Novelties at the start of the 2023-2024 school year
The new school year brings a number of changes with regard to national exams
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Leyla Cheamil, 11.09.2023, 14:00
The new school started on Monday, bringing new challenges for the approximately 3 million school and pre-school children in Romania, whove returned to classrooms or have only just started school. The school year spans 36 weeks divided into five modules. The „Different School” and „Green School” programmes will be held over September 11, 2023 – April 26, 2024. Worth mentioning is that schools themselves can decide when to schedule these extra-curricular activities and must notify pupils and parents accordingly by October 1. This year as well, an optional holiday break has been scheduled for February 12 – March 3, albeit only by a few school inspectorates. Classes will end on June 21, 2024. Pupils in technological and vocational high-schools will end classes one week later, on June 28, 2024.
The new education law takes effect this year, bringing a number of changes regarding national exams. This years fifth graders will be the first generation to sit a high-school admission exam, in 2027. At the end of the eighth grade, they will sit exams in Romanian and mathematics as well as a second exam organized by high-schools with large numbers of applicants. A one-week break will separate the two exams. The Baccalaureate exam will also undergo modifications, which will take effect starting the 2025-2026 school year. The authorities want to keep schools safe by preventing and combating drug trafficking and abuse and by curbing bullying and the risk of student crime, especially violent types of crime. In this regard, several government officials have signed a plan on school safety. As regards teachers, the Education Ministry will adopt standards for supporting initial training programmes, with a focus on practical training starting 2025-2026.
We recall that in May, education trade unions launched an all-out strike protesting low salaries. After several rounds of talks, the government agreed to increase teachers salaries by 25% and award yearly bonuses of 300 EUR for teaching staff and 200 EUR for auxiliary staff. (VP)
