High schools and colleges that do not have primary classes can organize tests for the enrollment of students in the 5th grade. The provision is part of the new Regulation-framework for the organization and operation of pre-university education units (ROFUIP) and is under public debate.
At the admission to the 5th grade, the students also beat 5 per place. Photo source: archive
Initially, it was wanted that these registrations in the 5th grade would no longer be done after taking an exam, but only based on an educational portfolio such as Comper diplomas, first prize in grades I-IV, etc. The reason? Children are too young to be subjected to such emotional stress. Now it seems that this decision has been reversed and the authorities are once again giving the green light to the “real” exam.
Professor Dana Bobocea, director of the “Grigore Moisil” National College, the best high school in the Capital according to last year’s average from the National Evaluation, explained to “Adevărul” the need for such an exam.
“We have opted for secondary education since 2011. We have two 5th grades that we go to 12th because our students, once admitted, continue their high school studies with us. Most of them”.
How is such an exam conducted? “The exam is organized at school level and the topics are proposed by our teachers. We reserve the right to choose a certain level of difficulty and, I admit, at Moisil the exam is perhaps the most difficult competition in Bucharest. We have very high expectations, a very high level, exceptional children and we want to stay that way”.
How is an entrance exam organized in the 5th grade
The fifth grade entrance exam is organized at the school level because each school wants a certain level of performance. “We have a certain methodology in which we specify how the exam is conducted, what documents are needed for registration, what is the bibliography, what is the registration period, etc. Then, we publish the exam calendar on the school website. At our place, there is a test in Romanian Language and Mathematics. But the subjects are difficult, at the Olympiad level”, explains Prof. Dana Bobocea. “We also publish several variations of subjects, precisely so that students know what the level is, what is required of them, what we expect from them. Everything is very transparent”.
On the day of the exam, the director says, the teachers who are part of the subject development committee make three subject proposals and a variant is drawn.
How to conduct the entrance exam for the 5th grade
At the “Grigore Moisil” National College, the exam is draconian, admits the director Dana Bobocea. “In our country, the two exams, Romanian Language and Mathematics, are held on the same day. The duration of each test is 60 minutes, and between the two tests the students have a break of half an hour. And, even under these conditions, our high school is in trouble. This year, for example, we had 250 applicants and only 52 places. Basically, two classes. On June 15 they took the tests, on June 17 the appeals were submitted, on the 18 the final results”, explained the teacher.
Why do parents flock to send their children from the 5th grade to Moisil? The director stated that the high school is very well rated, we are talking about a top high school in Bucharest. “Last year, the average score on the National Assessment was 9.60. This means that we had children who, individually, even got grades of 10. After the four middle school classes, our students can enter any high school they want. They are so well prepared that they have no emotion no matter where they want to go next. However, most of them continue with us”.
The procedure by which a high school also applies for middle school classes
The procedure by which a high school also applies for middle school classes requires an authorization request from ARACIP. Next, accreditation is requested. “Once the accreditation is obtained, the respective high school or college must obtain the results it presented at the accreditation every year. We want performance. And we requested the establishment of middle school classes to further raise the level of our high school students. And it turned out to be an excellent idea because the students raised by us stay in our high school and achieve performances at the national level”.
Although it is an extra hassle, who wants performance, performs. “We overcome all the organizational and personnel inconveniences, because if you want to do the work, you take it on. If you want to stay comfortable and not have a headache, you go afloat or try to manage at the subsistence level. It depends on what you want with your school. Since 2011, we have taken it like a rocket up and we are now even higher”, said teacher Dana Bobocea.
How necessary is the testing of 5th graders
It is very necessary, believes the manager from Moisil. “When testing will no longer be done for children in the 5th grade, GYMNASIUM will remain in liquidation. Because I don’t agree that we should enter on diploma-type performances from Comper, Very Good with a crown from the secondary school or who knows what Happy Snow White – international painting competition. I want a real, true exam, after which the student can prove to us that he really deserves to come and study with us. Because it is well known: the tested child who enters Moisil will have an appropriate educational path. At the National Assessment, for example, we had rare cases of students who scored below 9.00″.
The director of the “Grigore Moisil” National College specified that this competition is also organized because the demand is very high compared to the supply. “Entries close around June 1st. We draw a line, see how many children we have, how many places we have… If there are more children than the number of places, we organize a competition. But there are always more”.
The most important provisions of ROFUIP 2024
– According to the ROFUIP 2024 project, pre-university education units that do not have primary level classes can establish the 5th grade, and the enrollment of students is carried out after the end of the school year related to the 4th grade.
– In the pre-university education units where the 5th grade is established and where the number of requests is less than or equal to the number of places approved by the schooling plan, the enrollment of students is carried out in compliance with the legal provisions in force regarding the transfer of students provided for in Regulation – framework for the organization and operation of pre-university education units.
– The pre-university education unit develops its own procedure for enrolling students in the 5th grade.
– In the pre-university education units where the 5th grade is established and where the number of requests is greater than the number of places approved by the schooling plan, examinations/tests can be organized for a maximum of two study subjects.
– The pre-university education unit develops its own procedure for organizing and conducting tests/examinations.
– The final grade obtained after the tests/examinations represents the admission grade in the 5th grade.
– Students are admitted in descending order of the final grades obtained within the limits of places approved by the schooling plan.”
– If the high schools and colleges establish the 5th grade with the teaching of a modern language of international circulation in an intensive regime and where the number of requests is greater than the number of places approved by the schooling plan, then they can organize the language proficiency test.
