ROMANIA

ROMANIA

ROMANIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Education Act 1995 Basic principles

• Education is a national priority • Education is based on democratic values • Romania endorses the principle of equal chances in

education regardless of gender, individual characteristics – physical or mental impairments, cultural or socio-economic background, mother tongue, ethnic origin, religion etc.

• Minorities have a right to education in their own language

• Public education is tax free

Pre-university education recent changes in the Education Act

• Beginning of compulsory education at the age of 6 • 10 grades of compulsory education: I - XConsequence:

Young people leave compulsory education at the age of 16, when the law allows them to integrate the work market

• Change in the structure of secondary education, giving young people the opportunity to enter vocational education and training inside compulsory education, through the art and trades school

• A vocational path with progressive certification

University education recent changes

* Introduction, in the legal provisions, of the Bologna decisions:

• First cycle (3-4 years), leading to bachelor degree

• Second cycle (1-2 years), leading to master degree

• Third cycle (3 years), leading to PhD* Implementation of the European transferable

credits system * Restructuring of university specializations

4Post high school

Tertiary education-

non university3

Non compulsory18 XIII

3

High school- upper cycle -

Upper secondary

3

17 XII

High school-upper cycle-

216 XI

Completion year

15 X

2

High school-lower cycle-

Arts and trades school

Lower secondary

1

Compulsory

14 IX

13 VIII

General school

-

12 VII

11 VI

1

10 V

9 IV

Primary schoolPrimary

education

8 III

7 II

6 I

5 Preparatory group for

school0 Kindergarten

Pre school education

Non compulsory

4 Middle group

3 Beginners

Age Grade ISCED Education levels Qual. Type

>1965

University - master Tertiary education - university

54

NoncompulsoryUniversity - bachelor

Curriculum The curricular framework includes:• The core curriculum (common core and differentiated curriculum),

containing the compulsory subjects and the number of allocated hours, designed and approved at national level

• The school based curriculum, designed at the level of the schoolThe syllabus• for the core curriculum subjects, the syllabus is elaborated by

commissions of specialists, it is endorsed by the National Board for Curriculum and approved by the minister of education

• For school based curriculum, the syllabus is designed at the level of the school and approved by the specialty inspector of each county

Text books • Alternative textbooks can be elaborated for the same syllabus• The ministry approves the textbooks which can be used in schools• The teachers have the right to choose the appropriate textbook,

from the approved listTeacher guidelines are usually elaborated by the National Board for

Curriculum

FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN ROMANIA

• The study of the first language begins in 3rd grade, at the age of 9

• The second language is introduced in the 5th grade, at the age of 11

• Children can begin the study of the first language in 1st grade, as an optional course

• At parents request, one language can be studied in kindergarten

Foreign languages taught in the Romanian education system

• English - 2,500,000 students

• French - 1,885,207 students

• German - 240,000 students

• Russian - 90,000 students

• Italian - 11,428

• Spanish - 11,019

• Portuguese, Modern Greek, Japanese

Number of language hours- intensive study classes -

• Begins in 5th grade, can continue until 12th grade

• 4 hours of foreign language study/ week

• Students pass a language test, in order to be admitted

The process Education and Training 2010

Romania has adopted and explicitly mentioned in thecurriculum the 8 domains of key competences:- Communication in the mother tongue- Communication in foreign languages- Mathematical literacy and basic competences in science

and technology- ICT skills- Learning to learn- Interpersonal and social competences - Entrepreneurship - Cultural awareness

Consequences

• Introducing the second foreign language in all types of high schools, from 9th to 12th grade

• The existence of a compulsory foreign language, in the curriculum for the arts and trades schools

• The existence, for qualifications such as commerce or tourism, of a module, integrated in the specialty area: Communication for professional aims, in a second foreign language

• The existence, in each qualification in the VET system, of a unit of competency : communicating in a foreign language

Training pathways

DIRECT

PATHWAY

PROGRESIVE

PATH.

Inferior cycle of technological

highschoolIX and X grades

School of arts and tradesIX and X grade

Superior cycle of technological

highschoolXI and XII grades

Completion yearXI grade

Superior cycle of technological

HighschoolXII and XIII grades

Bacalaureat

Post highschoolHigher education

Level 3

Level 3

Level 2

Level 1

Level 3+

Levels 4 and 5

Qualifications and Curriculum in IVET

Level Domains/

Profiles*

Qualifications Comments

1 16 45 Progressive pathway

2 18 137 Progressive pathway

3 3* 22 Direct pathway

34 Progressive pathway

3+ 15 114 Post-high school

Qualifications and Curriculum in IVET

QUALIFICATIONS IN IVET

• Training standards

• Described in terms of learning outcomes

• Developed in partnership with the social partners

• Validated by the Sectoral Committees

Qualifications and Curriculum in IVET

• TRAINING STANDARDS

• Competence unit titles

• Level

• Credit value

• Competencies/ learning outcomes

• Performance criteria

• Range statements

• Assessment criteria

Qualifications and Curriculum in IVET

QUALIFICATION STRUCTURE• Key skills units – common for all qualifications

from all the domains

• General technical units – common for all qualifications within the same domain

• Specialized technical units – specific for each qualification

Qualifications and Curriculum in IVET

DOMAIN A DOMAIN B

Q 1 Q 2 Q 3 Q 4 Q 5 Q 6

KEY SKILLS UNITS

GENERAL TECHNICAL UNITS GENERAL TECHNICAL UNITS

SP

EC

IAL

IZE

D

TE

CH

NIC

AL

UN

ITS

SP

EC

IAL

IZE

D

TE

CH

NIC

AL

UN

ITS

SP

EC

IAL

IZE

D

TE

CH

NIC

AL

UN

ITS

SP

EC

IAL

IZE

D

TE

CH

NIC

AL

UN

ITS

SP

EC

IAL

IZE

D

TE

CH

NIC

AL

UN

ITS

SP

EC

IAL

IZE

D

TE

CH

NIC

AL

UN

ITS

Qualifications and Curriculum in IVET

CURRICULUM• based on training standards• modular• locally developed curriculum adapted to the

relevant qualifications at local and regional level• modules on key units• student centred methodologies of teaching and

learning• methodologies adapted to students with SEN• evaluation and certification based on standards