Radio România Internațional

Tag: education

  • February 26, 2025

    February 26, 2025

     

    TALKS Romania’s interim president Ilie Bolojan is holding consultations today with each parliamentary party, regarding Romania’s position at the extraordinary European Council due at the beginning of next month. In this complicated and dynamic context with changes at international level, Romania may have to adjust its foreign policy to the new challenges, Ilie Bolojan explained in a video message. “However, there are things that will not change, namely Romania’s national interests, a safe country, a prosperous country, a trustworthy country, at peace with its neighbours,” the interim president explained. “We are a safe country because we benefit from solid defence guarantees. We owe our security and that of Europe to the NATO shield and the guarantees entailed by the Strategic Partnership with the US. The presence of US and Allied troops on Romanian territory has done nothing but strengthen the security of Europe, and we will advocate for them to stay. The EU membership has ensured our progress as a country during these years. European investments and funds, access to markets and opportunities have generated prosperity and better living conditions. It is a path we must continue on”, Ilie Bolojan added. Also today, the interim president takes part in a conference call with the leaders of EU member countries, during which the French president Emmanuel Macron presents updates on his recent meeting with the US president Donald Trump.

     

    PARLIAMENT A no-confidence motion tabled by the self-styled sovereigntist opposition against the Romanian government is to be discussed and voted on this Friday. The signatories say that the current Cabinet is illegitimate, has lost its credibility as some of its members are linked to individuals involved in a high-profile criminal case, and is failing to implement its own governing program, in which it promised, among other things, an increase in pensions and allowances. Also in opposition, the declared pro-European USR announced that it would not back the motion. The ruling coalition comprising the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania say Romania needs serious solutions, not image strategies.

     

    UKRAINE Kyiv announced an agreement was reached with Washington on the joint development of Ukrainian mineral resources and the reconstruction of the country after the invasion launched by Russia 3 years ago. The deal, about which few details are known, could be signed in Washington this Friday. The arrangement was agreed after the US president Donald Trump demanded access to key Ukrainian minerals as compensation for the aid given to Ukraine in the war with Russia. Official sources quoted by Western media say that Washington has given up initial demands of USD 500 billion in revenues from natural resources, but has not provided the firm security guarantees demanded in exchange by Ukraine, which would be negotiated at a later date.

     

    VATICAN Pope Francis, 88, still in critical condition with double pneumonia, “spent a quiet night and is resting,” the Vatican said on Wednesday morning, the 13th day of his hospitalisation. According to the latest updates released on Tuesday evening, his condition is stable. The hospitalisation, the 4th and longest since the beginning of his term in 2013, raises serious concerns as Pope Francis is already weakened after a string of health problems in recent years, from colon and abdominal surgeries to difficulties walking.

     

    INVESTIGATION The former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu, a pro-Russian extremist, was taken in for questioning under a warrant by the General Prosecutor’s Office, judicial sources told AGERPRES. On Wednesday morning, prosecutors conducted dozens of searches across five counties, in a case related to the financing of his election campaign, the establishment of a fascist, racist or xenophobic organisation, as well as to promoting a cult of individuals guilty of genocide. Targeted by the investigation is also a close associate of Georgescu, Horaţiu Potra, the leader of a mercenary group that operated in Africa. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, investigations are conducted in this case for offences including actions against the constitutional order, failure to comply with the weapons and ammunition legislation, unlawful operations with pyrotechnic materials, public incitement, initiating or forming an organisation of a fascist, racist or xenophobic nature, as well as joining or otherwise supporting such a group. Investigations are also conducted for the public promotion of the cult of persons guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, as well as the public dissemination of fascist, extreme right, racist or xenophobic ideas, views or doctrines.

     

    CORRUPTION Twenty individuals have been detained over bribery charges in an investigation into illicit activity in the Port of Constanta (south-eastern Romania). Among others, the head of the Constanta branch of the Social Democratic Party, Ion Dumitrache, and several officers for the Maritime Ports Administration were detained. According to Anticorruption prosecutors, in 2024 and 2025 several businessmen allegedly promised and gave public officials bribes ranging from EUR 2,000 to 100,000, as well as other goods, to help them develop their businesses in the Constanta Port area, by speeding up asset transfer procedures, extending a waste collection contract, winning tenders or ensuring exclusive access to certain berths. The businessmen in question have allegedly promised an estimated EUR 6 million in bribes. The Bucharest Court dismissed prosecutor’s request for pre-trial arrest of 7 of the defendants, placing them under court supervision instead. Similar requests for another 13 defendants are yet to be heard.

     

    EDUCATION The Romanian education minister Daniel David has encouraged all stakeholders’ involvement in the development of high school framework plans. In a fresh roundtable on the topic held in Iași (northeast), the minister promised that proposals would be taken into account, and the documents may be amended, as has already happened following discussions and meetings in recent weeks, since the projects were submitted for public review. He warned that high school curricula are of critical importance, given the high level of functional illiteracy in various fields. David explained that, after this construction period, the high school curricula will be tested in various schools. The public review period ends next week, on March 6, and the final documents are to be presented in early May. (AMP)

  • High school curriculum, under debate

    High school curriculum, under debate

    The Romanian Education Ministry is preparing a reform of the high school curriculum, adjusted to current needs.

     

     

    The reform of the high school curriculum in Romania is currently in the attention of the Romanian Education Ministry.  Minister Daniel David, participated in Iaşi (northeast) in a debate on the draft framework plans for high schools. He called on all interested parties, students, teachers and parents alike, to get involved in the process of developing them, saying that if good ideas emerge from the debates, the documents will be modified accordingly, as it has already been the case after the discussions and meetings in recent weeks, after the projects were put up for public debate. Education Minister Daniel David: “There were a lot of good ideas that emerged and are still emerging along the way. We are in the stage where we are building. I encourage you to go a little further in the coming weeks, to come up with simulations.”

     

    The Minister emphasized the high level of functional illiteracy in various fields and the fact that many of the adults who graduated from high school have worryingly low skills, which is “intolerable for a modern country, which has other ambitions in Education”. He also explained what the next steps are. Daniel David: “After the framework plans, we will have to move to the second stage, namely to rethink the contents so as to make them relevant, attractive, less dense, so that we also have time for consolidation, for remedial activities, to think about how to apply the knowledge acquired, to everyday life. Another step, after we decide on the contents, will be related to the textbooks, how we put those contents in attractive textbooks. And in parallel, we will also do training for teachers, to make sure that these contents and the textbooks that we will have, are taught using modern education techniques, which manage to transfer competences to the minds and behavior of children and are not mere knowledge on paper.”

     

    The framework plans for high school must focus on topics relevant to the labor market and integrate practical learning experiences, to increase student involvement and their degree of understanding, the ProEDU Parents’ Federation said in turn. Its president, Eugen Ilea, said he is preparing a series of proposals that he wants to send to the ministry by the end of this week and specified that parents are also asking that the emotional well-being of students be ensured, as well as the inclusion of topics regarding mental health, stress management and personal development. The public debate period ends next week, on March 6, and the final form of the documents is expected to be presented in early May. The new framework plans will be introduced starting with the 9th grade of the 2026-2027 school year. (EE)

     

  • The European Commissioner Roxana Mânzatu in Bucharest

    The European Commissioner Roxana Mânzatu in Bucharest

    Shortly after taking office, the European Commissioner nominated by Romania, Roxana Mânzatu, visited her home country in an official capacity.

     

    A member of the Social Democratic Party (in the ruling coalition) since 2000, when she was 20 years old, a former Deputy in the national parliament and a former MEP, with a brief term as minister for European funds, the Romanian politician is one of the vice-presidents of the new European Commission, in charge with “People, Skills and Preparedness”. In this capacity, she said, she manages around 20% of the European Union’s multiannual budget.

     

    At a meeting in Bucharest on Tuesday with Romania’s acting president, Klaus Iohannis, she discussed the role of education in fighting disinformation and manipulation, as well as in strengthening the democratic resilience of European societies.

     

    According to the Romanian Presidency, the head of state pointed out that areas such as artificial intelligence, security and defence have a major social component, and the success of these policies depends on society’s preparation and knowledge.

     

    One of the topics discussed with the Social-Democratic PM Marcel Ciolacu and his ministers of labour, European funds and education was the so-called “Compass”, a plan by Brussels to restore EU competitiveness. “We cannot be competitive without well-trained human resources and without good working conditions. The point of this compass is to guide future policies, financing (…) We prioritize new technologies, innovation, access to financing, the elimination of cumbersome administrative procedures, a lot of simplification, coordination between member states. But we can only do all this if we have workforce that is prepared and motivated to work in the respective sectors,” Commissioner Mânzatu argued.

     

    In February, she announced, the EC will launch the Clean Industrial Deal, a plan for the industrial decarbonisation of the continent, which she claims is “pragmatic, focused on interventions in important sectors that can ensure strategic autonomy for the European economy.” The automotive industry, among other sectors, is taken into account, which Roxana Mânzatu says is very relevant for Romania, has ensured Europe’s global leadership and provides 13 million jobs in the Union.

     

    In an exclusive interview for Radio Romania, Roxana Mânzatu said she regretted that there are not enough Romanian beneficiaries in the research and innovation areas in the relevant programmes launched by the Commission. “I told all my colleagues, we are fully open to working even better with European money, so that people can feel the impact of these funds even more,” the Commission vice-president concluded. (AMP)

  • Access to contraceptive methods in post-communist Romania: 35 years on

    Access to contraceptive methods in post-communist Romania: 35 years on

    Romanian society has a troublesome past regarding reproductive health. The country’s troubled past began in 1966. We recall that back then a decree was issued, targeting the Romanian population’s accelerated increase. For the previous generations of the communist regime, access to contraceptive methods was on the brink of illegality, while pregnancy termination was described as a crime.

    But what is Romanians’ relationship with the contraceptive methods, today?

    Andrada Cilibiu is a feminist activist for the FILIA Centre and an expert in sexual and reproductive rights. Here she is, with details on that.

    ” Given there is no free-of-charge contraceptive method especially for the most vulnerable of us women, there is no info or comprehensive sexual education in schools, therefore, it is all clear the use of contraceptive methods use is bound to be low. Which is worrying, considering two aspects: 1) an increasingly growing rate of sexually transmitted infections about which we do not speak that much as, unfortunately, in Romania, this topic related to reproductive health and sexual rights still is a taboo topic, while another aspect is related to teenage pregnancy, to the unwanted pregnancies and to a society that, unfortunately, describes contraception as being similar to abortion, and that is something we do not want.

    We want all women to have access, first of all, to contraception, to information, to sexual education and to safe pregnancy termination procedures. Yet we noticed that in the last 10 years, unfortunately, we have seen a throwback as compared to how Romanian society looked like a decade ago. “

    Andrada Cilibiu has told us how, in the years 2000, in Romania, a family planning network was established, offering access to individual discussions, with specialised physicians, about contraceptive methods, about fears and emotional deadlocks on sexual relations, pregnancy or other aspects of reproductive health.

    Furthermore, expert Andrada Cilibiu added, the network offered free contraceptive methods, while the discussion on sexual education was carried in rather more positive terms. According to the expert, what happened was that those medical doctors retired without training other specialists and without the network receiving other resources.

    Moreover, the years 2000 were marked by massive progress made in the preparation for gaining accession into the EU, which called for complying with certain standards. In another move, Republic of Moldova is mentioned as a positive example, with specialized clinics for youngsters aged between 10 and 24 who benefit from free-of-charge reproductive health services. When asked where we can borrow the good practices from, Andrada Cilibiu answered:

    “By all means from the comprehensive sexual education models we find in the Northern countries or in the United Kingdom or in the Netherlands where sexual education is made, in some of the countries, from the very early years, with info which is accessible to children, mainly laying emphasis on consent and on bodily autonomy, and then, taking one step after the next, as children grow, coming up with other pieces of info on healthy emotional and sexual relationships.

    We have examples of good practice regarding pregnancy termination also provided by the Netherlands, by France, a country which has fairly recently introduced, in its Constitution, the access to abortion rights. We also have Spain, for instance, with a very good programme of contraceptives distribution. But, in fact, most of EU member states have national contraception plans and offer free-of-charge contraception, especially among adolescents and young people, mostly, but also among vulnerable groups. Romania, in fact, is in this minority cluster of countries that do not have, do not offer free contraception at all.”

    In the spring of this year, the Filia Center launched the study “Care for democracy. The political interests of women in 2024”, with a chapter dedicated to the use of contraception by women in Romania today. According to it, 37% of respondents reported using contraceptive methods in the past 10 years, 62% said they had not, and 1% refused to answer. Of the group of women participating in the study who used a method of contraception, 63% used the condom, 55% the contraceptive pill, 42% the withdrawal method, 38% the calendar method, 24% the morning-after pill (considered more of an emergency measure) and in much smaller percentages more invasive methods, such as the IUD, tubal ligation, or contraceptive implants.

    At the European level, the World Health Organization is sounding the alarm regarding the worrying decrease in condom use by teenagers. The WHO study was conducted between 2014 and 2022, included more than 240 thousand adolescents from 42 European countries, and showed that condom use by 15-year-old boys decreased by 9% between 2014 and 2022 (from 70% to 61).

    For girls, the percentage dropped from 63% to 57% over the same time frame. The same study showed that 30% of girls and 22% of sexually active boys in Romania did not use a condom or any other form of contraception during their last sexual intercourse. Andrada Cilibiu says:

    “Unfortunately, I see many young people rather using pornography as a frame of reference on how to have safe sex. There’s a lot of confusion among them, and they end up believing a lot of myths and stereotypes and having a lot of anxieties about their body image, about the romantic or emotional relationships they get into, about sexual relationships, and so on.

    Having neither in the family nor, more importantly, at school, an authority figure to give them information validated by science, and that enters this area of comprehensive information about sex education, unfortunately we leave our young people to their own devices. As a result, they end up having sexual relationships, or enter into relationships where they do not recognize the violence, they do not recognize that what is happening to them is not ok. In this regard, we especially need compulsory and comprehensive sex education for everyone, without parental consent, youth-friendly sexual health services.”

    At the regional level, another study published in 2022 by the British medical journal The Lancet showed that, while the average choice of a condom as a contraceptive method in Eastern Europe (by those who choose to use one) is 37 .8%, in Romania, the percentage does not reach 31%. The calendar method, on the other hand, is used by 19.9% of Romanians who choose a contraceptive method, compared to 5.9% in Eastern Europe. The withdrawal method is preferred by 12.8% of Romanians, and by 10% of respondents from the region.

  • September 24, 2024

    September 24, 2024

     

    BUDGET The government of Romania approved the adjustment of the state budget, social security budget and unemployment insurance budget, taking into account the macroeconomic forecasts made by the National Forecast Commission. The indices on which the adjustment is based include a revised 2.8% economic growth rate, an updated GDP of nearly EUR 353 bln and a 6.9% budget deficit. The adjustment focuses on 4 major areas: supporting investments, education, healthcare and social programmes for citizens.

     

    UN The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, is taking part on Tuesday and Wednesday in the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, held in New York. The central theme of the current session is ‘Unity in diversity for the progress of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone everywhere.’ The president’s participation in the UNGA this year is, according to the presidency, an opportunity to highlight Romania’s contribution to the global effort to step up progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Mr. Iohannis will give an address on Wednesday in the plenary meeting, when he will plead for maintaining multi-lateral dialogue, especially within the UN, as a key element of regional and global security. The Romanian official will also underscore Romania’s efforts and contribution at all levels to solving current global issues, from security crises such as the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, to major challenges for mankind, including climate change, the deterioration of human rights and cyber threats. Mr. Iohannis will also plead for a reformed UN system, able to meet all current and future challenges in an efficient and transparent manner.

     

    AMBASSADOR Romania is, along the other EU member states, among the main guardians and contributors in the field of human rights, the Romanian Ambassador to the UN, Cornel Feruţă, said in an interview to AGERPRES. He emphasised that Romania has a well-defined profile in terms of promoting international law, of a rule-based international order and the rule of law. According to the Romanian diplomat, the country has credibility in the international community thanks to its openness and willingness to support partners in various parts of the world, especially in Africa, Asia – Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean, in fulfilling goals related to sustainable development and to strengthening public sector capabilities. Romania also intends to remain involved in defining global policies to fight climate change. The Romanian diplomat also said the dynamics in the diplomatic community in New York reflects the developments at global level, specifically the war of aggression waged by Russia for over 2.5 years against Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 tragedy.

     

    EDUCATION The Romanian education minister, Ligia Deca, is taking part today in a conference themed ‘A bright future beyond borders: Investing in early childhood education and care’, organised by UNICEF Moldova, Romania and the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia jointly with the LEGO Foundation. According to the education ministry, the conference is aimed at developing a shared view and deep understanding of the importance of high-quality early childhood education and care systems, including essential elements such as learning through play, consolidating partnerships and facilitating know-how exchanges in order to step up the development of high-quality early childhood education and care systems in Moldova and Romania. Success stories will also be presented, concerning the inclusion and integration of Ukrainian refugee children in Moldova and Romania.

     

    FLOODS The Danube flow rate upon entering Romanian territory will be 8,000 cubic meters per second at most, on September 29-30, the Romanian Waters Administration announced. Based on current information, the risk of major problems caused by the propagation of floods to the Romanian segment of the river is low, explained the institution’s spokesperson, Ana-Maria Agiu. In turn, the chairman of the Board of Hidroelectrica, Karoly Borbely, promised that the high level of the Danube waters entering the country can be handled safely. (AMP)

  • September 6, 2024

    September 6, 2024

    EXPO “As strategic partners and as NATO allies we stand together in the face of Russia’s unprovoked and illegal aggression to support Ukraine and strengthen collective deterrence and defence within the Alliance”. The statement belongs to the ambassador of the United States in Bucharest Kathleen Kavalec and was made during the photo exhibition marking 25 years of Strategic Partnership between the two countries inaugurated in Galati, Romania’s biggest port on the Danube. Entitled “We the people” the aforementioned photo exhibit is exploring the security, diplomatic, cultural, economic relations between the two peoples.

     

    RELATIONS Romania’s Chamber of Trade and Industry, also known as CCIRR, has extensively promoted the economic relations with Japan and Romania can represent a business opportunity for Japanese companies given the performances obtained by the Romanian entrepreneurs in the fields of IT&C, green energy and innovative technologies – the CCIRR president Mihai Daraban said. On Thursday he had an official meeting with the Japanese ambassador in Bucharest, Katae Takashi, who underlined the importance and potential of the economic cooperation between the two countries. The diplomat says that Japan sees Romania as a strategic partner in Eastern Europe and encourages the Japanese investors to explore the business and investment opportunities here.

     

    EDUCATION Poverty is severely affecting school performance, training practices are discriminatory, some students end up unmotivated and most of them would like to emigrate – a report drawn up by the Save the Children organization says. According to European data, school dropout is affecting an increasing number of Romanian children. A 16% dropout rate was reported among the students in Romania’s secondary education in the 2022-2023 school year and 25% among high-schoolers. High dropout discrepancies have been reported in various environments, 3% in the big cities, 14% in the country’s smaller cities and 27% in the villages. At national level, two out of five students in the country’s secondary education system have failed to pass their final exams. Their number is 2.5% higher in the rural area.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania’s national football side is today making its debut in the fresh season of the Nations league. The Romanians will be first taking on Kosovo away, while on September 9 they will be playing Lithuania in a home game. Romania’s group C also includes Cyprus. A first place means direct promotion to the B League whereas the runner-up will play a tie match to get promotion. A fourth position means demotion to the D League, whereas a third position will keep our side in the same C League until the next edition. Our side’s qualification for the Nations League’s group will have a direct effect over the European preliminaries for World Cup 2026. The Romanian national side is being coached by a football and coaching legend, Mircea Lucescu, who comes back at its helm after an absence of almost four decades. The former headcoach, Edward Iordanescu, stepped down after Euro 2024, when Romania had made it to the round of 16.

     

    WEATHER The weather remains warm in Romania, but it’s expected to gradually turn unstable. Showers have been reported in the east, south and south-west and are to extend to the other regions in the next couple of hours. The highs of the day are ranging between 24 and 33 degrees Celsius, with 27 degrees in Bucharest at noon. Hydrologists have today issued a code yellow alert for flooding for six counties in the country’s east and south-east.

    (bill)

     

  • Sore points of the situation of children in Romania

    Sore points of the situation of children in Romania

    Recently, the organization Save the Children Romania published an x-ray of the situation of minors in our country, their conclusions including 10 extremely critical points. Among them are problems that have been going on for many years and which, although well known, have not been corrected. For instance, one out of five Romanian children does not finish school on time, annually over 7,000 Romanian children are born to underage mothers, almost 1,200 of these mothers are on their second or even third birth, over half a million children have recently had at least one parent who went to work abroad, and in the countryside, the infant mortality rate continues to be significantly higher compared to the urban areas (6.5 vs. 4.2 per thousand). Besides these problems, there are others, perhaps less discussed in the public space, but equally serious. One of these problems concerns the emotional or mental health of children. More than 41% of 15-year-old girls have sleep-related problems, while 57% of them frequently feel nervousness.

     

     

    The advocacy director of the Save the Children organization, George Roman, draws attention to this issue: “Emotional wellbeing refers to the way in which the authorities understand how to invest in the mental health and protection services for children who need extra support, such as children with special educational needs or children with disabilities. And we dont have any positive scores. Even the World Health Organization highlighted the fact that there are children in Romania with problems related to sleep and self-control. Sometimes they feel isolated, excluded from their groups, in educational institutions or in the community. They need money to have psychological counseling sessions, because the social services, the general directorates for the protection of childrens rights have a very limited number of psychologists, not all of them are trained to provide counseling or psychotherapy, and there are few and overcrowded non-governmental organizations. For example, at the Save the Children Organization Mental Health Center children have to wait for several months, between 3 and 6 months, to benefit our free-of-charge services.”

     

     

    Part of the childrens emotional problems are also caused by the lack of parents who have gone to work abroad. Moreover, the mirage of going abroad also attracts the young people, who seem to have grown up with such ideas in mind.

     

     

    George Roman: “More than half of the children do not want to remain in Romania, and two of the essential reasons mentioned by the children are related to the quality of the education system. About one third of them said they want to leave because of this very issue, because school is not attractive, and they cannot achieve professional and educational development in Romania. But there is also an important number of them, quite significant in our opinion, who want to leave because here they feel the threat of poverty: between 21% and 22% of the children have said that. They don’t want to live as poor people in Romania, but go and try their luck in other countries, and many most probably took the example of their own parents.”

     

     

    Another extremely serious aspect is sexual abuse. Out of all criminal complaints involving victims among minors, less than 20% end up with the indictment of the aggressors. The advocacy director of the Save the Children organization, George Roman, is back with details: “We seem to be the least interested in fighting this phenomenon of sexual abuse. Apart from several well-trained professionals in the legal system, there is little investment in social policies at the national level. I can give you an example, a program that Save the Children organization has developed in the past two years jointly with the General Directorate for the Protection of Children’s Rights in Bucharest’s District 6. This is, I believe, one of the few examples in which a child involved in legal situations receives the necessary protection during the hearings, so that they can avoid further trauma or stress caused by these hearings which are quite numerous, sometimes their number reaching 14. A child who has been the victim of sexual abuse would otherwise be forced to recall the trauma he or she experienced before all those who are directly or indirectly involved in legal procedures. And I am speaking here about the repeated hearings with police officers, prosecutors, courts and other institutions.”

     

     

    In the very few situations in which sexual abuse cases against minors are brought to courts, the aggressor is rarely indicted and 3 out of 5 sentences are suspended. Which means the aggressors can return to the community where their victim also lives, says George Roman, advocacy director with Save the Children organization. He hopes that the X-ray of the situation of children in Romania will also register improvements next year. (LS, db)

     

  • December 29, 2023 UPDATE

    December 29, 2023 UPDATE

    BUDGET President
    Klaus Iohannis Friday promulgated the state budget law and the social security budget
    law for the year 2024. Next year, Romania’s budget will be focused on
    investments of about 7% of the GDP, as well as on an economic growth rate of
    3.4%, while the budget deficit is estimated at 5% of the GDP. The government
    passed the bills on December 15, and the budgets were endorsed five days later
    by the joined chambers of the Romanian Parliament.


    PARLIAMENT Romania’s Senate Friday dismissed 3 bills
    tabled by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania regarding the autonomy of the Szeklers Land, a
    region in the centre of the country. The
    initiatives were rejected by the Chamber of Deputies on Thursday. At the
    plenary talks, the MPs from all the other parties stressed that the bills came against
    several articles in the Constitution and harmed the rule of law, while the
    initiators argued the opposite, saying that territorial autonomy worked in a
    number European states. The bills provided for the Covasna and Harghita
    counties and a part of Mureş county becoming autonomous, as part of a region
    with legal personality. In that presumed autonomous entity, the Hungarian
    language would have had the same status as the official language of the
    Romanian state. The land would also have its own president, elected for a
    four-year term by universal ballot. The so-called Szeklers Land, the only area
    in Romania where the Hungarian population is the majority, benefited from
    autonomy between 1952 and 1968. According to historians, this was an experiment
    in Soviet-occupied Romania imposed on Bucharest by the Kremlin dictator Joseph
    Stalin, at the insistence of the communist leaders in Budapest. The ethnic
    Hungarian population in Romania has been represented, without interruption, in
    the Parliament of post-communist Romania since 1990 until today, by the
    Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians. Since 1996, the UDMR has been part of
    numerous coalition governments in Bucharest, whether right-wing or left-wing.


    EDUCATION The Romanian government Friday passed the 2024 – 2027
    National Strategy on Adult Education, aimed at enhancing citizen participation
    in life-long learning programmes and at improving the quality of adult
    education and training. The targeted participation rate by the end of 2027 is
    12%, as against 5.9% at present. The EU average life-long learning
    participation rate is 11.9%. The low level of participation in lifelong
    learning schemes has led to persisting lack of skills, which prevents economic
    development and hinders Romania’s adjustment to a fast-changing labour market
    in the digital era, the government said in a news release.


    TIMIŞOARA The activities carried out part of the ‘Timişoara – European Capital
    of Culture 2023’ programme, including the Constantin Brâncuşi exhibition,
    received the most votes (29%) to receive the title of ‘event of the year 2023
    in Romania’, in a survey carried out by the Romanian Institute for Evaluation
    and Strategy (IRES). According to the poll, the second event that marked
    Romania in 2023 was the qualification of the national football team to the
    final tournament of the European Championship – UEFA EURO 2024, which will take
    place next summer in Germany (24% of responses). Regarding culture and free
    time, 58% of the survey respondents said that they read at least one book in
    2023, and 41% that they also bought books, 36% went to a show, and 20% went to
    a stadium or attended a sports competition. More than three quarters of the
    survey participants (76%) stated that they went to church this year.


    POLICE Close to 24,000 interior ministry staff will be on
    duty during the 4-day New Year’s holiday, while road traffic will be monitored
    by 360 radar speed guns and DUI check teams. Meanwhile, the authorities announced
    having seized over 100 tonnes of fireworks kits and opening more than 500 criminal
    investigations in this respect, and have once again called on parents not to
    buy firecrackers for their children as such materials may be extremely
    dangerous.

    HANDBALL The men’s national handball team of Romania Friday won the
    Carpaţi Trophy international handball tournament, organised in Pitesti,
    southern Romania, after defeating Georgia 31-25 in the final. For Romania, trained by the famous Spanish
    coach Xavi Pascual, this was the last test before the European Championship -
    EHF EURO 2024 to be held in Germany, between January 10 and 28, 2024. The
    Romanians will play in Group B, alongside Spain, Austria and Croatia. The first
    two ranked teams will qualify for the so-called main groups. A 4-times world
    champion in the 1960s-70s, Romania had not qualified for a European
    Championship since 1996. (AMP)

  • Awards for outstanding performances in education

    Awards for outstanding performances in education

    Proficiency in the
    education system is vital for the development of Romania, the PM Marcel Ciolacu
    said at the annual award gala for international Olympiad winners. In his
    opinion, a truly educated Romania cannot be achieved instantly, particularly
    since every education minister in the past 30 years tried to introduce their
    own outlook and sought to restructure the system fundamentally.


    The PM said that many of
    the changes made in the past were not preceded by thorough assessments, which
    contributed to declines in the quality of education. He told the participants
    in the event that next year, public education will have a 61% higher budget
    than at present.


    On the other hand, the PM
    also believes the performance of the teaching staff must be encouraged:


    Marcel Ciolacu: Apart from school
    buildings and equipment, more attention needs to be paid to evaluating and
    incentivising the teaching staff. Reality shows that we need performance
    criteria in the education system. an involved, responsible teacher must be paid
    more for their work. I have already spoken to Minister Ligia Deca about having
    talks with the professionals in the ministry and identifying solutions in this
    respect.


    I hope the unprecedented
    50% average pay raise in the public education sector within a year will attract
    growing numbers of young professionals towards a teaching career, the education
    minister Ligia
    Deca said in her turn.


    At the annual gala, as
    many as 138 students were awarded, who won 164 prizes, medals and honourable
    mentions at international and regional competitions in various academic
    subjects. Also awarded were their teachers and their schools. Romanian students won the
    maximum achievable score in 6 such competitions, as well as 51 gold medals, 55 silver medals, 30 bronze
    medals, and 22 honourable mentions in international academic events.


    The total award funds earmarked this year
    by the education ministry was around EUR 785,000. The awards amounted
    to EUR 4,000 for a maximum achievable score, EUR 3,000 for a gold medal, some EUR
    2,500 for a silver medal and around EUR 2,000 for a bronze medal. Honourable
    mentions were also awarded around EUR 700.


    A
    teacher received an incentive amounting to the highest award paid to any of
    their students, while the school attended by the student in question received an amount equal to the
    one granted to each winning student. In this case, the money must be spent primarily
    on school equipment relevant for the subjects in which the prizes have been
    received. (AMP)

  • October 23, 2023

    October 23, 2023

    FOODSTUFFS The cap on mark-ups for
    basic foodstuffs will be extended by another 90 days, under a draft emergency order posted on the
    home page of the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry. Nine other products
    will be added to the list, including tomato broth, margarine, yeast, sour cream.
    On August 1 a government order took effect, under which prices for 14 basic
    foodstuffs were capped, following discussions with processors, distributors and
    retailers. PM Marcel Ciolacu said the cap on basic foodstuffs contributed to
    reducing the inflation rate below 9% last month.


    NATO
    Romania will continue to contribute to improving regional and Euro-Atlantic security,
    including, among others, as a stability pillar at the Black Sea, president
    Klaus Iohannis Monday told the participants to the opening ceremony of the
    fully operational NATO Multinational Corps South-East command centre in Sibiu,
    central Romania. The president mentioned that in 2018, at the NATO Summit in Brussels, he
    communicated Romania’s intention to add a land corps to the Allied command and
    control structure in Romania, in order to strengthen the planning and operation
    of NATO’s forces and structures in Romania-the NATO Force Integration Unit, the
    Multinational Division South-East Command and the Multinational Brigade
    South-East. Mr. Iohannis also said that strengthening NATO’s deterrence and
    defence posture at the Black Sea remains a top long-term objective. The
    Multinational Corps South-East in Sibiu is part
    of the NATO force structure and ensures the command
    and control of Allied land operations in any situation, including crises and
    war, to bolster the NATO deterrence and defence posture in Romania and
    Bulgaria.



    FAC The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu takes
    part today in the Foreign Affairs Council meeting held in Luxembourg. According
    to the Romanian foreign ministry, the agenda includes talks on the situation in
    Israel and the region following the terrorist attacks of Hamas, Russia’s
    aggression against Ukraine and the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The
    EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, will also discuss his visit to China, on October 12 to 14, the Belgrade – Pristina Dialogue, and the Sahel region.
    On the sidelines of the meeting, Luminiţa Odobescu will take part in the
    EU-Central Asia ministerial meeting.


    EDUCATION Public education staff in Romania are to receive
    these days the annual bonus obtained following the strike at the end of the
    previous academic year. Over 326,000 employees in the sector will benefit from
    this annual bonus, amounting to EUR 300 for teaching staff and EUR 100 for
    administrative staff. The government has also decided to extend the deadline
    for the submission of educational voucher applications, through which EUR 100
    vouchers are given once a year to an estimated 410,000 underprivileged children
    for the purchase of clothes and school supplies.


    RALLIES Protesters took to the streets on Sunday as well
    across Europe, to support either the Palestinian or the Israeli cause and the approx.
    200 hostages taken by Hamas. In London, 20,000 people demanded the release of
    the people kidnapped by the Islamists, after the previous day nearly 100,000
    demanded an end to the slaughter in Gaza. In Paris, nearly 15,000 protested
    against Israel’s shelling civilian areas, with similar rallies in Sarajevo and Istanbul,
    while in Geneva the families of the hostages contacted the headquarters of the
    Red Cross and the High UN Commissioner for Human Rights. In Germany, president
    Frank-Walter Steinmaier and PM Olaf Scholz pleaded for the eradication of antisemitism.


    THEATRE Bucharest is hosting the National Theatre
    Festival until October 30th. The theme chosen for this year’s edition is Laboratories
    of the Sensitive. The plays chosen for the festival were selected out of over
    150 performances that premiered in the 2022-2023 season in state and
    independent theatres in Romania. (AMP)

  • Une nouvelle année universitaire en Roumanie

    Une nouvelle année universitaire en Roumanie


    Une nouvelle rentrée universitaire a lieu ce lundi
    en Roumanie, sous le signe de toute une série de problèmes : l’abandon
    scolaire, le sous-financement de l’Education, les scandales de plagiat ou encore
    les dotations insuffisantes. Les jeunes déplorent les conditions impropres dans
    les foyers estudiantins ou encore le manque de places ce qui les poussent à
    chercher des alternatives plus chères.

    En Roumanie, le financement universitaire
    se fait par personne. Concrètement, plus une faculté a des étudiants, plus son
    budget augmentera. C’est la raison pour laquelle dans certaines universités,
    les étudiants ont facilement leurs examens de fin d’année, même si leur niveau
    n’est pas adéquat, pour que le financement ne se perde pas. Cette année, à
    Bucarest, l’Université de Médecine et de Pharmacie Carol Davila aura 13500 étudiants,
    tandis que celles des Etudes Polytechniques recensera plus de 40.000 étudiants
    pour 2000 professeurs. Notons que l’Université Polytechnique de la capitale a
    fusionné avec l’Université de Pitesti sous le nom de l’Université nationale des
    Sciences et des Technologies. Dans un communiqué rendu publique à l’occasion de
    la reprise des cours, l’Université nationale d’art théâtral et de
    cinématographique de Bucarest affirme poursuivre ses objectifs d’encourager l’excellence
    et de célébrer la diversité, tout en mettant à profit la contribution de chacun
    des membres de sa communauté académique.


    Une nouvelle année universitaire commence aussi
    dans les académies militaires à travers la Roumanie. Plus de 1000 étudiants
    dont 300 en première année reprennent ce lundi les cours de l’Académie
    technique militaire Ferdinand I de Bucarest.


    Cette année, sur l’ensemble des universités
    roumaines, ce fut celle des études polytechniques qui a attiré le plus d’étudiants,
    suivie par la Faculté d’automatique et d’informatique et par l’Université de
    Médecine et de Pharmacie de Bucarest.


    A l’heure où l’on parle, la Roumanie a
    53 universités publiques et 33 universités privées et un nombre d’étudiants à
    la baisse. Une explication serait qu’une fois le lycée terminé, un nombre
    important des jeunes roumains capables de poursuivre leurs études optent pour
    des universités étrangères. Une décision qui ne nous étonne pas dans un pays
    qui a changé 117 fois la loi de l’Education nationale et cela entre 2010 et
    2021. Par conséquent, avec un système éducationnel dépourvu de cohérence, la
    Roumanie se maintient en queue du classement européen quand il s’agit de l’enveloppe
    financière attribuée à son système d’Education nationale. Cette année, elle a
    été de seulement 3,2% du PIB, un pourcentage bien en dessous des besoins réels.







  • La semaine du 3 au 9 juillet 2023

    La semaine du 3 au 9 juillet 2023

    Le premier ministre roumain a visité
    l’Allemagne


    Le premier ministre roumain, Marcel
    Ciolacu, a fait une visite de deux jours à Berlin, pour des pourparlers avec le
    chancelier, Olaf Scholz. A cette occasion, le responsable allemand a réitéré le
    soutien de son pays aux efforts déployés par Bucarest pour adhérer à la zone de
    libre circulation avant la fin de cette année. M. Ciolacu a pour sa part, mis
    en évidence l’importance de la coopération bilatérale et le potentiel qui en
    découle, tout en précisant que l’Allemagne reste le partenaire commercial le
    plus important de la Roumanie. Les discussions ont également porté sur la
    sécurité dans la région de la mer Noire et sur le prochain sommet de
    l’Alliance, prévu la semaine prochaine, à Vilnius. Le chef du gouvernement de
    Bucarest a rencontré aussi des représentants du milieu des affaires
    d’Allemagne, qui se montré intéressés par des investissements dans les domaines
    de la Pétrochimie, de l’Industrie des engrais et des matériels de construction.
    Marcel Ciolacu s’est entretenu également avec des représentants du Parlement
    fédéral, de la diaspora roumaine et de l’industrie de défense. Il a été
    accompagné en Allemagne par les ministres des Affaires étrangères, Luminita
    Odobescu, de l’Economie, Radu Oprea et de la Défense, Angel Tîlvăr.


    Les lois de l’Education promulguées par
    le chef de l’Etat


    Le président Klaus Iohannis a promulgué les nouvelles lois de
    l’Education nationale. Ancien professeur de lycée, à Sibiu (centre), le chef de
    l’Etat est le promoteur du projet « La Roumanie éduquée », lancé en
    2016. Parmi les objectifs envisagés mentionnons la majoration du budget
    alloué à l’Education, la baisse du décrochage scolaire et de l’illettrisme
    fonctionnel. Ces lois ont été adoptées par le Sénat le 22 mai dernier. Elles
    ont été contestées sans succès auprès de la Cour Constitutionnelle par l’Union
    sauvez la Roumanie (USR) et par la Force de la droite, les deux en opposition. Selon
    les contestataires, les nouvelles normes limiteraient le droit à l’éducation et
    transgresseraient le principe de l’égalité des chances. Elles ont été
    critiquées également par le Conseil national des élèves et par les
    organisations estudiantines qui y ont remarqué, à leur tour, des mesures
    discriminatoires. Selon un rapport élaboré par Eurostat en 2021 selon des
    chiffres de 2019, la Roumanie était en avant dernière position dans un
    classement des 27 pays européens dressé en fonction du financement de
    l’Education. Ces quatre dernières années, la Roumanie a alloué moins de 3% de
    son PIB à l’Education nationale. Le pourcentage de cette année est de 2,1%.




    L‘Espagne soutient la Roumanie dans ses
    efforts de rejoindre l’Espace Schengen


    La cheffe de
    la diplomatie roumaine, Luminiţa Odobescu, a salué la position de l’Espagne,
    actuellement à la tête du Conseil de l’UE, vis-à-vis de l’adhésion de Bucarest
    à la zone de libre circulation. Dans un entretien en exclusivité sur Radio
    Roumanie, la responsable roumaine a affirmé que l’intégration du pays à
    l’Espace Schengen reste un objectif prioritaire. Antérieurement, l’ambassadeur
    espagnol à Bucarest, José Antonio Hernández
    Pérez-Solórzano, a réitéré le soutien de l’Espagne aux efforts déployés par
    Bucarest pour rejoindre la zone de libre circulation. Et lui de préciser que l’adhésion
    de Bucarest et de Sofia à Schengen figurera à l’agenda du prochain Conseil
    Justice et Affaires Intérieures, prévu pour cet automne. Par ailleurs, la
    semaine dernière, la Commission des pétitions du Parlement européen a élaboré
    une résolution pour demander au Conseil européen d’approuver l’admission de la
    Roumanie et de la Bulgarie à Schengen, avant la fin de cette année. Le document
    rappelle que les deux pays répondent aux critères d’adhésion et un vote négatif
    risque de provoquer un sentiment antieuropéen. Continuer à laisser Bucarest et
    Sofia en dehors de la zone de libre circulation a un impacte négatif sur les
    investisseurs et sur les populations des deux pays, affirment les députés
    européens.


    Inauguration du plus
    grand pont jamais construit en Roumanie


    Présent à l’inauguration du pont
    suspendu de Braila, sur le Danube, le chef de l’Etat roumain a déclaré qu’il
    s’agit de la construction la plus ample jamais réalisée par la Roumanie ces
    trente dernières années. Cela prouve que le pays est capable de mener à terme
    des projets majeurs d’infrastructure, a affirmé Klaus Iohannis. Le pont
    suspendu de Braila est le plus grand de Roumanie et le troisième comme dimensions,
    en Europe. C’est le dernier pont sur le Danube avant que le fleuve ne se jette
    en mer Noire. Projeté pour une durée de vie de 120 ans, le pont, de 2
    kilomètres de long, relie les départements de Braila et de Tulcea et renforce
    le potentiel touristique de la Dobrodgea. D’un montant de plus de 2 milliards
    de lei, soit 400 millions d’euros, le projet a été financé à hauteur de 85% des
    fonds européens.


    Un centre régional de formation de
    pilotage sur des avions F-16 sera ouvert en Roumanie


    Un centre régional de formation de
    pilotage sur des chasseurs bombardiers F16 sera ouvert en Roumanie. C’est ce
    qu’a décidé jeudi, le Conseil suprême de défense du pays réuni en séance. Le
    centre sera ouvert en coopération avec les pays alliés et le constructeur. Dans
    un premier temps, le centre formera des pilotes roumains avant de préparer des
    pilotes d’autres pays alliés et partenaires, y compris ukrainiens. Par
    ailleurs, le Conseil a fixé aussi les objectifs nationaux dans la perspective
    du prochain sommet de l’Alliance, des 11 et 12 juillet, à Vilnius. A cette
    occasion, le président Klaus Iohannis remettra en lumière des aspects qui
    renvoient à la sécurité dans la région de la mer Noire. La Roumanie continuera
    à soutenir l’adhésion de la Suède à l’Alliance de l’Atlantique Nord.



    Le Festival de musique
    électronique Neversea sur la côte roumaine à la mer Noire


    Le Festival Neversea, le plus grand
    festival européen à se dérouler sur une plage en est arrivé à sa cinquième
    édition. Plus de 150 artistes se sont produits, quatre jours et quatre nuits
    durant, sur les scènes aménagés au bord de la mer Noire, devant presque 260.000
    personnes, selon les organisateurs. La plupart des spectateurs étaient du
    Royaume Uni, d’Allemagne, des Etats Unis, d’Italie, de Bulgarie et d’Israël. Un
    millier de policiers, gendarmes, agents de la police aux frontières, inspecteurs
    anti-drogue et 700 agents de sécurité privés ont été déployés dans le périmètre
    du festival et dans sa proximité.

  • July 5, 2023

    July 5, 2023

    VISIT Today, in the second day of his
    visit to Germany, Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, is going to have
    talks with representatives of the business environment, followed by meetings
    with the Vice-president of the German Parliament, Katrin Göring-Eckardt, and
    with representatives of the main political groups in the Legislature. The head
    of the government in Bucharest will be also having talks with the
    representatives of the defence industry in Germany. On Monday, the first day of
    his visit, Marcel Ciolacu met Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who reiterated his
    country’s all-out support so that Romania may become a Schengen member this
    year. Ciolacu has also met with members of the Romanian communities in Germany,
    whom he briefed upon the projects of the government in Bucharest dedicated to
    the Diaspora, as well as a start-up programme.








    FAIR The first holiday edition of the
    book fair Gaudeamus Radio Romania has today kicked off in Brasov, central
    Romania. The event is part of the Gaudeamus caravan, a nation-wise project that
    has been initiated and carried on by Radio Romania for more than 20 years. The present
    edition’s offer includes, the book fair itself, graphic and photo art, literary
    creation, all brought together into 40 exhibition stands. This edition is
    expected to end on Sunday, July 9th.








    DIICOT 24 suspects have been
    apprehended and two placed under investigation in a case involving the
    mistreatment of vulnerable people in three old-peoples’ homes in Romania. On
    Tuesday, DIICOT prosecutors kicked off over 30 searches in Bucharest and other
    6 counties in southern Romania. Authorities are presently taking care of one
    hundred of these vulnerable people. According to the investigators, the
    aforementioned people had been exploited for more than two years, being
    deprived on proper food, medical treatment and hygiene conditions. Prosecutors
    are now investigating cases of human trafficking, fraud, embezzlement of over
    one million euros as well as inhuman and degraded treatment.




    EDUCATION Romanian president
    Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday promulgated the new Education laws. A former high-school
    teacher, Iohannis, has been promoting a programme known as ‘Educated Romania’
    launched in 2016 and followed by a series of public debates. Solutions have
    been proposed for fighting school violence in the country’s pre-university
    education, to support the disadvantaged categories of students, curb school
    dropout and promote sports. Concerning university education, president Iohannis
    says the new legislative measures are going to bring the Romanian education up
    to international standards. The education laws have been promulgated after
    years of debates and at the end of a critical period in Romania’s education
    system, marked by the recent all-out strike of the teachers. In another
    development, upon the appeals session for the National Assessment exam counting
    towards the candidates’ high-school accession, 76.4% of the students have
    obtained passing results while 73% of the candidates have passed the
    baccalaureate exam.


    (bill)

  • The new education laws are promulgated

    The new education laws are promulgated

    Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on
    Tuesday promulgated the new education laws. The signing was attended by state
    officials, including members of cabinet, MPs and constitutional judges. The
    event marked the end of the legislative journey of the documents encapsulating
    the president’s Educated Romania project. The latter said the new legislation
    provides a solid framework for building an education system that can face the
    challenges of our times, but that it would not solve the system’s acute
    problems unless it is implemented. The president also said that this moment
    will have a major impact on the development of Romanian society in the future.
    Klaus Iohannis:




    The laws I have promulgated are laying
    the foundations of a Romania that is connected to the evolutions of the 21st
    century and fully benefits from the opportunities of the future. I am counting
    on your involvement and determination, especially the decision makers in the
    room today, to transform Educated Romania from an ideal into reality.




    The president also said the new education
    laws aim to address the shortcomings of the current education system, boosting
    the quality of the education act and providing support and respect for
    teachers. He said the new legislation promotes investments, especially in the
    disadvantaged areas, and places emphasis on pupils’ safety.




    However, some of the provisions of the new
    laws were intensely criticised by members of civil society, pupils, students
    and some politicians. Such controversial provisions include the possibility
    that high schools may hold an additional admission examination for half of the
    available places, the possibility to expel pupils for serious offences and
    limiting the terms of rectors to two 4-year tenures. Another provision that
    came under strong criticism refers to the introduction of religion as an
    optional baccalaureate exam.




    During Tuesday’s signing, the
    representatives of the Save Romania Union, in opposition, staged a protest at
    Cotroceni Palace, the president’s headquarters. They said Educated Romania is a
    failure, and cited the large number of young people who did not even register
    for the baccalaureate exam this year. They also said the new legislation will
    not reform the education system, instead restricting the right to education and
    violating the principle of equal rights. The National Council of Pupils and a
    number of student organisations also believe some of the provisions of the new
    laws are discriminatory. The legislation was first passed by the Senate in May,
    before being unsuccessfully challenged in the Constitutional Court by the Save
    Romania Union and the Liberal dissident party the Force of the Right. (CM)



  • La promulgation des nouvelles lois de l’Education nationale

    La promulgation des nouvelles lois de l’Education nationale


    Le président roumain, Klaus Iohannis, a promulgué
    mardi, les nouvelles lois de l’Education nationale, dans le cadre d’une
    cérémonie, en présence de nombreux ministres, parlementaires et juges. La promulgation
    de ces lois marque la fin du parcours législatif des documents qui ont
    transposé le projet présidentiel La Roumanie éduquée. Le chef de l’Etat
    roumain a déclaré que les nouvelles lois offrent un cadre solide à la mise en
    place d’un système éducationnel à même de relever les défis actuels. N’empêche,
    les deux lois fraichement promulguées, destinées à l’enseignement
    préuniversitaire et respectivement, universitaire, ne pourront pas remédier aux
    problèmes sévères auxquels le système se confronte, si leur mise en place ne se
    fait d’une manière rigoureuse. Et Klaus Iohannis d’affirmer que nous assistons
    à un moment aux conséquences majeures sur le développement de la société
    roumaine. Les lois que je viens de promulguer jettent les
    bases d’une Roumanie ajustée aux évolutions du XXIème siècle et qui bénéficie
    largement des opportunités que l’avenir lui offre. Voilà pourquoi, je compte sur
    la détermination de toutes les parties impliquées, notamment des décideurs,
    pour que le projet de la Roumanie éduquée ne soit plus un idéal, mais une
    réalité.


    Le président Iohannis a précisé que les nouvelles
    lois de l’Education se donnent pour mission de résoudre les failles de l’actuel
    système d’enseignement, à travers une meilleure qualité de l’éducation et un
    soutien renforcé accordé aux professeurs. On envisage, a affirmé Iohannis, d’encourager
    les investissements, notamment dans les régions défavorisées, avec un accent particulier
    sur la sécurité dans les écoles. Sur l’ensemble des nouvelles prévisions
    législatives, certaines ont alimenté les critiques de la société civile, des
    élèves, de leurs parents et de certains responsables politiques. Il s’agit
    notamment de la possibilité offerte aux lycées d’organiser, en dehors du
    Brevet, leur propre concours d’admission
    pour 50% des places disponibles, de la possibilité d’exclure définitivement les
    élèves qui se font coupables d’un acte très grave ou encore d’une limitation des
    mandats des recteurs d’université. Ceux-ci pourront briguer deux mandats
    consécutifs d’une durée totale de 8 ans. Une autre prévision controversée porte
    sur l’introduction de la Religion parmi les options du Bac.


    Pendant la cérémonie de promulgation de mardi,
    les représentants de l’USR, en opposition, se sont réunis devant le Palais de
    Cotroceni, siège de la présidence roumaine. Ils ont brandi des pancartes pour
    dénoncer l’échec du projet La Roumanie éduquée, en rappelant le nombre
    important de lycéens en Terminale qui n’ont pas passé leur Baccalauréat, cette
    année. Les membres USR critiquent les nouvelles lois qui, disent-ils, ne
    réforment rien, tout au contraire, elles limitent le droit à l’éducation et
    viole le principe de l’égalité des chances. Pour leur part, les représentants
    du Conseil national des élèves et des organisations estudiantines considèrent
    une partie des nouvelles prévisions comme étant discriminatoires. Les lois de l’Education
    nationale ont été votées par le Sénat au mois de mai. Les formations en
    opposition, l’USR et la Force de la droite, les ont contestées, sans succès,
    devant la Cour Constitutionnelle.