The Romanian Educational System “Mihai Eminescu” National College, Iasi, Romania Kick-off Meeting, Van, October 30th and 31st, 2013

Summary  The Education System in Romania  Priorities of the Education Policy  Iasi County School Inspectorate  School Management

Structure of the Education System

Pre-university education  10 grades of compulsory education: I - X Young people leave compulsory education at the age of 16, when the law allows them to integrate on 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  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

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 school The 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 list Teacher guidelines are usually elaborated by the National Board for Curriculum

Curriculum  National Curriculum:  Core Curriculum (60-70%)  Differentiated Curriculum (15-20%)  Schools’ Educational Offer:  Differentiated Curriculum  School-based Curriculum (15-20%)  Extra-curricular activities  Special Needs for students with deficiencies or high performance capacity

Curricular Areas  Language and communication  Mathematics and natural science  People and society  Arts  Physical education  Technologies  Counseling and guidance

Class size, school year & timetable  Class sizes - depend on the educational level:  25 …but for economic reason now are students in one class !!  School year:  36 weeks  15 th of September starting date  Ending date in 20 of June  Timetable:  50 min. classes / 10 min. breaks  Morning or afternoon classes

Teachers  Initial training:  Higher education for all levels of education (primary, secondary)  Professional development:  On the job confirmation (definitivat)  Didactic grade II  Didactic grade I

Priorities of the Education Reform  Ensuring access to and improving quality of education for everyone  Rural area  Disadvantaged groups (Rroma minority and SEN)  Developing human resources for the knowledge society  The eLearning initiative  Reform of compulsory education  Development of the TVET

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

Governance of the Education System Ministry of Education County School Inspectorates NCCNSAE PEEAC NCPTST NCTVETD NCTEAD Schools TTHTTHLDC LCSS NCE Other units NCC – National Council for Curriculum NSAE – National Service for Assessment and Evaluation PEEAC – Pre-university Education Evaluation and Accreditation Commission NCPTST – National Centre for Pre- university Teaching Staff Training NCTVETD – National Centre for TVET Development NCTEAD – National Council for Textbooks Evaluation, Approval and Distribution NCE – National Centre for Excellence CSI – County School Inspectorates TTH – Teacher Training Houses LDC – Local Development Committee for Social Partnership in VET LCSS – Local Council School Service

County School Inspectorate General Inspector Deputy General Inspector Accounting Legal counselor Secretariat Curriculum & inspection Evaluation & prognosis Inspectors: pre-school education primary education education for minorities rroma education special education extra-school activities curriculum subjects Inspectors: management & evaluation private education educational alternatives teaching staff mobility professional development European programs gifted students Administrative staff ICT development Services: school network & enrolment teaching norms & retribution Control & audit Administration council Advisory board Deputy General Inspector Development & community

The main objectives of the County School Inspectorate  To ensure coherence between the national strategy and local education process;  To develop the implementation of local and regional programs;  To set up public education units – kindergartens, primary schools, gymnasiums and art and trades schools;  Together with the local public administration, to ensure high educational standards, as well as the development of the material resources in all schools, according to the present national standards;  To supervise, monitor, support and evaluate the activity of teachers of all subjects at pre-university level  To organize in-service teacher training courses for school teachers and managers in collaboration with the Teacher Training House  To develop curricular and extracurricular projects and activities at the local, regional, national and international level

School management

Director’s responsibilities:  To plan, organize, coordinate, monitor and evaluate the entire educational process in the school and the institutional development of the school  To manage the human resources of the school  To manage the financial resources of the school  To administrate the school

School management Main papers to be elaborated by the director: TThe medium term (4-year) institutional development project of the school TThe semester and annual evaluation reports TThe annual management plan and the semester implementation programmes FFinancial & material resources development projects AAnnual school’s budget project

Number of compulsory language hours LevelOptional/ compulsory 1 st language2 nd language Pre-schoolOptional Primary school grades I –II grades III –IV Optional Compulsory 1h / week 2h / week - General school (grades V - VIII) Compulsory2h / week High school (grades IX-XII) Compulsory2h / week VET schools (grades IX-X) Compulsory2h / week-