 Education is the public sector that has seen the largest number of changes in post-communist Romania, changes which have not necessarily led to better results. On the contrary, the system seems to have turned into the victim of its own reforms, and is far from the quality standards required for such an important area.
In this context, where pessimism accompanies each ministerial appointment, the current minister, Remus Pricopie, made public some of the ideas that, he argues, might lead to beneficial changes. Some of them are to increase the number of students in vocational schools and to get local authorities and businesses involved in the activity of such schools.
Remus Pricopie: “While this year we have 10,600 students, next year we hope to have 20,000 students involved in this dual system. The advantage is that, apart from the theoretical dimension, there is also a substantial practical dimension, tailored to the needs of the business environment. Moreover, there is also a social component, because at present these children get the highest grants in the education system. So not only is this system functioning, but since I took the post I’ve had a lot of meetings with business people, with representatives of the embassies in Bucharest, which are interested in having highly skilled labour for the companies that come and invest in Romania.”
Because of the recurrent scandals accompanying it, the Baccalaureate exam has become, in the past few years, the ultimate test for the ministry’s organisational capacity. Minister Pricopie discussed this topic as well:
Remus Pricopie“It would be a mistake to have difficult tests in this year’s Baccalaureate exam. But easier tests would also be a mistake. Starting this year, we have a differentiated curriculum and we will have differentiated exam questions. We are not talking at present about changing the structure of the Baccalaureate.”
The Education Minister would also like to introduce digital textbooks.
Remus Pricopie: “As of September, children will have their traditional textbooks on their benches, but a digital version will also be available online. We live in a digital age, so on the one hand we have to adapt school to the times we live in. On the other hand, research indicates that when using digital instruments, the learning process is a lot faster. In my opinion, this is not an option, but an obligation.”
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2025-04-03
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