Primary education is offered equally to all children, including to children with special educational needs who attend primary education either in special education schools or in mainstream education. Primary education provides equal opportunities for all children to attain the first stage of basic education (elementary education) and continue their studies at subsequent educational levels.

The curriculum for primary education is established by the Ministry of Education.

The number of hours allocated to school subjects in the framework curriculum vary between 20 and 22 hours a week in primary education. For education in national minority languages, the maximum number of hours varies between 23 and 26 hours a week.

In accordance with the overall goals of education, the curriculum in force for primary education ensures the development of key competences at an elementary level. This elementary level refers to a student’s acquisitions at the end of primary education which allow them to carry out simple operations, in familiar, mainly concrete, contexts. In terms of cognitive development, this level corresponds to the stage of concrete operations. (According to Order No 3239 of 5 February 2021 on the approval of the educational policy document “Landmarks for designing, updating and reviewing the National Curriculum. A framework of reference for the National Curriculum”).

The Romanian education system employs the following categories of competences: 

• key competences,
• general competences,
• specific competences. 

General competences are acquisitions gained by students through the study of a school subject. General competences express the contribution of each subject / learning module to the educational profile associated with a school cycle/level and, therefore, to the development of key competences. 

Specific competences are acquisitions gained by students through the study of a school subject throughout a school year. Specific competences are stages in the process of developing general competences and they are directly derived from general competences.  

Curriculum, subjects, number of hours

In accordance with School Education Law (Law 198/2023), the National Curriculum is a coherent set of elements regulating the activity of teaching staff in school education and comprises framework curricula, subject curricula and national assessment standards. 

Framework curricula set out the school subjects, the fields of studies, the compulsory and optional learning modules, as well as the time allocated to each of them.
The curricular development and review process is described in a document named “Landmarks for designing, updating and reviewing the National Curriculum. A framework of reference for the National Curriculum.”

The management of the curriculum change process involves actors with specific responsibilities such as working groups and, as appropriate, validation groups participating in the curriculum development/review process; public debate / debate by specialists and practitioners in the area; methodological endorsement and referral to the Ministry of Education for approval.

The core curriculum is made up of subjects that are compulsory for all students in primary education and is established at central level by an order of the education minister.

Subject curricula determine for every school subject included in a framework curriculum the specific competences underlying the entire teaching-learning-assessment process.

The curriculum of student choices from the school provision (student choice curriculum) is made up of subjects / fields of studies, is proposed for all students in primary education, lower secondary education and the academic and aptitudinal paths of high-school (upper secondary) education, and is developed at national, regional, local levels or at school level. Students may choose subjects / fields of studies from the school provision depending on their needs and interests in knowledge.

The board of the school establishes the curriculum of student choices from the school provision following a consultation with students, parents / legal representatives and based on their available resources.

For primary education, lower secondary education and the academic and aptitudinal paths of high school (upper-secondary) education, the subject curricula for those subjects which are part of the student choice curriculum may be developed nationally or at school level, in consultation with, as appropriate, the teacher council, the student council, the parents’ association structure, as well as with representatives of the local community or businesses involved in partnerships for students’ practical training. These subject curricula are approved by the board of schools based on an endorsement of the curriculum board, after having been endorsed by the school inspectorates.

For every school subject, the subject curriculum covers 75 % of the hours dedicated to teaching and assessment, while 25 % of the time allocated to a subject is left at teacher’s disposal. Depending on the characteristics of their students and the school’s strategy, the teacher decides if the share of 25 % of the time allocated to a subject is used for remedial learning, in case of children encountering special challenges, or for reinforcing knowledge or stimulating students who are capable of higher performance, in line with the individual learning plan developed for every student.

In accordance with Article 85 of School Education Law (Law 198/2023), the National Curriculum for primary education is focused on eight areas of key competences which determine the student’s educational profile:

1. literacy competence,
2. multilingual competence,
3. mathematical competence and competence in science, technology and engineering,
4. digital competence, including internet safety and cyber security,
5. personal, social and learning to learn competence,
6. citizenship, legal and environmental protection competence,
7. entrepreneurship competence,
8. cultural awareness and expression competence.

Physical education and sport in school education are included in the core curriculum of framework curricula. 

The curriculum for the preparatory grade pursues learners’ physical development, socioemotional development, cognitive development, development of language and communication, as well as the development of learning skills and attitudes, while creating bridges to the development of the eight key competences.

In accordance with Article 87 of School Education Law (Law 198/2023), the framework curricula for primary education include religion as a school subject of the core curriculum. Students belonging to religious cults recognised by the State, irrespective of their number, are granted a constitutional right to attend religion classes in accordance with their denomination. Students are enrolled on religion classes based on a written request made by adult students or a written request made by parents / legal representatives, for minor students. This option may be changed also based on a written request made by adult students or a written request made by parents / legal representatives, for minor students. In case that a student does not attend religion classes, their record of achievement does not include the subject religion. This also applies for those students who, due to sound reasons, have not been provided with conditions for attending religion classes. A student who does not attend religion classes will be provided with conditions to be present at school during those classes.

The teaching of language classes in primary education may be delivered, under the School Education Law, by primary education teachers for their students, if the teachers provide proof of their qualification with their diploma or a competence certificate; primary education teachers are paid on an hourly basis for these language classes. The teaching of language classes in primary education may also be delivered by specialist teachers holding a higher education degree; the language classes are in this case included in the teacher’s workload or are paid by an hourly basis.

Subject curricula for primary education include: 

• a presentation note specifying the status of the subject, and a presentation of the structure of the subject curriculum
• general competences which are defined for each subject and are developed throughout the study of that subject at each education level
• specific competences and examples of learning activities:
  • specific competences are derived from general competences and are stages in their accomplishment (being developed throughout a school year),
  • learning activities are contexts in which the specific competences are developed, practiced and reinforced.
• learning contents which are organised in fields and represent basic acquisitions aimed at the development of students’ competences.
• methodological suggestions – their role is to guide teachers in the use of the subject curriculum for designing their teaching and for the delivery of teaching learning assessment activities in line with the specificity of the subject, students’ age particularities and the respect for diversity. 

The National Curriculum for the preparatory grade and grades 1-4 is structured across seven curricular areas delimitated based on epistemological and psychological-pedagogical principles and criteria (according to Annex 1 to the Order of the National Education Minister No 3371/12.03.2013):

1. Language and communication: Romanian Language and Literature (preparatory grade, grades 1-4), a modern language (preparatory grade, grades 1-4). Note: In the preparatory grade and grades 1 and 2, the subject Romanian Language and Literature is called Communication in Romanian.
2. Mathematics and natural science: Mathematics (preparatory grade, grades 1-4), Natural Science (preparatory grade, grades 1-4). Note: In the preparatory grade and grades 1 and 2, students learn an integrated subject called Mathematics and Environmental Exploration.
3. People and society: Civic Education (grades 3 and 4), History (grade 4), Geography (grade 4), Religion (preparatory grade, grades 1-4).
4. Physical education, sport and health: Physical Education (preparatory grade, grades 1-4), Play and Movement (grades 3 and 4) – it also related to area no 5; Music and Movement (preparatory grade, grades 1-4) – it also related to area no 5.
5. Arts: Play and Movement (grades 3 and 4) - it also related to area no 4, Music and Movement (preparatory grade, grades 1-4) - it also related to area no 4, Visual Arts and Practical Skills (preparatory grade, grades 1-4) - it also related to area no 6.
6. Technologies: Visual Arts and Practical Skills (preparatory grade, grades 1-4) - it also related to area no 5.
7. Counselling and guidance: Personal Development (preparatory grade, grades 1 and 2).

Optional subjects and activities may be organised within any curricular area.

In accordance with the National Curriculum, modern languages are part of the core curriculum. The learning of the first modern language starts in grade 3, while the study of a second modern language starts in grade 5. 

Teaching methods and materials

The teaching methods used in primary education are chosen so as to lead to the development of specific competences and match students’ age and individual particularities.

The teacher is fully responsible for choosing methods taking into account the structure of their class and the teaching materials available in school and following the methodological guidelines provided for in the National Curriculum and in publications for teachers. In most school subjects, a class of students work with the same teacher throughout primary education; modern languages, religion and physical education are taught by specialist teachers. During lessons, class management is fully the teacher’s responsibility. Teachers choose by themselves how to carry out activities – with all the students in the class, in groups or individually – depending on the specific objectives of the lesson and students’ level.

As far as the teaching methods are concerned, the following aspects of a general nature may be considered:

• Methods based on oral communication which are used in the classroom may be classified as methods based on presentation (like story-telling, description, explanation, etc.) and methods based on conversation (conversation, heuristics, problematisation, etc.).
• Teachers also use methods related to learning and exploration through discovery: direct exploration of objects and phenomena (systematic and independent observations, small experiments, etc.) and indirect exploration (demonstration with images, film etc.).
• In the teaching of most subjects, teachers widely use methods based on children’s voluntary action (exercises, practical activities etc.) and stimulated action (educational games, learning through drama, etc.).
• At least during the first two grades in primary education, as a continuation of methods employed in preschool education, play is used as an important mode to stimulate students’ mental and psychological ability and facilitate their adaptation to the requirements of formal education.

Teachers assign homework to reinforce, deepen or expand learning. There is no homework in the preparatory grade. Homework is made up of exercises, activities, etc. selected either from textbooks or from other publications (collections of texts, student books, collections of exercises and problems, etc.). Doing compulsory homework in primary education should take one hour at most.

In some cases, students are also required to take some practical activities as homework, such as measurements, observations, small hands-on projects, etc.

At the beginning of each lesson, teachers usually check how homework was done and, if necessary, help students complete it offering additional explanations. As a general rule, the Ministry of Education recommends that teachers take into account, when determining how much time should be allocated to homework, children’s needs for play, socialising and doing sports and recreational activities.

In accordance with School Education Law (Law 198/2023), in public or private schools, textbooks and other auxiliary resources that have been approved by the Ministry of Education are used. Textbooks are developed and evaluated based on the subject curricula approved by the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Education regulates the development of alternative textbooks.

Teachers select and recommend to their students, based on their freedom of professional initiative, textbooks from the list approved by the Ministry of Education, which they will use in the teaching-learning process. Students and teachers in public education and in compulsory private accredited/authorised education receive, under the law, textbooks for free, both for schooling in Romanian and for schooling in national minority languages.

Auxiliary resources are composed of methodological guides which, through their content, are in compliance with the legal provisions in force and may be selected by teachers and used in the classroom, based on their freedom of professional initiative, for enhancing the quality of the educational process.

The regulation concerning the minimal provision of equipment and supplies for primary education, approved by Ministerial Order No 4144/2022, contains the list of necessary resources depending on the subjects studied. The regulation includes inter alia:

• graphic or digital materials
• audio-visual materials
• devices, toolkits and equipment for mathematics: a toolkit for geometric shapes, a toolkit for operations with natural numbers (magnetic numbers and mathematical signs), ledges/10 base, abacus with mathematical operations/counting frame, various materials for handling, measuring instruments for length like ruler, folding rule, measuring tape, retractable tape measure; instruments for measuring the volume of fluids like measuring containers; measuring instruments for mass of bodies like weighing scale, balance; measuring instruments for time like watch (which can be handled by students), time glass, stopwatch; currency units: notes/coins (specimen)
• devices, toolkits and equipment for natural science:  test tubes, magnet toolkit, microscope, thermometer, compass, eyeglass, toolkit with rock samples, metals, building materials, solar system kit
• games and educational toys
• educational computer programmes
• devices, equipment and materials for sport.