1. Romania Project methodology

2.   Some 44.47% of Romanian high school students passed the 2011 Baccalaureate last week - the lowest graduation rate in the history of the country. According to data provided by education authorities on Sunday, the extremes were reported in the counties of Caras Severin (24.82% graduation rate) and Suceava (65.03% graduation rate, as compared to 87.39% in 2010).  The graduation rate for the first Baccalaureate session last year stood some 20 percentage points above this year's - 67.4%, and that was the lowest for the past decade. Since 2000, the graduation rate had never fell before 75% at national level. Romania 2011 Baccalaureate shocks nation as less than half students pass exam (HotNews.ro, 4 th of July 2011)

3.   On Monday, Education minister Daniel Funeriu said in a press conference that the results of the Baccalaureate exam showed clearly that Romania was at a crossroads as "these results and the behavior that generated them are the mirror of our society today. Our nation must choose between going with honest, working, persevering people and cheat, non-work, superficiality and dodging rules".  He congratulated the 90,765 high school students who graduated the Baccalaureate.  But he said that in the light of the results Romania itself was at stake.

4.   Media debates starting Sunday focused on the possible causes for the situation, spreading from the lack of parental involvement, the disinterest of teachers who had their already low wages cut significantly last year to the shifts in youth behavior and lack of student interest in learning and preparing for a career.

5.   Young high school graduates that didn’t pass the baccalaureate exam.  15 learners were identified by contacting 2 high schools from Arges County.  They defined their goals as:  Passing the baccalaureate exam in June 2012  Achieving new competences at this time in their life – taking professional courses that don’t need a baccalaureate degree  Finding a temporary job Learner’s Profile

6.   Experimented high school university teachers  5 mentors were identified from 2 high schools in Arges County and from the University of Pitesti.  The mentors were selected using structured interview guidelines, which were applied by professional psychologists from the Psychology Department of our institution. Mentor’s Profile

7.  We used the criteria agreed in the project partnership discussion in Grandola:  Listen attentively  Guide learners, without directing them  Encourage learners to define and pursue goals  Advise and support learners to overcome difficulties  Help learners to increase their employability and improve their social skills  Help learners to improve their communication capabilities For the mentors selections