the respective classes. ROMANIA
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The school year has the same structure as
the rest of pre-university education (see
3A.1). There is an average of 5-6 hours per
day. 3B.2 Curriculum
The old education plan for compulsory
secondary schools covered six fields of
study: humanities and social education, basic
science education, artistic education,
technological education, physical education,
open discussion.
Starting from the school year 1998/99, in
compulsory secondary education, a new
curriculum-framework has been
implemented, comprising the core curriculum
(75%) and the curriculum determined by the
school (25%). The curriculum framework
covers seven curricular areas: language and
communication, mathematics and natural
sciences, people and society, arts, physical
education, technologies, counselling and
guidance. The number of hours allocated to
each of these fields varies with their
importance.
The new curriculum framework was
implemented in the school year 1998/99
exclusively for the 5th year; classes for the
6th, 7th and 8th year could operate with
transition plans, based on the old curriculum,
but they had to use new syllabi, reviewed
and updated for all subjects. The new
curriculum framework will be fully
implemented in the school year 1999/2000.
Teaching methods are not imposed by official
regulations; teachers may choose
appropriate teaching methods and
recommend one of the existing alternative
textbooks, depending on the specific
conditions.
Curricular
Area/Subject matter
Until 1997/98
Order No.
4634/03.08.1995
In 1998/99
Order No. 4150/13.07.1998
V V
I
V
II VIII V VI VII VIII
I. Language and
communication 7 8 8 9 7-9 6-9 6-9 6-9
II. Mathematics and
natural sciences 6 9 1
0 10 4-6 6-7 7-9 7-10
III. People and
society 5 5 6 6 3-5 3-5 4-6 6-7
IV. Arts 2 2 2 2 2-3 2-3 2-3 1-2
V. Physical
Education 2 2 2 2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2
VI. Technologies 2 2 2 2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2
VII. Counselling and
guidance - - - - 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2
Total 2
5
2
9
3
1 32 - - - -
Core Curriculum 2
5
2
9
3
1 32 19 20 22 23
Minimum number of
hours/week - - - - 22 23 25 26
Maximum number of
hours/week - - - - 25 26 28 29 3B.3 Assessment/Certification/
Guidance
Starting from the school year 1998/99, a new
assessment system has been implemented in
compulsory secondary education. Pupils are
continuously assessed by the teacher. In
addition to continuous assessment, a
compulsory summative assessment is
undertaken at the end of each semester.
Written tests, especially in basic subjects, are
held in each assessment session. The results
of various assessments carried out during the
semester are taken into account in the final
mark awarded at the end of each semester.
Pupils pass to the next class if they obtain for
each subject, at the end of the school year, a
mark higher than, or at least equivalent, to 5
(on a scale from 1 to 10); if they fail, they have
to repeat the school year. The decision
concerning whether each pupil moves up to
the next class is made by each subject
teacher.
Lower secondary education ends with a
national examination (examen de capacitate),
organised on the basis of the methodology
developed by the Ministry of National
Education. The examination includes the
following subjects: Romanian language and
literature, mathematics, Romanian history and
Romanian geography. Pupils belonging to
national minorities and studying in languages
of the national minorities have a
supplementary examination in the language
and literature of their minority.
Pupils have to pass this examination to receive
a leaving certificate (certificat de capacitate).
This certificate entitles them to apply for the
entrance examination for upper secondary
school.
The County Centres for Psycho-Pedagogical
Assistance and the Information and
Counselling Centres on Career perform
services concerning psycho-pedagogical
assistance and provide information on careers
and labour market.
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3B.4 Teachers (Profesori)
Lower secondary school teachers (profesori)
have a diploma and have completed a
specialised short- or long-duration form of
higher education depending on the subject
they are teaching.
Every subject in lower secondary education is
taught by specialist teachers. Technological
education is taught by engineers. Practical
training is supervised by instructors. In rural
areas, agriculture is taught by biology
teachers. Open discussion sessions are taken
by one of the class teachers who is also
responsible for coordinating the educational
activities of the class and maintaining relations
with parents.
Teachers' status and their in-service training
are the same for the whole pre-university
education (see 3A.4).
3B.5. Statistics
Number of pupils 1,166,675
Total teaching staff 98,305
Teachers 94,559
Instructors 3,746
Number of institutions 7,583
Number of pupils/lower secondary education
teacher (years 5 to 8) = 11.8
Number pupils/compulsory education teacher
(years 1 to 8) = 15.2
Source: National Commission for Statistics,
Bucharest, 1998. ROMANIA
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4. POST-COMPULSORY SECONDARY EDUCATION
The national legislative framework governing
post-compulsory secondary education is set
out according to the Education Act No.
84/1995, the Regulations on High School
Education and the Regulations on Vocational
Education. Teaching activity in postcompulsory
secondary education is based on
education plans designed for high schools
and vocational schools.
Post-compulsory secondary education
covers general and sectoral high schools and
also vocational schools.
4A GYMNÁZIUM
(SECONDARY GENERAL
SCHOOL)
The general objectives of high schools are as
follows:
- to develop an autonomous and creative
personality;
- to acquire basic elements of general
education;
- to allow pupils to continue their studies in
higher education;
- to develop civic behaviour according to a
democratic society;
- to develop skills for the integration of
graduates in socio-economic activities.
High school courses lead to higher
education. Sectoral high schools also provide
an additional certificate leading to
employment. High schools are mostly public
(99%) but a small number of them are private
(13 in 1997/98). Teaching is carried out in the
Romanian language, but there are also high
schools where the teaching is carried out in
the languages of the ethnic minorities.
Most high schools function as independent
institutions. Some function together with
lower secondary and primary schools, and
some are integrated in combined groups of
schools (technical high schools) together with
vocational schools.
There are three types of high schools:
general, vocational and technical. All types
give access to higher education and most of
them also offer a qualification and therefore
the opportunity to obtain a job after
graduation.
High school education covers the 15- to 19-
(20-) year-old age group and the attendance
is compulsory for day classes. In the school
year 1997/98, the high school attendance
rate was 51%. Classes are coeducational
and are organised according to age group.
Classes have on average 25 pupils, a
minimum of 15 and a maximum of 30.
In order to be admitted to these schools,
pupils apply to sit an entrance examination,
after they have completed general
compulsory education and obtained a leaving
certificate (certificat de capacitate). Pupils
can apply for the examination to gain access
to high schools (day classes) immediately
after lower secondary school or two years
thereafter. If they are more than 17 years of
age, they may not attend day classes.
Public post-compulsory secondary education
is free of charge, but pupils have to pay for
textbooks, except those coming from
economically disadvantaged families.
4A.1 Organisation of the school
(General/Sectoral High Schools)
High school education is organised as
follows: day classes over a four-year period
(year 9 to 12) and evening classes or extramural
classes over a five-year period (years
9 to 13). The latter are designed for those
who are involved in other activities in addition
to the school programme. All high schools
work two shifts: classes in the morning and
classes in the afternoon. For those offering
evening classes, there are three shifts.
The school programme consists of an
average of 6 hours per day and 30 hours per
week, with some differences, according to
the type of high school and the year of study.
Pupils attend classes five days per week.
The school year has the same structure as
the whole pre-university education (see
3A.1).
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The teaching process is organised by subject
and teachers are free to recommend one
from several alternative textbooks.
4A.2 Curriculum
Starting from the year 1998/99, high schools
have been able to use their own transition
plans based on the old education plan, but
they have had to use new reviewed and
updated syllabi for all subjects. The
education plan covers five groups of
subjects:
- Humanities and social education
(Romanian language and literature, two
foreign languages, world literature,
history, psychology, logic, economics,
philosophy and also Latin, Greek,
aesthetics, history of music, etc.);
- Basic scientific education (mathematics,
physics, chemistry, geography, biology);
- Optional subjects (e.g. for basic scientific
education, laboratory techniques applied
to Physics, Biology, or Chemistry,
Information Science, History of Science.
For humanities and social education,
elements of conservation, reconstitution
and museum organisation, shorthand
and typing, general linguistic and literary
theory, elements of archaeology and
palaeography);
- Physical education;
- Open discussion (civics, health
education, ecological education).
The importance of each group varies
according to the profile of the high school,
the greatest variations being at the level of
humanities/social and scientific subjects. In
certain high schools, such as those for art,
sports, technology or economics for example,
optional subjects usually take up 30% of the
total number of hours.
In high schools for the humanities (philology
schools, language schools, history-social
sciences schools), the humanities and social
subjects are emphasised, representing
approximately 50 to 60% of the teaching
time, scientific education having a share of
25 to 30%.
In science high schools (mathematicsphysics,
physics-chemistry, chemistrybiology),
scientific education is given most
attention, representing approximately 50% of
the teaching time, whereas education in the
humanities has a share of about 30%.
In teacher-training high schools, humanities
and science education have a similar share
each about 30% of the time; about 30% is
dedicated to specific training (methods,
educational psychology, art).
In high schools for technology, agriculture,
forestry, economics, etc., the humanities,
science and specific training are of equal
importance. In the last two years of study,
attention focuses on specific training.
For the last two types of high schools, the
educational curriculum includes number of
hours of specific practical activities in
businesses, schools and other institutions.
These activities are given greater importance
in the last two years of study.
Teaching methods are not imposed by official
regulations; teachers may choose
appropriate teaching methods and
recommend one of the existing alternative
textbooks, depending on the particular
conditions. Starting from the year 1999/2000,
high schools will use a new curricular
framework.
4A.3 Assessment/certification/
guidance
Pupils are subject to continuous assessment
in all subjects. The assessment is mostly oral
and individual, based on numerical marks
from 1 to 10. For some subjects, pupils are
given written assessments during the
semester. Written tests, especially in basic
subjects, are held in each assessment
session. The results of various assessments
carried out during the semester are taken
into account for the final mark obtained at the
end of each semester.
Pupils pass to the next class if they obtain for
each subject, at the end of the school year, a
mark higher than, or at least equivalent, to 5
(on a scale from 1 to 10). Responsibility for
the assessments lies with the teachers. They
decide (depending upon the knowledge
acquired) if a pupil should be required to
repeat a class or not. Pupils in the last two
years of study are subject to tests set by the
County School Inspectorates.
The high school ends with a final national
examination (examen de bacalaureat), under
the aegis of a commission established by
County School Inspectorates. Article 26 of
the 1995 Education Act establishes the
subjects covered by the final examination:
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- Romanian language and literature -
written and oral;
- language and literature of the national
minorities - for pupils doing their studies
in one of the languages of the national
minorities;
- mathematics - written; in humanities,
theology, art and sports high schools,
pupils can choose a humanities subject
instead - written;
- Romanian history - oral;
- one of the foreign languages studied -
oral;
- an optional subject - physics, chemistry,
biology, Romanian geography - oral;
- an optional subject, chosen by the pupil,
different from the above subjects - oral.
After obtaining their leaving certificate
(diploma de bacalaureat), pupils can apply
for the entrance examination to gain
admission to higher education. If pupils
studying in sectoral high schools pass an
additional examination (involving practical
and written tests) on a specific subject they
obtain a certificate (atestat profesional)
granting access to a job.
Pupils are allowed to move to a vocational
school. The Management Board of the
vocational school decides if an additional
examination is necessary.
The County Centres for Psycho-Pedagogical
Assistance and Information and Counselling
Centres on Careers perform services
concerning psycho-pedagogical assistance
and provide information on careers and
labour market.
4A.4 Teachers (Profesori)
In high schools, all subjects are taught by
specialist teachers, who hold a diploma and
have completed a long course of higher
education, depending on the subjects they
are teaching. Technological education is
provided by engineers, trained in technical universities.
Teachers teach the same subject in several classrooms. Every class has a class teacher who coordinates the education activities of the class and maintains relations with parents.
Teachers' status and their in-service training are the same for the whole of pre-university education (see 3A.4).
4A.5 Statistics
1997/1998
Type of high school Number of
pupils
enrolled
Number of
graduates
(1996/97)
Number of
teachers
Number of
institutions
Total 765,903 182,643 63,669 1,309
General High Schools 308,295 75,148 19,264 448
Sectoral High Schools 457,608 107,495 44,405 861
Rodica Barlau-2002