Daniel David resigned as Minister of Education on December 22. From then until now, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has not even appointed an interim. The delay could be put down to the period, but there are numerous instances where new ministers have been appointed on the Holidays itself. The transmitted signal is not a good one, believe the specialists in Education. ,,The absence of a quick reaction – as happened in the case of other portfolios – suggests that Education remains, once again, in an area of <
“Education is a highly sensitive area and unfortunately this episode sends a message of secondaryising its importance. Sure, the resignation took place over a holiday period, but the absence of a quick reaction – as has happened in other portfolios – suggests that education remains, once again, in a ‘can wait’ zone.
And the problem is not only symbolic. The educational system works with great inertia, but also with many ongoing processes. Any hiatus in leadership, even for a few weeks, produces blockages, delays and confusion. In an already tense year, the end without a clearly assumed minister does not help stability or confidence at all.” explains Education expert Gabi Bartic.
It also lists the reasons why it regrets the departure of Daniel David.
“Not because I could say, honestly, that I know for sure that all the proposed reforms would have been implemented or well implemented – that will always remain an unknown. But because I would have liked to see at least some of them taken to the construction area, not just the announcement or cutting. There is a risk that Daniel David will remain in the public memory unfairly, as <
A short tenure, as most have been for the past 36 years
For a single year, Daniel David was in charge of the essential portfolio for the proper functioning of the country. The term of office falls within the usual line. Since the Revolution, Romania has had 30 Ministers of Education. This means that there are few ministers who have been in office for two years. Three years without any interruption, none stayed.
A quick glance over the list of Ministers of Education in the last three decades also shows us that most mandates ended in December, just like Daniel David’s. The new appointments were not delayed, however, as is happening now.
Longest and shortest tenure
The longest mandate was that of Ecaterina Andronescu, for 2 years and 6 months, between December 28, 2000 and June 19, 2003. Andronescu is also the one who ticked off this position the most times. In total, he had four mandates.
Other ministers who exceeded the two-year threshold are Daniel Funeriu (December 23, 2009 – February 2, 2012) and Ligia Deca (October 3, 2022 – December 22, 2024). Remus Pricopie only had four days left to reach the threshold (December 21, 2012 – December 17, 2014).
Ioan Mang spent the least amount of time at the helm of the Ministry of Education. He was a minister for only eight days, between May 7 and May 12, 2012. He resigned after it was revealed that he had plagiarized.
2012, the year with six ministers
2012 was, moreover, the year with the most Ministers of Education. It started with Daniel Funeriu, who left in February, together with the Boc Government. In Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu’s cabinet, Cătălin Baba came to the head of Education. But the government only lasted until May. And the Ponta I Government started with the left in Education, with the minister of eight days. After Mang, Liviu Pop followed, who lasted a month and a half, between May 15 and July 2. After his departure, PSD returned to a variant that had been tried in the past: Ecaterina Andronescu. Only she didn’t have a mandate longer than a few months either. On December 21, she was replaced by Remus Pricopie.
“Short mandates make structural reform almost impossible”
So, the key portfolio has a turbulent history in post-December Romania. Gabriela Bartic says:
“This number says, unequivocally, that education has been treated as an unstable, politically sacrificial portfolio. Short mandates make structural reform almost impossible. You can launch ideas, you can start projects, but you rarely get to see them mature. Continuity should not be about the person, but about the direction. Unfortunately, every time the minister changes, so do the priorities, and the language, and very often the teams. Under these conditions, real changes are rather exceptions. And when they appear, they depend more on external pressure or the effort of some people in the system than on political stability at the top”.
Portrait of the right Minister for Education
We challenged the Education specialist to tell us what she thinks are the essential qualities that the one who will make the decisions in the education system in Romania should have.
“The future minister must, first of all, understand the internal mechanisms of the educational system. It is not enough to have good intentions or a convincing public discourse. Education is a huge system, with natural resistances – sometimes natural, sometimes deeply unnatural – and with real complexity.
Then it is essential to be a leader, not just a manager. To have a clear vision of the necessary structural reforms and the ability to build a ministerial apparatus that internalizes this vision. A minister alone changes nothing; a minister with an aligned team can move a system,” answered Gabi Bartic.
What awaits the next minister
Regardless of who the next minister will be, he will have a difficult task.
“2026 is an extremely busy year: competitions for inspectors and directors, reorganization of inspectorates, restructuring of territorial institutions, plus a series of large projects already underway. All this must be pushed forward despite the resistance of the system. The biggest challenge will be not to freeze these processes. Let there be continuity, coherence and courage. Reforms in education are never popular in the short term, but they are absolutely necessary in the medium and long term”says Gabi Bartic.
So far, two names have been circulated to take over the head of the ministry: Marilen Pirtea (PNL deputy and rector of the West University of Timișoara, whose name is linked to accusations of plagiarism) and Luciana Antoci (prime minister Ilie Bolojan’s education advisor).
Two resignations and two different approaches
On December 22, in the evening, on his personal blog, Daniel David announced his resignation from the leadership of the Ministry of Education.
“Exactly one year after the invitation to become Minister of Education and Research (December 22, 2024), I asked the Prime Minister to release me from the position of Minister of Education and Research, by submitting my resignation to his cabinet. I recently received confirmation. Although the resignation is a unilateral act, we wanted it to be an amicable departure, as was our collaboration”wrote Daniel David.
The decision came at the end of a tense year, marked by changes in education, not all of which were well received by the main actors in the field.
“Without being a politician, I accepted the mandate of Minister of Education and Research with the conviction that, at a difficult moment for our country, the duty to the public good must prevail over any personal or professional convenience. I tried, during this mandate, to exercise my office with rigor, honesty and respect towards people and state institutions, doing what was in my power according to reason and the common good. Today, I consider this duty fulfilled. I didn’t choose these times, nor the problems of these times, just how to face them.” the university professor also said when resigning from his position.
