Daniel David, the Minister of Education and Research, announced on Wednesday, May 21, that the national evaluation exam could be modified from the 2025-2026 school year, on the French model.
Daniel David – Minister of PHOTO MEDIAFAX Education
The Minister of Education answered, in a press conference, to questions about the QX diagnostic and research report, which he presented for the first time on May 19th.
Although Nicușor Dan, the president chosen, claimed that Daniel David is the only minister in office he wants in the future government, he says he will remain only if his QX diagnosis report will be accepted and supported financially.
“I see this report as a conclusion of a first stage of the minister’s mandate. Whether it will be a second stage or not, I don’t know. The second stage will depend a lot on how the new government will look at this report, the measures we have proposed and its support, including financially. If this support does not exist, I will not be a minister, there will be someone else“He said, at the conference.
The Minister of Education wants to change the National Assessment exam, claiming that the way it is now carried out, with two subjects, “is not ok”. Asked if these changes will be applied from the future school year, he replied: “I said we could, if we agree. You see, I always talk about testing methods, I look at if it is a ongoing methodology, which is why I did not want to change the baccalaureate methodology in January, despite the various pressures. Still the methodology for next year is not beaten in nails and if we agree, the educational system, parents, unions is ok, we can start this earlier”.
The minister explained why these changes are needed. “Because for me it is a major problem the national exam in the eighth grade. Now, I repeat, I consider it limited by the two disciplines and I consider it very, very restrictive by the fact that it is a punctual evaluation, as then it strikes the educational course of children. I said that, maybe, if we think it’s too fast and it takes a while so we think, let’s see how it will be, maybe we make some simulations. I do not want to implement it next year but at some point we will have to change the examination of the National Assessment to the way we have it now“He added.
He gave as an example the eighth-grade exam in Italy and France, claiming that it is not reduced to mathematics and Romanian.
“Please look at the model in France and Italy. You can have a standardized, underlying test that covers different disciplines. It does not mean that you will have the test and discipline, because at that moment I complicated things. If you can in other countries, I think it can be in Romania. If we are not more creative, we will probably do as the French, for example, who have mathematics, and French, have history, geography, have science. So we’ll do it too“, Said the minister.
“For example, I am a man who would prefer the educational portfolio that works in France and many other countries, because we think this test anyway, even if we give it more skills, to make it more relevant. However, it is a punctual test“He said.
When the National Assessment from the end of the eighth grade could be eliminated
The Minister of Education and Research also stated that the national evaluation at the end of the eighth grade could disappear when the inequities could be reduced and the educational portfolio could be taken into account.
“When I see the reduction of inequalities, then we begin to think seriously that we can go on the portfolio. If it is not me, it will be someone else, for sure. If he thinks rationally he will think so and give up the national exam“Said Daniel David, during the conference.
