1. National Education System

2. GENERAL PROVISIONS The educational ideal of the Romanian school is the free, full and harmonious development of human individuality, the formation of autonomous personality and assuming a value system that is necessary for personal fulfillment, development and employability.

3. The State shall ensure the Romanian citizens equal access to all levels and forms of secondary and higher education and to lifelong learning, without any forms of discrimination. In Romania education is a national priority.

4. Principles Some of the principles governing school education and lifelong learning in Romania are:  the principle of equity - without discrimination;  the principle of quality;  efficiency principle - which aims to achieve maximum educational results;

5.  Guaranteeing the cultural identity of all Romanian citizens and intercultural dialogue;  the principle of assuming, promoting and preserving national identity and cultural values ​​ of the Romanian people;  the principle of recognizing and guaranteeing the rights of national minorities;  ensuring the principle of equal opportunities;

6.  The content and format of education are established by Government decisions.  For national education funding is allocated annually from the state budget and local government budgets, not less than 6% of gross domestic product of the year.  Education is free.  Education can be supported through scholarships, education loans, fees, donations, sponsorships, own sources and other legal sources.

7.  In Romania, the educational act can take place in Romanian, in minority languages ​​ and in international languages.  In schools, learning the Romanian language as the official language is compulsory for all Romanian citizens.

8.  The state supports pupils with problems and social needs as well as those with special educational needs.  The state ensures scholarships to pupils and students from poor families and also to those who are institutionalized.  The State shall grant prizes, scholarships, camps and other incentives to pupils and students with school and academic performance and outstanding results in their professional education and training or cultural activities and sports.

9.  The State guarantees the right to education for all persons with special educational needs. Special education and integrated education are part of the national education system.  Lifelong learning is a right guaranteed by law.  The State encourages the development of public and private partnerships.

10. PRE-UNIVERSITY SCHOOL EDUCATION  The compulsory education route is of 10 classes and comprises primary and secondary levels.  The obligation to attend 10 class education, in the form of full frequency, stops at the age of 18.

11.  In order to achieve the aims of education and training through the national education system, state high schools are widespread and free.  During schooling in secondary education, except post-secondary education, attendants benefit from state allowance for children under the law conditions.

12.  Curricula of primary, secondary and vocational school disciplines include religion as part of the core curriculum. Students belonging to religions recognized by the state, regardless of their number, are ensured their constitutional right to participate in religion classes, according to their own confession.

13.  Pre-university education system benefits from openness. In school education, students’ transition from a school unit to another, from one class to another, from one profile to another and from one branch to another is possible under the conditions stipulated by the methodology developed by the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports.

14.  Students with outstanding academic performance may promote 2 years of study in a school year at the decision of the school, based on a methodology approved by the Minister of National Education, Research, Youth and Sports.

15. The structure of the national pre-university education system  The national educational system consists of the following levels: a) Early education (0-6 years), consisting of the before pre-school level (0-3 year) and pre-school level (3-6 years), which includes the youngest, the middle and the oldest groups;

16. b) primary education, including a preparatory class and classes I-IV; c) secondary education, including: i) lower secondary education, including classes V to IX; i) upper secondary education, including high school grades X-XII/XIII, with the following areas: theoretical, vocational and technological; d) vocational education, lasting between 6 months and 2 years; e) nonuniversitar tertiary education, including post-secondary education.

17.  Compulsory education comprises primary and lower secondary education.  The organization forms of school education are categorized as full frequency and reduced frequency.  For children with special educational needs or homebound for medical reasons education can be organized at home or around nursing units.

18. School Network In the pre-university system study formations comprise groups, classes or years of study, as follows: a) Pre-school education: a group comprises an average of 7 children, but not less than 5 and not more than 9 (0-3 years); b) Pre-school education: a preschool group comprises on average 15 children, but not less than 10 and not more than 20 (3-6 years);

19. c) Primary: an average class comprises 20 students, but not less than 12 and not more than 25; d) Secondary education: an average class comprises 25 students, but not less than 12 and not more than 30; e) High school: an average class comprises 25 students, but not less than 15 and not more than 30; f) Secondary education: an average class comprises 25 students, but not less than 15 and not more than 30;

20. g) Special education for students with mild or moderate disabilities: an average class comprises 10 students, but not less than 8 and not more than 12; h) Special education for students with severe disabilities: a group contains an average of 5 students, but not less than four and not more than 6. Notwithstanding the previous points, in localities where there is demand for education in the mother tongue as in the case of some national minorities, the number of formations of study may be lower than the minimum stipulated by law.

21. Pre-university school education curriculum  The national curriculum represents a coherent framework made of educational plans and school study routes for pre-university education.  The number of hours allotted to disciplines from the framework curriculum is maximum 20 hours per week at primary school, 25 hours per week at secondary school and 30 hours per week in high school. These hours are devoted to both teaching and assessment, as well as learning in class, assisted by the teacher.

22.  Regarding the national curriculum, compulsory disciplines have a share of 80% in the framework curriculum within the compulsory education and 70% in those at high school level.  Concerning the same curriculum, optional subjects have a share of 20% in the framework curriculum for compulsory education and 30% in the high school.  For each discipline and field of study curriculum covers 75% of teaching hours and assessment, the teacher being left with 25% of the discipline / field time of study. The latter type of time can be dedicated to remedial work or to stimulating performance.

23.  The national curriculum for primary and secondary education focuses on eight areas of training key competencies determining the student profile: a) communication skills in Romanian and in their native language, if minorities; b) communication skills in foreign languages​​; c) basic skills of Math, Science and Technology; d) digital literacy to use information technology as a tool for learning and knowledge; e) Social and civic competences; f) entrepreneurial skills; g) cultural awareness and expression skills; h) competence of learning to learn.

24. Assessment of learning outcomes  The purpose of assessment is to guide and optimize learning.  Evaluation results are expressed in grades for elementary school, or in marks (1 to 10) for secondary education.

26.  Educational portfolio includes all diplomas, certificates or other documents obtained by assessing the acquired skills or by participating in learning activities in different contexts, and it also includes products or outcomes of these activities in formal, non- formal and informal learning.  The portfolio assessment is central to learning. It is used beginning with the early classes and represents the student's educational identity card.

27. The structure and characteristics of different assessments  At the end of the eighth grade, based on a methodology developed by the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports, national assessment is rendered compulsory for all students. Assessment results are expressed by a score similar to that of the international tests. Evaluation is made through the following tests: a) a written test in Romanian language and literature; b) a written test in the mother tongue; c) a written test in Mathematics;

28. The admission in high schools is made as function by the admission average, calculated as the sum of two figures divided by two. The figures represent the average of the last four years of study and the written exams average.  After completing secondary school, students attend high schools or vocational schools.  Students who have passed class XII / XIII will take the national baccalaureate exam.  The national baccalaureate exam implies the following tests:

29. A) for assessing language skills in Romanian oral communication; B) oral communication in the mother tongue for pupils who attended high school in a minority language ; C) language competence assessment in two foreign languages ​​ studied during high school; D) digital skill assessment. E) Written assessment regarding skills acquired during high school, as follows: a) written test in Romanian language and literature; b) written test in mother tongue language and literature; c) two written tests, differentiated by each profile.  Issuing of qualification certificates is not conditioned by passing the baccalaureate exam.

30. The presented material has been inspired from the National Education Law no. 1/2011