In Romania, successive education reforms already have a tradition. The most recent experiment is carried out at the “Mihai Eminescu” College in Oradea, where the 12th grade students have a 4-day program, dedicated to baccalaureate subjects. The rest of the disciplines are studied asynchronous, at home. Is the system prepared for such a step?
Courses for students. Photo WorldVision Romania
The international model of the 4 -day school week begins to take shape to us – shy, but determined. At the “Mihai Eminescu” National College in Oradea, the students of the 12th grade come to school only four days a week and only for the baccalaureate subjects. The rest of the disciplines move online, in asynchronous regime.
The experiment is part of a broader reform movement in education. Since 2023, the Ministry of Education allows schools to become “pilot schools” and to test flexible time, new disciplines and innovative teaching methods. If projects work, they can become general rules.
XII-grade students learn only for Bac
Starting with April, students from the nine 12th grades of the “Mihai Eminescu” National College in Oradea, one of the most prestigious high schools in Bihor, go to school only four days a week. But this is not an extended holiday, but an educational experiment: prioritizing the baccalaureate subjects, while the rest of the disciplines are studied ASYNCHRONOUSfrom home, states the director of the college, professor Liliana Muntean for Adevărul. The project “Emismartu – we pilot the future at Eminescu” is financed by PNRR and will be held by December 2026. One of the goals is Reorganization of the School Program for the 12th grades with focus on the ends by organizing asynchronous teaching activities For disciplines that are not evaluated at national exams in the last 9 weeks of the school year courses.
How does it work?
“I started from the finding that during this period the children are captured by the preparation for the baccalaureate and the admission to the faculty. Their temptation to treat the other disciplines with superficiality-not from disregard, but because they do not have time, how many hours they have in the framework plans-it is real“, Explained Prof. Liliana Muntean, high school director, for Adevărul.
The director of Mihai Eminescu Oradea College, Liliana Muntean. Photo Truth
For example: in Mate-Info, students have 14 subjects in the 12th grade, but only 3 are baccalaureate, and at philology-jurnalism, the situation is even more loaded: 20 subjects in the schedule.
Let’s also say that students also have free overtime for each bacon discipline, plus private meditations. So their interest in “non-Bac” subjects decreases, and some are chipping with their parents’ consent, which justifies absences.
What is the asynchronous study and how do you apply here?
By the end of March, the teachers taught the “non-Bac” subjects. Since April, the focus is only on evaluations, and the teaching is made asynchronous.
“Students receive themes and projects in the digital platform of the school, which they can solve when they want, as long as they respect the terms imposed. Can I even use the day I don’t come to school at all”, Explains the director of the Liliana Muntean College. In the rest of the week, I come to school for 3-4 hours/day, only for the materials.
Global Model: From Oradea to the rest of the world, the 4 -day school is gaining ground
Although at the Eminescu College this model applies only for the students of the 12th grade, the subject enrolls in a much broader debate. The school model with 4 days a week is gaining more and more global ground, being adopted for various reasons:
- Budgetary savings
- Attracting and keeping the teachers
- Improvement of students’ mental health
- Adapt to the needs of communities
According to an article published by Journalist’s Resource, over 2,100 public schools from 25 US states have passed a 4 -day school week. The decision was taken in particular by small or rural schools, who wanted to attract more teachers, reduce the expenses and increase the presence of students. Most of the time, the day off is Friday or Monday, creating an extended weekend for all.
However, the impact on academic performance and families vary depending on the local context. What works in a village in Colorado may not be feasible in a big city in Romania.
What do parents say?
The idea of a 4 -day school week is not enthusiastically regarded by everyone. Horațiu Sorin Hoara, first vice-president of the National Federation of Parents-Edupart, raised several question marks regarding the applicability of this model in Romania. In a statement to Truth, Hoara stressed that, from his perspective, the implementation of the 4-day week would bring an additional loading of the school program. According to him, the days when students go to school would become much more demanding, given that subject should be covered in a much shorter time.
Also, Professor Horațiu Sorin Hoara brought into question an essential question: how will the free days of younger students be managed, especially those at the gymnasium and the primary cycle? According to him, another significant problem would be related to teachers, who already have a norm of hours set per week. In his opinion, it is difficult to understand how the number of hours could be covered in just 4 days, without reducing the hours of essential subjects, such as mathematics or Romanian, which are fundamental to the academic development of students.
Therefore, not all parents are convinced that this flexibility is the ideal solution. “I find it ok for older children, who know what to do, but if they extend to smaller classes … there are problems, says the mother of a grade student.
For another parent, the advantage is clear: “My daughter is already making meditations and she is constantly stressed. At least she has an extra day to prepare and breathe. The school is too loaded anyway.”
What do the students say?
For some students, change was a mouthful of fresh air. “We have more time to focus on the materials of BAC, but also to rest or learn at our rhythm. The free day helps us to organize ourselves better,” says Andrei, a student in the 12th grade in real profile. He recognizes that he is studying more efficiently at home, especially for asynchronous projects. The same is true of Ioana, a colleague of his, who takes advantage of the time earned to participate in online personal development courses: “It is an opportunity to learn things from outside the program. I started a graphic design course and I really like it.”
However, not all students manage to turn this free day into an advantage. Paul, a student in the 11th grade, says that it is difficult for him to mobilize: “Sometimes, without a clear program, I get to waste time. I miss the routine and rhythm imposed by school.” And for smaller students, the lack of a structured frame can be even more difficult. Maria, a student in the 6th grade, confesses that she gets bored at home: “My mother works, my father is gone … I don’t always know what to do. I would prefer to be at school with my colleagues.”
Thus, although for some students this flexibility brings real benefits, for others it creates challenges related to organization, motivation or even loneliness. The impact is not uniform, and the efficiency of this measure depends largely on age, level of autonomy and family context of each child.
How do you experience flexible ora and new methods
In conclusion, the educational reform of the 4 -day week comes with opportunities and challenges alike for the Romanian system. Pilot experiments, such as the one from the “Mihai Eminescu” College in Oradea, could be an important step in adapting education to the current needs of students. However, the success of this model depends on finding a balance between the flexibility of the program and maintaining a high level of academic training, without compromising on the quality of education.
Even if innovations can address mental health problems and bring long -term benefits, their implementation must be well thought out and adapted to the reality of each school. Collaboration between teachers, students, parents and authorities is essential to evaluate the impact and to guarantee a more efficient, fair and performing education system.
