Structure of the chapter 

This chapter provides a thematic and chronological overview of national reforms and policy developments since 2022. 

The web pages that follow group reforms in the following broad thematic areas: 

• Early childhood education and care
• General school education
• Vocational education and training
• Higher education
• Adult education and training. 

Inside each thematic area, reforms are organised chronologically. The most recent reforms are described first. 

Government's key objectives for education

The Ministry of Education and Research (MEC) is responsible for meeting the enabling condition concerning the existence of a National strategic framework for education and training at all levels (NSFET), which is related to the policy objective 4: “A more social Europe with the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights”. 

The 2025-2028 Government Programme and NSFET establish several priority directions in the field of education and training for the next period. The main strategic guidelines in the area converge with: 

• European programming documents:
  • 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
  • Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030)
  • The European Pillar of Social Rights
  • The European Economic Recovery Plan
  • Union of Skills
  • The Digital Education Action Plan
  • The European Green Deal
• national documents:
  • A strategic framework for the education and training system at all levels
  • National Recovery and Resilience Programme – the education component C.12
  • National strategy on environmental and climate change education for 2023-2030
  • National strategy on financial education for 2024-2030
  • National strategy on parental support for 2024-2030
  • National strategy on adult continuing education for 2024-2030
  • Other national strategies.

Strategic framework for the education and training system at all levels

Status

Under implementation

Timeframe 

2021-2030

Responsible institutions

MEC, School Inspectorates, schools, higher education institutions, agencies and institutions governed/coordinated by the MEC.

Content

The strategic framework for the education and training system at all levels (the Educated Romania project), assumed by a memorandum of the Romanian Government and validated by the European Commission, together with the education laws set out the main directions for reform so as to promote a fair, inclusive and quality educational system, which responds to the needs of all school and university students and is in line with the European recommendations in the area. 

Education laws

The School Education Law and the Higher Education Law came into force in the 2023/2024 school/academic year.

Any subsequent legislation deriving from the package of education laws is available on the official web page of the MEC. 

National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Component C.15 – Education

Component 15 – Education of the Romanian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) is a major strategic effort to modernise and transform the Romanian educational system. With a structure of 6 subcomponents and covering 6 reforms and 18 investments, Component 15 is aimed at interventions impacting on early childhood education and care, compulsory education, VET and higher education, with a focus on equity, infrastructure, digital education and skills for the future.

National strategy on environmental and climate change education 2023-2030

Status

Under implementation 

Timeframe

2023-2030

Responsible institutions 

MEC, Ministry of the Environment, Water and Forests 

Vision

The strategy aims to contribute to changing individual, group and system-level behaviour that leads to a degradation of nature and the environment, and to empower people to make a contribution to problem solving and systemic changes. 

Directions for action

1. Implementation of an educational programme for climate and the environment
2. Solutions for educational resources
3. Infrastructure for sustainable schools
4. Human resources involved in environmental and climate change education.

National strategy for financial education 2024-2030

Status

Under implementation

Timeframe

2025-2030

Responsible institutions

The institutions that signed the protocol concluded in 2025 (MEC, Ministry of Finances, National Bank of Romania, Financial Supervisory Authority, National Authority for Consumer Protection, Romanian Association of Banks).

Directions for action

• Improving the financial knowledge for the groups identified in the Strategy
• Raising awareness of citizens’ rights and obligations in connection with financial products and services.
• Increasing financial resilience.
• Reinforcing a financial discipline among the general population.
• Raising awareness of the importance of a fair and responsible conduct in matters of tax.  
• Correlating the measures of the Strategy with the protection measures for consumers of financial products and services.

National strategy on parental support 2024-2030

Status

Under implementation

Timeframe

2024-2030

Responsible institutions 

MEC, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Family, Youth and Equal Opportunities, Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity

Vision

The strategy aims to create a support system where each parent may develop parental skills so as to confidently guide the development of every child, transforming everyday interactions into opportunities for growth and reaching the potential of every child, and contributing in this way to building a wealthy and inclusive society.

National strategy for adult continuing education 2024-2030

Status

Under implementation

Timeframe 

2024-2030

Responsible institutions 

MEC, Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity

Vision

The strategy aims to create a culture of learning among adults, for all levels, irrespective of their age, culture or background, and to provide adult people with equal opportunities to fully participate in the economic, social and civic life. 

Specific transversal measures (taken from the 2025-2028 Government Programme)

• Making the prevention of early school leaving a priority (with programmes such as PNRAS, PNRAU, School after School and healthy meals in schools)
• Ensuring educational rights for national minorities
• Strengthening education for Romanian expatriates and those living in Romanian historical communities
• Supporting the national programme for learning the Romanian language and literature.
• A smooth running of the current projects conducted by the Ministry (e.g. projects dedicated to counselling and guidance, curriculum analysis, functional literacy, the technological path, ARACIP, leadership and training of managers, school safety, etc.).
• Digitisation/Reducing paperwork.

Reforms in school education

• Reform 1 – Curriculum and related elements
• Reform 2 – Assessment
• Reform 3 – Reorganising the architecture of the school education system
• Reform 4 – Teacher statute
• Reform 5 – Implementation of a set of European/international good practices in the new school architecture

Reforms in higher education and adult training

• Reform 6 – Redefining the university architecture
• Reform 7 – Implementation of European/international good practices in the new university architecture
• Reform 8 – National Authority for Qualifications (with the implementation of European/international good practices in adult training in the framework of the European reform Union of Skills).