Radio România Internațional

Tag: National Evaluation

  • The National Evaluation Exams – 2024

    The National Evaluation Exams – 2024

    In a country where functional illiteracy and school dropout, especially in the rural and disadvantaged areas have the tendency of getting chronic, the results in the National Evaluation exams involving eighth graders are a relevant indicator of the education quality. Three quarters of the students have this year got over 5, a mandatory mark for their further high-school accession, one percentage lower than in the past three years.

    The results published on Wednesday show that the students found the mathematics exam more difficult, as the percentage of those clearing the admission threshold or those who scored above proved to be lower as compared to 2023 and 2022. Roughly 78% of the students fared better in the Romanian language exam, whereas only 69% of them obtained the minimum required score in mathematics.

    Roughly 400 eighth graders got the maximum number of points in the Romanian Language exam, and over 1,000 in mathematics. However, only 65 of them managed to get the maximum number of points in both exams.

    Education Minister Ligia Deca, sees the glass half full and says that although lower than in the past years, the number of those who cleared the threshold is higher than in the simulation exam.

    Results obtained by children in the rural area continue to be weak though: only 40% of these managed to get the needed number of points in the aforementioned exam. Ligia Deca has also referred to the attempted frauds and their outcomes.

    Ligia Deca:” It happened as every year that subjects had been leaked before exams kicked off. However, that didn’t happen before the students had been placed under supervision in the exam halls. These cases have been identified because now we have methods to quickly discover the centre, which leaked the subjects. And we cooperate with police in this respect. The students attempting frauds are being eliminated from the exams and aren’t allowed to take the next sessions. Those who are members in various commissions and provide the subjects ahead of the exams are being prosecuted.”

    Nearly 153 thousand students have attended the National Evaluation Exam this year, which accounts for 95% of the total number of eighth graders. 8,300 of them took the exam in their mother tongue. Bucharest and other five counties have reported the highest attendance, over 98% and for the first time this year, exam papers have been graded by means of a digital platform. Thursday, July 4th, was the last day when the students dissatisfied with their results could apply for a remark.

    (bill)

  • June 14 – 21

    June 14 – 21

    Coronavirus
    and Relaxation


    More than 23
    thousand cases of coronavirus infection and 1,500 deaths is the toll of the
    Covid-19 pandemic in Romania so far. President Klaus Iohannis has voiced
    worries over the increase in the number of new cases in the past days and
    called again on the population to observe sanitation rules, describing them as simple,
    commonsensical and extremely important: wearing a protective face mask, social
    distancing and hand hygiene.

    After two months of state of emergency and one of
    state of alert, the Government has decided to extend the latter, as of June
    17th, for another 30 days, but against the background of further relaxation
    measures. Therefore, fitness centers have reopened, just like shops in malls. Indoor
    cinemas and playgrounds though remain closed. Also, religious masses inside the
    church are now allowed. Private indoor events must not gather more than 20
    participants, and the outdoor ones 50. Betting and gambling facilities have
    also reopened. The list of countries where flights from and to Romania are
    allowed will be updated on a weekly basis.




    A Special Pension Story


    A recurrent theme in public debates in Romania, the
    taxation of the so called ‘special pensions’, which does not observe the contributive
    principle, has grabbed the headlines again. Parliament has decided to tax the
    difference between the special pension, benefiting also senators and deputies,
    and the one obtained through contributions paid, periodically, to the pension fund,
    during one’s active life. The difference from 2,000 lei, which is the equivalent
    of some 400 Euro, up to the amount of 7,000 lei shall be taxed as before, by
    10%, and for the amounts exceeding 7,000 lei, the tax will be 85%.

    According to
    data provided by the Public Pension House, the number of people receiving special
    public service pensions stood at 9,500 at the end of last month. Out of them,
    some 4,100 are benefiting from the provisions of the law on the status of prosecutors
    and judges, and one of them gets the highest pension in Romania: 19,000 Lei, which
    is approximately 3,900 Euro. Also receiving special pensions are some 150,000
    former employees of the public order and national safety services.


    Quite promptly, the High Court of Cassation and Justice
    and the Ombudsman notified the Constitutional Court about the taxation of
    special pensions in Romania. The supreme court criticizes the fact that
    successive rulings on the matter have been ignored, that the Superior Council
    of Magistracy has not been consulted and that the principles of fair taxation
    and judges’ independence have been violated. Notified by the same institutions
    last month, the Constitutional Court of Romania rejected a bill meant to
    abrogate special pensions. Pundits are expecting a similar outcome, given that
    six out of the nine Constitutional Court judges are beneficiaries of special
    pensions, and some of them actually cumulate several such pensions.


    Evaluation in the Time of Pandemic


    Shut since March, when on-line classes started being
    held in Romania because of the pandemic, schools have reopened this week for
    the so called ‘National Evaluation’, which is a prerequisite for enrollment
    into high school in Romania. The exams have been taken by some 160,000
    graduates of secondary schools.

    Because of the pandemic, special measures were
    taken this week. Healthcare
    personnel checked children’s temperature and every school was equipped with
    decontamination mats, protective face masks and biocide substances to use on
    floors, doorknobs, desks and chairs. Children were not allowed to bring any
    bags or backpacks into the examination rooms and were seated 2 m from each
    other during the exam. The students who are self-isolating, quarantined,
    hospitalized, and those who had a temperature above 37.3 degrees Celsius on the
    exam day and those suffering from conditions that may be worsened by the novel
    coronavirus will take the exams in a special session between June 22 and July 4.




    Sibiu International Theatre Festival Online


    The Sibiu International Theatre Festival has been held
    online this week, which is a first for the reputed festival. This year’s theme
    is ‘The Power of Believing’. The agenda of the festival includes 138 events,
    from 30 countries on 5 continents, presented on the official website of the
    festival: www.sibfest.ro, and also on
    Facebook and YouTube. Adding to that are 12 special conferences. According to
    the organizers, the Sibiu Festival, the biggest theatre festival in Central and
    Eastern Europe, has offered its audience 250 hours of theatrical performance,
    dance, music, circus, conferences, debates, reading-shows and children’s
    performances, all free of charge.


    Whims of the Weather


    Recently, all of Romania has been under a yellow code
    for storms and meteorologists have successively issued red and orange codes, as
    well as immediate warnings for torrential rain and hail storms. Hydrologists
    have also issued codes yellow and orange on rivers, targeting river basins all
    over the country. County and national roads have been blocked by alluvium
    caused by heavy rainfall and trees blown by strong winds. Many villages were
    left without electricity after electricity poles were knocked to the ground by
    storms or fallen trees. In some areas, hail has also severely affected crops,
    orchards in particular. It took the intervention of firefighters to remove the
    flooded households and to clear some cars and electric cables from the road. (M.Ignatescu)









  • June 14, 2020 UPDATE

    June 14, 2020 UPDATE

    Covid-19 RO. As of June 15th,
    Romanians arriving from 17 European countries will no longer be quarantined or
    self-isolated, and flights to an from those countries will resume, the National
    Committee for Emergency Situations has decided. These countries are Austria,
    Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Croatia, Switzerland, Germany, Greece,
    Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia
    and Hungary. The list will be updated every Monday, in keeping with the
    epidemiological situation. Also on Monday, a new stage of relaxation of the
    restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the new coronavirus begins in
    Romania. The malls will be reopened, except for the restaurants, cinemas and
    playgrounds inside. Also, gyms and outdoor swimming pools will start to
    function, as will the Romanian Lottery, sports betting and gambling
    facilities. Nurseries and after-school units might also be reopened, during the
    summer holidays. Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has stated, however, that he will
    ask for the extension of the state of alert by 30 days, saying that the
    decision is not political, but scientifically grounded, having public health
    considerations behind it. The most recent report of the Strategic Coordination
    Group indicates 320 new cases of contamination with the new coronavirus, the
    most since the state of alert was declared on May 15th, which gradually brought
    about a string of measures to relax the restrictions. The number of people who
    have died of Covid-19 in Romania has reached 1420.




    Evaluation. Starting Monday, more than 172,000 pupils who have
    just finished the 8th grade will sit for the National Evaluation
    Examination, which is mandatory for admission to high-school. Because of the
    Covid-19 pandemic, this year special measures have been taken. Medical staff
    will do a triage and children will be checked for temperature. Also, all class
    rooms in which the children will take the exams will be disinfected. A 2-meter
    distance between two children will be observed and those who are found to
    present symptoms will take the exam in keeping with a special procedure,
    between the 22nd of June and the 4th of July.









    Diplomacy. 140 years after their
    establishment, the diplomatic ties between Romania and the United States of
    America are stronger than ever, president Klaus Iohannis says in a message
    conveyed on Sunday. According to the Romanian head of state, to Romania,
    the US has proven, especially in the past two decades, that it is the firm ally
    we need in important moments, thus constantly accompanying us on the path
    chosen by our country to strengthen its citizens’ security and
    prosperity. In turn, president Iohannis also states, Romania has
    outlined its profile as a reliable partner and active NATO ally, which assumes
    strong commitments and contributes to joint security together with the US,
    through consistent participation in missions such as the one in Afghanistan, or
    by consolidating defense on the eastern flank of the Alliance. The
    upward trajectory of our bilateral relations is highlighted by our Strategic
    Partnership for the 21st Century, an essential dimension of Romania’s foreign
    policy, which provides broad prospects of cooperation in a wide range of fields
    – politics, security, economy, research, technology, science and education, as
    well as interpersonal contacts, the Romanian president’s message also
    reads. Also, in a press release on Sunday, the US Ambassador to Romania, Adrian
    Zuckerman said: Romania is one of the United States’
    closest military and economic allies in Europe. The Romanian people have no
    greater friend than the American people, and on their behalf and on behalf of
    President Trump, thank you, Romania, for the 140 years of friendship, and
    cooperation, and to many more years to come.










    EU. On Monday, the
    Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu will attend the internal meeting of
    the EU foreign ministers, held via video-conference. The main topic on the
    agenda is transatlantic relations. The participants will have a talk with the
    US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the importance of the partnership between
    the EU and the US against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic. Another
    issue to be discussed is the relation with China, with the aim of enhancing
    dialogue and cooperation at this level. Also under discussion will be the
    Middle East peace process and the eastern neighborhood of the EU, with focus on
    Ukraine. Bogdan Aurescu will convey a message of unity and pragmatism and will
    stress the importance of strengthening transatlantic ties. He will also speak
    for the need of maintaining a solid American presence in the areas affected by
    lasting conflicts, in particular in the Eastern Neighborhood.






















    Pandemic. Close to 7.9
    million people have been infected with the new coronavirus around the world,
    and 433 thousand have died. More than 4 million people have recovered. The
    United States, the world’s largest economic power, is by far the country most
    severely affected by the pandemic, both in terms of deaths – over 115,000 and
    the number of diagnosed cases – about 2,100,000 in total until Saturday night.
    The number of new infections is still hovering around an average of 20,000, and
    the US is struggling to get out of this area as infections have moved from one
    part of the country to another. President Donald Trump’s administration has
    warned, on the other hand, that any new economic lock-down in the event of a
    second wave is ruled out. The second most affected country remains Brazil,
    where more than 850,000 people have been infected, and the death toll is close
    to 43,000. On the other hand, China hs announced today 57 new confirmed cases
    of COVID-19 – the highest daily number since April, which raises fears of a
    second epidemiological wave in the country. France Presse reports that a new
    source of contamination was detected in southern Beijing, in a market that
    sells mainly meat, fish and vegetables, and the discovery led to the isolation
    of 11 residential areas in the vicinity. In Europe, the number of SARS-CoV-2
    infections continues to drop, and since Monday, several European countries have
    been relaxing border restrictions.






    Weather. The National
    Weather Administration has extended the code orange alert for torrential rain,
    thunder and hail storms to 36 out of Romania’s 41 counties. The code is valid
    until Monday evening. Also, a code yellow for bad weather is in place in five
    counties in the south, including in Bucharest. Weather will remain unstable
    across Romania the entire week. In the past days, weather has been marked by
    rains and storms, causing damage in several areas. Also, a 4-year-old child,
    caught in a flood, died. (M.Ignatescu)

  • Assessing the education system in Romania

    Assessing the education system in Romania

    Undergoing a long series of changes over the past 20 years, the latest one being operated at the level of school curricula, the Romanian education system has made impressive strides to meet the challenges of the 21st century. One such challenge is the system’s self-assessment mechanism, which actually means the assessment of the teaching staff’s activity and of the results obtained by pupils and students.



    A recent survey conducted by the relevant Romanian authorities, jointly with UNICEF and the OECD (the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) is actually analysing the process of assessment and evaluation in the field of education. Under the current education law, pupils in the pre-tertiary education system have to be assessed several times starting from the second grade, and continuing in the fourth grade, then in the sixth grade to end with the National Evaluation in the eighth grade. The marks obtained at the national evaluation count for high school admission. Considered the most important test taken by pupils of up to 14-15 years of age, the National Evaluation has sparked controversy.



    Ioana Băltăreţu, a member of the National Pupils’ Council will try to describe some of these controversies: “Relative to our assessment, the National Pupils’ Council has noticed that much too often the focus was on subject matters included in the national exams. In their current form, these exams encourage pupils’ memorisation abilities to the detriment of their reasoning abilities. Some 40% of 15-year-old pupils in Romania are functional illiterates, as shown by the results recently made public by PISA, the Program for International Student Assessment. Although they are able to read, pupils do not understand much of what they read because of improper teaching and learning methods, which focus too much on memorisation.”



    If along the school years, children and adolescents go through various assessment stages, they would like, in their turn, to assess the way in which they are being educated and treated in school.



    Ioana Băltăreţu: “We consider that pupils are not involved enough in the internal assessment process. If we look at the activity of the pupils’ representative in the School Council, in various school assessment and quality monitoring commissions, or in the anti-violence committees, we can say that in some 97.5% of the cases pupils cannot express their opinion on a series of issues, not to mention that they are not even invited to attend discussions. The legislation in force and the rights of the pupils’ representatives should be observed. We consider that it is absolutely necessary for these evaluations and assessments to be more than a formality. They should start being regarded as a mechanism which can consolidate a good quality educational system, to the benefit of all.”



    The way in which tests can prove their efficiency has made the object of the aforementioned survey “Evaluation and assessment in the Romanian education system”, conducted by UNICEF, jointly with the OECD. The starting point for this survey is a not-very-satisfactory reality. In 2015, as compared to 2012, Romanian pupils reported progress in the PISA tests, but the situation is different with the “Sciences” chapter. For instance, 38.6% of the 15-year-old pupils did not perform well, getting results below level 2, that is below the basic level of knowledge allowing them to function efficiently in society.



    Starting from this situation, the questions are: how can we assess, through exams and tests, the real value of pupils and what can we do to help them improve their results? According to the authors of the survey, the answer is to make the education system more flexible. School should become not only the place where high performance is reached, a fact that Romania has proved it is capable of, but also a place of inclusion, where all pupils acquire the skills and knowledge required on the labour market. According to Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills there is, still, room for improvement.



    To the Romanian authorities, the most important aspect of the UNICEF-OECD survey is the recommendation that these assessments in the pre-tertiary system should be regarded as having a formative character, and not as an instrument to make classifications, education minister Pavel Nastase has said.




    Pavel Nastase: “We should change our approach and regard these assessments and evaluations of pupils, of the teaching staff, of schools and of the whole system as an opportunity to receive feedback and intervene, in an effort to improve the educational process and to place the focus on pupils. We would like our teaching staff to be well prepared to make formative evaluation during classes, and not only to give pupils quizzes, tests, exams and national evaluations. This is how we can ease the pressure exerted on pupils, giving the chance, even to those who find it difficult to pass classical tests, to show what they know. Consequently, a very important element of this survey is the formative evaluation component. In the end, this type of assessment and evaluation should lead to the creation of personalised education files for pupils to be properly trained and taught afterwards. We are currently making assessments, but in many schools this is not followed by a second stage, at which the teaching staff should capitalise on these evaluations to customise the learning process for pupils and focus on each of them”.



    In order to reach this goal, the Education Ministry is currently drafting several EU-funded programs for the pre-graduate and academic education systems, laying emphasis on the evaluation of pupils and of the teaching staff.