In terms of Education, the new government program, if it will be implemented punctually, will fundamentally reform Romanian education. The proposed measures are revolutionary and could definitively change the outdated and communist paradigms in which the system has been struggling for decades, believe the education experts whom “Adevărul” consulted.
The Minister of Education, Daniel David, the promoter of the reform in the education system. Archive
Academician Mircea Dumitru, former Minister of Education in the Cioloș government, says that the Education government program touches all the system’s weaknesses.
“A coherent program that addresses the main problems in the system. First, the problems we know from primary and secondary education. But, considering Minister David’s experience as a university rector, there will certainly be measures aimed at optimizing the educational processes in universities. However, what particularly caught my attention are the measures aimed at changing school programs, de-bureaucratizing the system and preventing school dropouts”, the specialist pointed out.
Mircea Dumitru hopes that the new Minister of Education will have the power to carry out what he proposes: “This, obviously, provided that the Government makes the necessary financial effort, because without budgetary support, many measures could remain only on paper.”
On the other hand, draws the attention of the specialist, “these systemic problems that have accumulated over the last 34-35 years cannot be solved in 6 months”. And one of the big problems and priorities is school dropout, which must be fought with all weapons. “But extremely important are the educational plans and the expansion of the network of pilot schools. And let’s not forget the importance of technological and dual education that will finally receive the attention it deserves. In Germany, for example, there is dual education at university level,” explained the former minister.
Expert: “The bravest government program in the last 30 years”
“Right from the initial, conception phase, we had a series of technical discussions with the people who later instilled this program. And I’ve had a positive perception ever since. In terms of Education, he is by far the bravest Government program that I have read so far. I was very pleasantly surprised by the courage to undertake this program“, also Marian Staș, an expert in Education, testified for “Adevărul”.
But, continues the specialist, these measures were thought of before the adoption of the Trenulet Ordinance: “Which is now blowing up in their faces with all the constraints, cuts and restrictions imposed. Therefore, in this new financial context, it is also important to see how the program will be implemented”.
Marian Staș stated that we are facing two large categories of measures: some that are more related to the socio-economic area, others that are strictly related to what the Ministry can do concretely.
“We are talking about the “Hot Meal” and “School after School” programs, which are obviously related to education, but here local public administrations are put to work. I mean the town halls. And it’s also about what the Ministry can do, because the ball is mainly in its court. I am referring to the transformation as such of the Romanian education system. And here three things caught my attention that I consider extremely brave”, comments the specialist. Marian Staș refers, first of all, to the consolidation and expansion of technological and dual technological education: “It is an extremely important thing. With campuses and everything that means curricular transformation and connections with companies and the business environment to create, indeed, dual education of the 21st century and not one left behind in the game”.
Then, another essential aspect is the decentralization of schools. “A crucial aspect I would say, which I saw marked for the first time: piloting the decentralization of human resources”, explains Marian Staș.
This refers to the ability of schools to employ their teachers: “It is an aberrant anomaly in the current law that must go. Namely: private school principals can hire their teachers, public school principals do not have this possibility”.
In the government program there is a distinct section dedicated to the expansion of the network of pilot schools, a program intensively promoted and implemented by Marian Staș: “It means they saw its potential and its value. At the time when we discussed the government program, the measure of expanding the network with at least 100 pilot schools was considered and even put on paper. This proves the value of this process that allows testing, piloting what it means to be open, curricular decentralization”.
“Let there be more, so that schools have a choice”
Regarding the new framework plans for the high school, Marian Staș is quite skeptical, in the context in which he is one of the biggest supporters of this change. “I have mixed feelings“, the specialist confessed to us, and this is because the stake is huge, and things should not be done quickly: “It seems to me the project that puts a gun to Minister David’s temple. It is very important that the framework plans are adopted as a matter of urgency, but it is equally important what framework plans we are talking about. For we might wake up before a bottomless form. There is also this risk of new framework plans, but which do not come with paradigm changes. That’s the biggest danger.”
The specialist believes that a radical transformation solution is unlikely now. Rather, change should occur in small but well-thought-out steps. “There are, to begin with, two essential things to do here. First, let’s open the game to the max in terms of expanding the network of pilot schools. The second thing the ministry can do is come up with three or four different framework plans from which schools can choose what they think suits them best. The most conservative plans should have somewhere around 20% of the curriculum at the students’ decision from the school’s offer, and the most courageous should go towards 60%. And this exercise will give a very important signal that the Ministry of Education has the courage to open the game”.
Marian Staș, expert in education, calls for the reformation of Religion as a subject in schools. Archive
Specialists demand the replacement of Religion class with Education for spirituality
Another challenge for Minister Daniel David is the subject of the mandatory Religion lesson in the common core, Marian Staș believes. The expert is of the opinion that the information delivered to children needs reform, and the subject should be called Education for spirituality. “Because no one wanted a discussion on this topic, we consulted artificial intelligence in this regard, which is also promoted in the Education government program”the specialist explains a novel experiment he resorted to recently.
Specifically, the expert asked several AI mediums to provide some relevant Spiritual Education topics for middle school and high school students. ChatGPT came up with the following response: “For secondary school students aged 11 to 14, spiritual education can include a variety of relevant themes to help them develop critical thinking, empathy and understanding of diversity. For high school students between the ages of 15 and 18, spiritual education can address more complex themes and encourage deep reflection on the self and the world around them.”
Marian Staș testified that he does not want to force the assumption of any of the solutions generated by AI, leaving Minister Daniel David to decide whether or not it is appropriate to intervene in this matter. The specialist believes that this matter is, in fact, the most sensitive and most courageous challenge that the minister will have to face. “An honest, anger-free, non-biased approach to this topic that has elegant solutions is needed. We are talking about something that does justice to education, before anything else,” Marian Staș also specified.
What the government program for Education provides
