Anxiously awaited by children of
all ages, the winter holiday is now over! After a three-week break,
kindergartens, schools and pre-schools returned to normal hours on Monday for
the second semester of the 2019-2020 school year. Education Minister Monica
Anisie told pupils this semester would be longer, which is why they should
focus on what is to come, namely national exams and tests, for some, and Olympiads,
tests and finals for others. Minister Anisie said this week the contest
methodologies for filling the vacancies of inspector general and headmaster
would be submitted for public debate.
The provisional status of our fellow
directors and inspectors is not very pleasant to deal with, because we are
letting politicians get involved in the education process, Monica Anisie said.
In another development, some 6,000 pupils from five schools in Bucharest’s
Districts 1 and 6 will get to school by special school buses, Bucharest Mayor
General Gabriela Firea announced during a traffic room briefing held for the
start of a new school semester. Mayor Firea also discussed safety measures.
Aside from the transport of pupils, another concern is to ensure their safety,
jointly with local law enforcement authorities, the National Police Inspectorate
and the Bucharest Police. Together we will do everything to secure the safety
and integrity of both pupils and teachers, Gabriela Firea went on to say.
According to the timetable approved by the Education Ministry, the Easter
Holiday is scheduled over April 4-21. Prior to this date schools must organize mock
exams for the national exam for eighth-grade pupils as well as for the Baccalaureate
exam for 12th-graders. This year the written and reading tests for
the national exams taken at the end of the 2nd, 4th and 6th
grades will be held over May 11-28. The second semester will officially close
on June 12. As regards the duration of the school year, representatives of the
Education Coalition Federation claim it should start earlier, while holiday
breaks should be shorter. The Coalition believes a three-month summer holiday
will have a negative impact on children and their level of education upon
returning to school. Shorter and more frequent breaks during the school year
could help consolidate the learning process and progress reported by children,
and can serve as intervals for rest and planning for teachers, a Federation
press release reads.
(Translated by V. Palcu)