Education in Romania: Between Alarming Statistics and the Need for Real Change

Education remains one of the weakest areas with regard to quality of life in Romania, according to the latest “Well-Being Barometer,”

Ion Puican, 22.04.2026, 14:00

Education remains one of the weakest areas with regard to quality of life in Romania, according to the latest “Well-Being Barometer,” conducted by MIR Research at the request of UNSAR (the National Union of Insurance and Reinsurance Companies in Romania) for the ABS platform—the Alliance for Well-Being. Romania scores 6.85 out of 10 in the education category: above Bulgaria (6.74), but below all other countries analysed in the region—Poland (8.3), the Czech Republic (7.97), Hungary (7.38), and Slovakia (6.87). Beyond the numbers, the report shows that problems persist in educational inclusion, basic skills, and preparation for the labour market. One of the most concerning figures relates to early school dropout. According to the latest Eurostat statistics, Romania has the highest rate in the European Union: 16.8% of young people

aged 18 to 24 leave education early and do not pursue any training program, while the European average is 9.3%. This means that nearly one in six young Romanians enters adulthood without sufficient qualifications, which directly affects their employment prospects and long-term economic stability. Psychologist Oana Puican analyses the study’s findings from the perspective of the development of new generations of adults.

Oana Puican: “From a psychological perspective, the data from the ‘Well-Being Barometer’ study, which highlights the fragility of education in Romania, do not merely reflect academic performance or statistical indicators. The results tell us about how a child’s relationship with themselves, with others in the community, and, ultimately, with the world they live in is formed. Education is the first social space where a child learns trust, belonging, cooperation, and the sense that they have a place in a community. When access to education is fragmented, unequal, or unstable, the effects extend far beyond the academic realm. For the child or young person, confidence in their own abilities diminishes, a sense of helplessness emerges, and the ability to adapt to new situations develops more slowly. A child who repeatedly experiences this gap—whether due to a lack of resources, learning difficulties, or a lack of educational support—may internalize the idea that they are not capable enough or that opportunities are not meant for them.” The disparities highlighted by the “Well-Being Barometer” are also evident in terms of

digital skills. In Romania, only 27.7% of citizens possess basic digital skills—less than half the European average, which exceeds 55%. In an economy where more and more activities depend on technology, this gap is becoming a major problem, especially for young people and those in rural areas. At the same time, only 12% of Romanians have above-average financial literacy, which means they struggle to understand decisions related to saving, borrowing, or financial protection.  Here is again Oana Puican with details from a psychological perspective towards informational discrepancies versus educational ones among the young people:

Oana Puican:” We are seeing nowadays an increasing number of young people, who have the information they need, but do not trust themselves when it comes to making decisions or the right choice. They quickly adjust to technological progress but have difficulties when it comes to real every-day relations. We see young people have issues when they must assume responsibility or they may have a low frustration tolerance. And this may also have a major relational impact. The lack of educational and emotional competences is often reflected in the difficulty of building a dialogue, negotiating differences or having stable relationships.”

The report is drawing attention to the differences between rural and urban in Romania, where nearly 42% of the students are attending schools in the rural area, where access to educational resources, technology and specialized teachers remains very limited. Furthermore, international tests have shown higher performance gaps between the two categories of students. These differences are further reflected in their access to a high-school, college or the labour market. Here is again psychologist Oana Puican:

Oana Puican:” If we are to look at these things in a long term, these dysfunctionalities in education are influencing not only the professional career of these young people, but also their way of building relations, their ability to communicate, their way of making major decisions, or the way of developing their autonomy.  At a social level the psychological effects become visible in the way in which the young generations are tackling future challenges. When education does not offer enough predictability, there comes the need for withdrawal, anticipatory anxiety or the difficulty of investing in long-term projects.”

Oana Puican has also shared with us a conclusion:

Oana Puican:” Education doesn’t produce only competences, but also an emotional structure. Education doesn’t mean only getting knowledge, but it’s also about living in society: we are learning to listen, to wait and be patient, to bring arguments, to cooperate. When various links in the education chain are weakened, the whole society is going to feel the consequences, and those are polarization, the lack of trust, and frail social connections. In a long term, investment in education is actually an investment in the psychological health of a society…”

So, education can no longer be seen as an administrative field but as an essential infrastructure for social welfare. The way in which a child joins and stays in school is influencing the economic health of a family, the capability of a society to adjust and in a long term the resilience of an entire country.

(MI&bill)