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In accordance with School Education Law 198/2023, as subsequently amended and complemented, the National Curriculum is a coherent set of elements regulating the activity of the teaching staff in school education and includes the framework curricula, the subject curricula and the national assessment standards. Key competences are set out in the School Education Law 198/2023 as landmarks of the National Curriculum and define a student’s training profile having associated descriptors for each education level. There are eight key competences:
A student’s training profile is a regulatory component of the National Curriculum, a reference for its design, implementation and evaluation. It indicates the expected levels of proficiency depending on students’ development phases. Therefore, a a student’s training profile is a structured concept which reflects the expectations from a student who completes lower secondary education as set out in the table below:
In lower secondary education (grades 5-8) there is no specialisation of studies – lower secondary education is provided as general education. Using the school-based curriculum and extracurricular activities, a significant number of schools have developed improved educational programmes including, for instance, the intensive study of modern languages, computers, sports and artistic activities, etc. Such programmes are not regarded as specialisation. Curriculum, subjects, number of hoursIn accordance with School Education Law 198/2023, the National Curriculum is a coherent set of elements regulating the activity of the teaching staff in school education and includes the framework curricula, the subject curricula and the national assessment standards. The framework curricula state the compulsory and optional subjects, fields of study and training modules, and the time allocated to each of them. The framework curricula and also the subject curricula for compulsory subjects and training modules in school education are developed by competent institutions and bodies of the Ministry of Education and are approved by a ministerial order. The framework curricula for secondary education groups the subjects into seven curricular areas: Language and Communication; Mathematics and Science; Man and Society; Arts; Physical Education, Sport and Health; Technologies; Guidance and Counselling. Teaching and learning activities may be conducted for separate groups of students in the following situations:
The curriculum of student choices from the school provision (student choice curriculum) is made up of subjects/areas of study that are proposed for all students in primary education, lower secondary education and high-school (upper-secondary) education, the academic and aptitudinal paths, and is developed at national, regional, local or school level. Students may choose any particular subjects/areas of study from their school’s provision based on their needs and interests in gaining knowledge. The implementation of a student choice curriculum is compulsory; it may involve students from different classes and may take the form of a modular system. Within the National Curriculum, the share of compulsory subjects and that of optional subjects are determined in the framework curricula so that to observe the principles of equal opportunities, equity and relevance, and decentralisation. For every subject and area of study, the curriculum covers 75 % of the hours dedicated to instruction and assessment leaving 25 % of the time allocated to a particular subject / area of study at the teacher’s disposal. The teacher decides whether the share of 25 % of the time allocated to that subject / area of study is used for remedial learning, reinforcing knowledge or encouraging those students who are capable of high performance, in accordance with individual learning plans. Framework curricula for lower secondary education are structured across two components:
The curricula for subjects which are part of the student choice curriculum may be developed nationally or by the schools themselves, in consultation with, as appropriate, the teachers’ council, the students’ council, the parents’ association structure, as well as with representatives of the local community. The curricula are approved by the school’s board based on an endorsement from the curriculum board and after being endorsed by the School Inspectorates. Classes with intensive teaching of a modern language are classes where the study of a modern language is allotted at least 2 hours more than the number of hours stipulated in the core curriculum of a particular framework curriculum; these extra hours are allocated in the curriculum of student choices from the school provision. Classes with bilingual teaching of a modern language are classes where the study of a modern language is allotted at least 3 hours more than the number of hours stipulated in the core curriculum of a particular framework curriculum; these extra hours are allocated in the curriculum of student choices from the school provision. In classes with bilingual teaching of a modern language at least a third of non-language subjects are studied in that particular modern language. The framework curricula for lower secondary education are developed by groups of experts in specific fields (e.g. national commissions) and are subject to public debate / debate by professionals in the area; the framework curricula are scientifically validated by a dedicated commission and they are finally approved by an Order of the education minister. The subject curricula are drafted by working groups made up of expert teachers, then they are subject to debate by professionals in the area and are finally approved by an Order of the education minister. Teaching methods and materialsThe teaching methods are chosen so as to lead to the development of competences that are specific to particular subjects and to the development of the student’s training profile, and they should match students’ age and individual particularities. Teachers are responsible for choosing appropriate teaching methods. They take into account the structure of the class, the teaching materials, the methodological guidelines of the National Curriculum and materials published for teachers. A significant number of publications have been made available to support teaching:
Teachers have access to open educational resources developed by experienced teachers, which is facilitated by ICT. During lessons, teachers are responsible for class management. Teachers independently choose to conduct activities with the whole class, in groups or individually depending on the specific objectives of the lesson and their students’ level. As far as teaching methods are concerned, generally, the following may be mentioned: methods based on oral communication, methods for learning and exploring by discovery, student-focused interactive methods, etc. At the end of every lesson, teachers usually assign homework for the next lesson. Homework is differentiated as follows: there is some compulsory homework, which is average in difficulty and is assigned to all students, and there is some additional homework, which is individual and differentiated, with a remedial purpose or intended to develop specific competences. For homework, students have to solve exercises, write essays, etc. These tasks are taken either from textbooks or other publications, or they may involve wider/synthetizing works (projects, etc.). In some cases, students may also be required to carry out some practical activities as homework, such as measurements, observations, small practical projects, etc. At the beginning of every lesson, teachers usually check homework and, if necessary, help students finish it. The Ministry of Education recommends that teachers take into account, when determining the time allotted to homework, the need of young people to socialise and do sport and recreational activities, and that homework not exceed more than 2 hours for all subjects together. Textbooks Students and the teaching staff in public education and accredited/authorised compulsory private education and those in confessional education receive free textbooks, for instruction both in Romanian and in the national minority languages. Alternative textbooks are developed and assessed based on the subject curricula approved by the Ministry of Education. Due to the freedom of professional initiative, teachers may select and use in the classroom materials and teaching aids that are approved/endorsed by the Ministry of Education, as well as open educational resources, so as to improve the educational process. |