The Minister of Education, Daniel David, reached the subject of resignation for the first time. The functional illiteracy in which almost half of the high school graduates are scaling is already a national security issue, the official considers, who warn: if the educational policies he will submit in May will not be supported and assumed, he will no longer be a minister.
Daniel David announces reform in education. Archive
The chain of David’s weaknesses
A statement that is not as shocking as disappointing. For the system needs a reform from the foundations. And if the ministers get to stand in front of the system for a few months and then “desert” we have no chance. A psychologist and two education experts commented on Daniel David’s statement by putting on the table, without hiding places, the halves of the “poisoned apple” called the Romanian education.
Everything, also put in the context of an older confession made by the minister, when he was not yet minister and we cannot help but consider. Specifically, on his personal blog David acknowledged some of his weaknesses: “Lower tolerance to frustration, too much credit given to people, slightly “contempt” to the present (too “future-oriented”) “
Therefore, what is hidden behind this statement about resignation? Another weakness? The proof itself of the low degree of frustration tolerance? One step back? A powerlessness to cope with pressure? A lehamite to a deeply vitiated system? Let us not forget that this statement comes in the context of the scandal arising on the modified schedule of high school students, a project supported by the minister, but blamed by the people in the system and with a terrible impact among the society. Did Daniel David get tired to fight the windmills and prepare the land to withdraw? Or, on the contrary, are we in front of a man with a spine, responsible, assumed and who does not “hold with his teeth”? To be this first signal directed to the people in the system if you do not want me, then I don’t want you either? The opinions are divided.
Psychologist Radu Leca. Archive
Psychologist: “Daniel David, a man whom the system does not deserve”
Psychologist Radu Leca is of the opinion that Minister Daniel David is one of the best ministers of the education I have had in the last 30 years. “His education is high, clear, with an academic structure without vices. We are dealing with one of the most logical and argumentative ministers, a man of fierce intelligence. “
Unfortunately, however, smart people do not always cope with many and less smart, and this is because they do not go to war fighting the same weapons. “In general, people hardly cope with changes, they need time to get used to the idea. For this reason, many are scheduled to say from the beginning no ”, the specialist continues, making direct reference to the wave of criticisms brought to the framework plans in this period in the debate.
Minister David, therefore, has a very difficult mission: to fight against a system that, as already observed, is against him. “I refer here including the quality of the people around him ”.
Minister David came from Cluj, from the academic environment, to Bucharest, risking to sink into the mud. A baked mud right inside the system he wants to reform. “The poor training of certain elements within the system – I refer here to teachers, school principals even parents – lead to this form of opposition. For example, I do not expect a parent whose child is mediocre to understand the doctor’s program in psychology and teacher David. On the other hand, we are dealing with changes that disturb the mastodons and dinosaurs ”, the psychologist continues.
These people refuse to understand an essential thing: that we need a radical change in the system as we need air. Therefore why this resistance? It is simple: the fear of change, the laziness, the disinterest, the unjustified fear of the teachers that they will lose their hours or even the chairs, but also a feeling of patriotism and poorly understood nationalism.
“Daniel David has done in this short time, since he is a minister, he has no one to work with, he has no one to work with. His fear at the moment, as he said, will have no support in his efforts. Or will be supported very little. The measures with which he will come in May, the algorithm he will propose may not be fully understood. Which is why it is absolutely natural to announce its withdrawal ”.
He knew what he was getting in
And the fact that he brought into question a possible resignation, did not exist for fear or lehamite, is no step back, considers the psychologist. “This is what the ministers so far have not had the courage to do. They kept their chair with all the 32 teeth they had in their mouths. But David is broken from another dough. ”
The psychologist believes that the Minister of Education is, in fact, a responsible man, an honest and categorical man. “This is not about pride, pride, ego. It is the natural decision of a man with a spine ”.
And he knew very well what he was getting when he accepted the position of minister. At that time, the official explained his choice: he came because any man who can change something for the better has the moral duty to do it. But did the minister suspect what terrible resistance would have to face the system? “Definitely yes, he knew what to get. “considers the psychologist Leca. “It was a choice. No one forced no one to come to Bucharest. He has assumed this position in the knowledge of the case. David accepted this political game. It was not blackmailed, it was not forced. “ Therefore, it should take this decision to the end and not leave before the weather.
Marian Stas, Education Expert. Archive
“He is not alone in this war. We improve his tolerance to frustration ”
Marian Stas, an expert in education, believes that Daniel David “is from another movie” if we compare it with the ministers we have had so far for education. “From the series of all the ministers of 95 and so far I have not had a caliber interlocutor comparable to his: a man with an articulated speech, who knows what he wants, knows what he does, who cares and knows what he can. “
And this is not a compliment, it is a feedback that Marian Stas sends to the minister. “He is the first Romanian official who says with the subject and preached that the state of the educational system is a threat to the national security of Romania. And when a dignitary comes and says directly that functional, mathematical, logical illiteracy represents a threat to national security, this is the correct diagnosis ”.
Then, the specialist continues, it is very important for Daniel David to know that he is not alone in the fight “We are many around him and we can improve his tolerance to frustration in this war. I, one, have been in these trenches and tell you that we are living historical moments for education in Romania. The water was broken, as it would be said, regarding the change of the paradigm. “ Marian Staș considers it time to change things, and if we lose this train we will get a second chance. “We are in an impeccable hurricane eye to make the necessary transformation and to remove the educational models from the communist paradigm.”
Marian Staș believes that Daniel David knew very well what awaits him in Bucharest and has decided to say “yes” to the challenge. “He assumed this story. ”
A free man, “ungodly” by the chair
As for a possible resignation of the minister, the expert considers it, after all, an exercise in honesty. “An exercise in integrity with itself, by which David transmits the following message: it is not” tied “to the chair. He is an interior free man who cannot be conditioned. ”
Marian Stas said that the Minister of Education has and will have enough political support to complete his projects. And another aspect: in the end, this reform will be negotiated and a compromise formula will be reached. “Something will be completely different from what is debated now. For me it will be something of note 6-7, but bearable for the system ”.
The expert believes that there is no question of a possible resignation by explaining the reasons: “I am inclined to believe that, rather, it will not happen. Because what we live today is a unique moment, which appears once every 100 years. And what minister would not like to be the protagonist of such a project? It is a way to prove your authentic value. ”
Ștefan Vlaston, education expert. Archive
David and Goliath. “The minister, boycotted by his own system”
For his part, Stefan Vlaston, a teacher and expert in education, said for “Adevărul” that Daniel David resigned because “He realized that he was not able to overthrow all the education and takes it from scratch. He will come in May with the analysis and solutions. Do you help me? Who to help him? To go to Parliament with proposals for laws, to go to the Government. His proposals, after all, have no reason to be supported. Because he, as a minister, can give secondary legislation, order of minister. What help does he want from others?”, Prof. Vlaston asks.
The specialist explained that the minister will have all the political support. Instead, it will be difficult to get that of the education system itself. “The problem is how those proposals from May will be put into practice. Because the unions and teachers are on the other side of the barricade. They want no changes. Because now they are doing well. “
The expert believes that at this moment Daniel David risks being overcome by the situation and boycotted right from within, by his own colleagues. “He, on the other hand, does not expect the system to give him justice, because a massive change in education means an effort from the teachers: to qualify, to learn something else, how to teach the new programs, etc. And they do not want to make such efforts. ”
Ștefan Vlaston believes that the statements of the minister smooth a road that the official will try to withdraw, finally. “He realized, from what he discussed with the unions, teachers and apparatus in the ministry that, as the previous ministers failed to do anything in the face of the blackmail practiced by unions and teachers, he will not succeed. “
In conclusion, in the light of expert Vlaston, would David become another victim of the system? “95% not”, Marian Stas replied sharply. “Instead, it needs as many political connections, but also a team of very good collaborators. Because it doesn’t have to be a Don Quixote to fight alone. But I think Daniel David has these levers in his hand. I don’t think Ilie Bolojan He would have only called him to be a sacrifice minister. Nor would David have ever accepted such a thing. “said Marian Stas.
