Prahova County School Inspectorate*

In order to stimulate school attendance, in 2002 the School Supplies Program was launched, which is addressed to students in state primary and lower secondary education, day courses. At the beginning of each school year, packages with school supplies specific to each grade are distributed.

The composition of the packages of school supplies granted to students is established based on the Methodology for applying the provisions of Law no. 126/2002 for approving the Government Emergency Ordinance no. 33/2001 regarding the granting of school supplies.

The financing application submitted by the Ministry of National Education, at the beginning of September 2017, through the Operational Program Aid for Disadvantaged People (POAD) 2014-2020 was approved. The decision allows, starting with this school year, the purchase of supplies for preschoolers, and the supplementation with backpacks of the packages of supplies granted to students from the primary and lower secondary cycle.

1. Enrollment in pre-university education

1.1. Admission conditions

1.1.1. Pupils from non-EU states may be enrolled in pre-university education in Romania if one of the parents, guardians, or legal supporters falls under one of the following situations:

is repatriated;
has, through marriage, domicile in Romania;
is a holder of a residence permit in Romania;
carries out, in accordance with legal provisions, activities on the territory of Romania;
is studying in state/private accredited Romanian university or postgraduate education.

1.2. Application file

1.2.1. The pupil's file is sent to the MoNE – General Directorate for International Relations and European Affairs (DGRIAE), by the School Inspectorate/School Inspectorate of the Municipality of Bucharest in the area where the chosen educational institution operates and contains the following documents:

Copies of identity documents of the pupil and parents/guardian/legal supporter (pupil’s birth certificate, pupil’s passport, parents' passports, pupil’s residence permit, parents' residence permit, if applicable);
Copy and certified translation of the pupil’s birth certificate;
Copy of the court decision regarding the custody of the minor child, if applicable;
Copies and certified translations of school records;
Application for enrollment, approved by the management of the educational institution where the enrollment will take place.

1.3. Enrollment for studies

1.3.1. Enrollment is carried out upon the approval issued by the MoNE – DGRIAE, based on the educational documents in the personal file, without difference exams.

1.3.2. Enrollment of pupils from non-EU states, based on study periods carried out abroad, proven by school records, may also be carried out during the school year, in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation for the organization and functioning of pre-university education institutions, approved by the Order of the Minister of National Education no. 5115/2014

1.3.3. At the request of parents/guardian, enrollment of the pupil may also be carried out in a class lower than the level of studies resulting from the documents.

1.4. Tuition fees

1.4.1. In compulsory education, foreign pupils benefit from schooling under the same conditions as Romanian citizens.

1.4.2. In upper secondary education, pupils from non-EU states pay tuition fees, in accordance with the provisions of Law no. 1/2011.

1.4.3. In all levels of pre-university education, foreign citizens who have obtained a form of protection in Romania may be enrolled under the same conditions as Romanian citizens. The class in which pupils from this category, who do not have educational documents, can be enrolled will be established following an evaluation carried out by the school unit designated by the School Inspectorate/School Inspectorate of the Municipality of Bucharest.

2. Sitting the baccalaureate exam by citizens from non-EU states who have completed secondary school studies in a different educational system and do not hold a baccalaureate diploma or its equivalent

2.1. Citizens from non-EU states who have completed secondary school studies in a different educational system and do not hold a baccalaureate diploma or its equivalent may, upon request, sit the national baccalaureate exam, depending on the profile of their completed pre-university studies, in an examination center established by the County Baccalaureate Commission/the Municipality of Bucharest.

2.2. Sitting the national baccalaureate exam by citizens from non-EU states who have completed secondary school studies in a different educational system and do not hold a baccalaureate diploma or its equivalent, is conditioned by payment of the tuition fee, according to the provisions of Law no. 1/2011.

The “Second Chance” program is addressed to adolescents, young people, and adults from various social backgrounds and age groups who have not attended or have not completed primary and lower secondary education. The program offers these categories of people the opportunity to continue and complete compulsory education without having to interrupt any professional or family activities in which they are involved.

The program is structured on two levels: Second Chance – primary education and Second Chance – lower secondary education – the latter also having a professional training component.

There is no upper age limit for those who wish to enroll in this program. The condition is that they have surpassed by at least 4 years the age corresponding to the grade and who are in the following situations:

For the Second Chance – primary education program:

• have not participated at all in formal – school education;
• were enrolled but dropped out of primary education – regardless of the time and reasons for dropping out;
• have not completed, by the age of 14, primary education.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

• have completed compulsory primary education (including in the Second Chance system) but did not continue their education further

or:

• have completed part of the grades corresponding to lower secondary education (V, VI, or VII), but dropped out during this education cycle – regardless of the time and reasons for dropping out.

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, so as to motivate the learners and determine them to complete it, to provide schools with more autonomy regarding its implementation, but also the necessary support for all those involved, through training programs for teaching staff and educational materials for learners and teaching staff. Through the program, innovative elements have been introduced in the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and credit system for basic education, evaluation, certification and recognition of competencies previously acquired by the learners, providing an individualized training program.

Enrollment in the Second Chance program can be done, each year, in two sessions: October and February.

Students enrolled in the program can have very different levels and expectations. The new program ensures a transparent offer of modules that students can take to develop skills, as a result of participating in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and topics that respond to their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). Courses can take place according to various timetables (in the afternoons or evenings during the week, on Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the learners and teaching staff. Hours for individual consultations are scheduled at the students' disposal.

The program has a flexible duration. The average schooling period (2 years for primary education, respectively 4 years for lower secondary education) can be reduced for each student, depending on the skills demonstrated, both in basic education and in professional training.

Graduates have the right to continue their studies, according to legal provisions, as follows:

Graduates of the Second Chance Program - primary education can continue their studies in lower secondary education;

Graduates of the Second Chance Program - lower secondary education can continue their studies in upper secondary education (upper cycle of high school) or they can undergo practical training stages, after which they have the possibility to also obtain a level 3 professional qualification certificate.

For young people in the program, the graduation certificate will not only represent a personal success, but the chance for another tomorrow.

The admission of 8th grade graduates into state high school education for the 2018-2019 school year takes place according to the normative framework approved by the Ministry of Education.

The admission of 8th grade graduates into state high school education for the 2018-2019 school year takes place in accordance with the methodology for organizing and conducting the admission into state high school education for the 2011-2012 school year, approved by the Order of the Minister of Education, Research, Youth and Sports no. 4.802/2010 regarding the organization and conduct of the admission into state high school education for the 2011-2012 school year.

The aptitude tests organized for admission in the 2018-2019 school year in vocational high schools are conducted in accordance with the methodology for organizing and conducting and the structure of aptitude tests for admission to vocational high schools, provided in annex no. 3 to the Order of the Minister of National Education no. 4.432/2014, with subsequent amendments.

Candidates who, during lower secondary education, pass internationally recognized exams for certifying linguistic competences in foreign languages may request the recognition and equivalence of the results obtained at these exams with the test for assessing modern language knowledge for admission to 9th grade classes with bilingual teaching programs in an internationally used modern language.

The National Baccalaureate Exam 2018 is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Methodology for the organization and conduct of the Baccalaureate exam - 2011 (approved by the order of the minister of education, research, youth and sports no. 4.799/2010 regarding the organization and conduct of the Baccalaureate exam - 2011, with subsequent amendments), and with the provisions of the attached ministerial order.

The dedicated portal http://bacalaureat.edu.ro offers updated information regarding methodology, calendar, and the results of the baccalaureate exam.

I. PRE-UNIVERSITY EDUCATION:

The methodology for the schooling of Romanians everywhere in the state pre-university education in Romania in study places without tuition fees, but with scholarship, or without tuition fees, but without scholarship, starting with the school year 2017-2018

1. Registration form pre-university ed 2018-2019​

2. Offer of places pre-university education 2018-2019

Both the registration form and the offer of places in pre-university education will also be published on the County School Inspectorate website.

II. HIGHER EDUCATION:​

1. In the academic year 2018 - 2019, the state higher education institutions in Romania organize the admission contest for Romanians everywhere, including citizens of the Republic of Moldova, for bachelor’s/master’s/doctoral studies, based on university autonomy, similar to the previous year, according to the provisions in the schooling methodology for higher education;

2. Candidates will be able to choose any field of study and any state higher education institution in Romania or, in the case of candidates from the Republic of Moldova, within the extensions opened by Romanian universities in Chișinău, Cahul and Bălți;

3. For compliance with the submission deadline set by higher education institutions, we recommend the exclusive transmission of application files to the universities, so as not to generate delays in their receipt/processing in case they are sent through other channels;

4. Enrollment in state and accredited private higher education in Romania, in places with tuition fees in lei, is done based on the provisions of MEN Order no. 4294/29.06.2017;

5. Additional information regarding admission to universities in Romania can be obtained by accessing the links of each higher education institution in the informational document attached to this procedure.

Higher education is organized in universities, academies of studies, institutes, higher education schools, hereinafter referred to as higher education institutions or universities, which have obtained provisional operation authorization or accreditation.

Higher education institutions are education providers that carry out teaching activities based on study programs authorized to operate provisionally/accredited under the law, for initial and continuing university-level training, programs that operate on the principle of quality and the correlation of educational offer with the labor market.

The national system of higher education includes all accredited higher education institutions. A higher education institution authorized to operate provisionally, according to the legal procedures in force, becomes part of the national system of higher education only after accreditation. For more information, you can also access the website of the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education - www.aracis.ro.

Higher education institutions may be state, private, or denominational. These institutions have legal personality, are non-profit, and are apolitical. Higher education institutions are legal entities of public law or, as the case may be, legal entities of private law and of public utility.

University autonomy is guaranteed by the Constitution. Academic freedom is guaranteed by law. Public accountability is also regulated for any higher education institution, state or private.

Through an annual government decision, the following are validated:

• The nomenclature of fields and specializations/university study programs per union
• the structure of state and private higher education institutions accredited or authorized to operate provisionally, with:
  • fields of bachelor’s degree university studies and accredited or provisionally authorized specializations/study programs,
  • geographical locations of operation,
  • number of transferable study credits for each university study program,
  • form of education and language of instruction,
  • maximum number of students that can be enrolled

The mission of higher education is to generate and transfer knowledge to society both through initial and continuing training at university level, for personal development, professional integration of the individual, and to meet the competence needs of the socio-economic environment, as well as through scientific research, development, innovation and technology transfer, through individual and collective creation, in the field of sciences, engineering, arts, letters, by ensuring performance and physical and sports development, as well as valorizing and disseminating their results. All these are achieved by respecting the following principles:

a) the principle of university autonomy;

b) the principle of academic freedom;

c) the principle of public accountability;

d) the principle of quality assurance;

e) the principle of equity;

f) the principle of managerial and financial efficiency;

g) the principle of transparency;

h) the principle of respect for the rights and freedoms of students and academic staff;

i) the principle of independence from ideologies, religions, and political doctrines;

j) the principle of freedom of national and international mobility for students, teaching staff, and researchers;

k) the principle of consultation with social partners in decision-making;

l) the principle of student-centered education.

Structure of the academic year (according to Law no. 1/2011 – art. 136)

• The academic year usually starts on the first working day of October, includes two semesters, and ends on September 30 of the following calendar year.
• A semester usually has a duration of 14 weeks of teaching activities followed, as a rule, by at least 3 weeks of exams.
• The structure of the academic year is approved by the university senate.
• When assigning transferable study credits in a semester, a period of at least 17 weeks is considered.
• The university senate of each higher education institution annually approves, at least 3 months before the start of the academic year, the regulation regarding students’ academic activity, as well as the calendar of educational activities specific to the academic study semesters.

In the case of incorrect completion due to the fault of the educational institution issuing the original diploma or in the case of presenting the original diploma in such a deteriorated state that it can no longer produce the effects for which it was issued, based on a written request from the applicant, the educational institution that issued the respective document shall issue a duplicate, drawn up based on the documents in the archive of the educational institution from which the academic situation of the applicant results.

In case of the loss, destruction, or theft of the original diploma, the request for issuing the duplicate shall be accompanied by the following documents, which are archived for 100 years at the school inspectorate, and the copies certified "true to the original" at the educational institution:

a) the notarized/consular statement given by the holder of the document, which includes all the elements necessary for identification, the circumstances in which the original document was lost, as well as other specifications confirming the disappearance of the respective diploma. The following mention shall be made: "the original diploma was not pledged/guaranteed at any state or private institution, in the country or abroad, and was not knowingly transferred to another natural or legal person";

b) proof of publication of the loss, destruction, or theft of the diploma in the Official Gazette of Romania, Part III;

c) notarized copy of the birth/marriage certificate;

d) two color photographs, size 3 x 4 cm;

e) written approval from the school inspectorate’s board of administration for issuing the duplicate, following the documents submitted by the educational institution.

For more details please consult:

ORDER No. 3844/2016 of May 24th, 2016 for the approval of the Regulation on the regime of diplomas and school documents managed by pre-university educational institutions

The "Professional Scholarship" is a national social program aimed at all students attending professional education and consists of monthly financial support.

Beneficiaries of the "Professional Scholarship" also include children of foreigners who are beneficiaries of a form of protection in Romania, or of foreigners, respectively citizens of the European Union/the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation with the right to stay/residence on the territory of Romania, who attend professional education.

Students in professional education cannot benefit simultaneously from the "Professional Scholarship" and the financial support granted to students under the national social protection program "High school money".

At the level of the Ministry of Education, a national commission is established to monitor the granting of the "Professional Scholarship".

Special and integrated special education is an integral part of the Romanian national education system and offers all children/students/young people educational programs adapted to their degree of deficiency and developmental needs.

It is organized at all levels of pre-university education, depending on the type and degree of disability, as follows: mental, hearing, visual, locomotor, associated.

Inclusive education was adopted in Romania since the 1990s by respecting diversity, initiating and practically achieving access and participation in education and social life for all categories of children. Today, approximately half of students with disabilities are educated in mainstream education.

The legislation in the field of special education was thus designed to respond to a broad and very varied spectrum of special situations. Considering this reality, special, integrated special and inclusive education has been organized at all levels of pre-university education, depending on the type and degree of disability.

Special educational units for students with sensory deficiencies apply the curriculum of mainstream schools. These units retain only the structure and form of organization according to the special education system, and in content, school preparation and specialization they are similar to mainstream schools. Special technological high schools, high school classes and special post-secondary classes are organized according to the model of mainstream schools (content, profiles, specializations, results, objectives and/or competencies). The strategies, methods and teaching/learning modalities remain specific to these units.

Upon graduation, students from these special educational units take national exams (tests, baccalaureate or graduation exam) just like all graduates from mainstream education. For them, facilities and adaptations are stipulated in the methodologies for organizing and conducting exams.

For each student with severe, profound, or associated deficiencies, a personalized intervention plan is developed with objectives specific to the needs and possibilities for psychoindividual development.

Students with special educational needs benefit from adaptations of examination procedures in their current assessments as well.

This methodology contains rules for organizing and conducting the certification exam for graduates of technological high school education, hereinafter referred to as the certification exam, for obtaining the qualification certificate, in accordance with art. 31 para. (6) and art. 77 para. (6) and (7) of the National Education Law no. 1/2011, with subsequent amendments and completions.

Graduates of technological high school education who take and pass the certification exam obtain the qualification certificate level 4, according to the National Qualifications Framework, and the descriptive supplement of the certificate, in Europass format.

Post-secondary education is organized for professional qualifications established by the Ministry of National Education in accordance with the National Qualifications Register.

In post-secondary education, high school graduates with or without a baccalaureate diploma may enroll, with admission being carried out in accordance with the general criteria established by the Ministry of National Education.

Post-secondary education is carried out through post-secondary schools and foremen schools. Both the post-secondary school and the foremen school represent specialized training routes, with a duration of 1-3 years, depending on the complexity of the qualification.

Graduates of post-secondary education who pass the professional qualification certification exam obtain a level 5 qualification certificate according to the National Qualifications Framework, corresponding to reference level 5 of the European Qualifications Framework (specialist technician) and the descriptive supplement to the certificate, according to Europass.

Post-secondary education is organized in post-secondary schools, within high schools with legal personality, or in colleges within accredited higher education institutions.

Schooling in state post-secondary education is financed through the local budgets of the administrative-territorial units, from sums broken down from the revenues of the state budget and from the revenues of local budgets. Schooling may also be financed by applicants, individuals or legal entities, through a contract concluded with the educational unit that provides the schooling.

Credits for education and vocational training obtained in post-secondary education may be recognized for graduates with a baccalaureate diploma by universities, based on the decisions of the university senate, as transferable credit units for the bachelor's degree level.

​

Enrollment in primary education is done based on a methodology approved by the Ministry of Education.

Thus, children who turn 6 years old by August 31, 2018, inclusive, must be enrolled in the preparatory class, in accordance with the Education Law.

Parents must go to the school inspectorates and educational establishments, these being obliged to ensure information and counseling regarding enrollment.

At the headquarters of the inspectorates and educational establishments, lists with school districts must be posted, and parents must be informed about the content of educational activities carried out in the preparatory class, the didactic approach, the organization of the school schedule, etc.

Children who turn 6 years old between September 1 - December 31, 2018, inclusive, can be enrolled if their psychomotor development is appropriate.

All educational establishments are required to provide information about the procedure for enrolling children in primary education, regardless of whether the parents are part of the respective school district or not.

Teaching and Research Titles

Employment in a teaching or research position within higher education institutions is done on a fixed-term or indefinite-term basis. Employment on an indefinite-term basis in any teaching or research position is possible only through a public competition, organized by the higher education institution, after obtaining the doctoral degree. See also HG_457_2011 (annex 8).

Only persons who meet the minimum and mandatory standards for registering for the competition for filling teaching and research positions in higher education, approved by Order no. 6560/2012 regarding the approval of the minimum and mandatory standards for conferring teaching titles in higher education and professional research-development grades, with subsequent amendments and completions (annex 9), may apply for teaching and research positions in higher education.

The following teaching and research positions are found in higher education institutions:

- teaching positions:

a) university assistant;

b) university lecturer/laboratory chief;

c) university associate professor;

d) university professor.

- research positions:

a) research assistant;

b) scientific researcher;

c) scientific researcher grade III;

d) scientific researcher grade II;

e) scientific researcher grade I.

The equivalence of research positions with teaching positions is as follows:

a) scientific researcher is equivalent to university assistant, for persons holding a doctoral degree;

b) scientific researcher grade III is equivalent to university lecturer/laboratory chief;

c) scientific researcher grade II is equivalent to university associate professor;

d) scientific researcher grade I is equivalent to university professor.

The general nomenclature of auxiliary teaching and research positions in higher education is approved by the joint Order (MENCS/MMFPSPV) no. 6419/2858/2011 (annex 10).

Higher education institutions with available positions can be found here: www.jobs.edu.ro

The National Assessment for 8th grade students represents the method of external summative assessment of the competencies acquired during middle school education.

The exam takes place annually in a single session. Both candidates from public education and those from private education have the right to take the NA without a fee.

The average obtained at NA VIII is a decisive criterion for admission to high school education.

The national coordination of the planning, organization, and conduct of NA VIII, as well as the utilization of its results, are ensured by the Ministry of Education through the National Center for Assessment and Examination (CNEE).

The development of specific assessment procedures is carried out by the CNEE, following consultation with the ministry's specialized departments.

The county/Bucharest municipality level coordination of the organization of NA VIII, as well as the utilization of its results, are ensured by the school inspectorate.

​

The “School after School” (ȘDȘ) program is a complementary program to the compulsory school program, which offers opportunities for formal and non-formal learning, for competencies consolidation, remedial learning and acceleration of learning through educational, recreational and leisure activities, and addresses both primary and secondary school students.

The SDS program can take place before or after the compulsory school program (depending on the schedule of each level of study), at the school, if it has the material and human resources necessary for organizing this program.

In primary education, the SDS program includes activities with specialized support (supervision and guidance in doing homework, recovery for students with cognitive, emotional difficulties, language disorders through remedial activities, counseling, speech therapy, activities to encourage independent reading, etc.), workshops / thematic activities and other recreational activities.

Each school, depending on the target group, constitutes modules of activity packages, by combining the activities mentioned above.

In secondary education, the SDS program includes the package of activities for learning acceleration and performance (preparation for participation in competitions and school olympiads, sports, arts, and subject-based contests, participation/organization of festivals, exhibitions, production of school publications, participation in European cooperation activities), the support activities package (providing psycho-pedagogical assistance for bridging learning gaps, support activities for homework, remedial activities, psychological counseling) and the package for preparation for life (organization of personal development activities, activities aimed at developing an active attitude and student involvement, healthy lifestyle, career education, etc.).

The program can be organized modularly, in time units established at the level of the educational institution, according to the target group and identified needs, by combining packages of activities oriented towards developing transferable skills.

The program is carried out in groups of students (maximum 12 students), formed according to identified options and needs. The activities are designed, organized, and supported by teaching staff from primary and secondary education, counselors, support teachers, librarians, speech therapists, lab assistants, pedagogues, coaches, school mediators, volunteers from the school, from authorized partner institutions and organizations.

Educational incentives are granted to children from disadvantaged families provided that the following criteria are cumulatively met:

a) the child is enrolled in a preschool education institution, according to LEN no. 1/2011, with subsequent amendments and completions;

b) the monthly income per family member is up to twice the guaranteed minimum income for a single person, as provided by Law no. 416/2001 regarding the guaranteed minimum income, with subsequent amendments and completions.

Law no. 248/2015 regarding the stimulation of participation in preschool education of children from disadvantaged families; Government Decision No. 15/2016 for the approval of the Methodological Norms for the application of the provisions of Law no. 248/2015 regarding the stimulation of participation in preschool education of children from disadvantaged families and the procedure for granting social vouchers for kindergarten.

The Ministry of Education has been running the national social protection program "High School Money" for over 12 years, which provides financial support to students in high schools and schools of arts and trades.

For students who wish to obtain this financial support, we have launched the High School Money portal, which, together with the discussion forum dedicated to this national program, represents an efficient means of information.

The beneficiaries are students who are under the care of families whose gross monthly income per family member, earned in the last 3 months prior to submitting the application, is a maximum of 500 lei, as well as students who benefit from a protection measure or are under guardianship or curatorship, provided that the above-mentioned income condition is met.

The documents must be submitted as copies, provided that, when submitting the application, the applicant also presents the original documents.

IMPORTANT!

With the adoption of Government Decision 712/2018 (available attached), starting with the 2018-2019 school year, each beneficiary will receive monthly, throughout the duration of the courses, provided all the legal conditions are met, the amount of 250 lei/month.
Besides the indexation of this amount (from 180 lei/month), the maximum threshold value for granting the scholarship was also increased from 150 lei to 500 lei/family member, given the necessity to correlate the support threshold with the current economic situation.

The admission of 8th grade graduates to state high school education for the 2018-2019 school year takes place according to the regulatory framework approved by the Ministry of Education.

The admission of 8th grade graduates to state high school education for the 2018-2019 school year takes place in accordance with the methodology for organizing and conducting admission to state high school education for the 2011-2012 school year, approved by the order of the Minister of Education, Research, Youth, and Sports no. 4.802/2010 regarding the organization and conduct of admission to state high school education for the 2011-2012 school year.

The aptitude tests organized for admission in the 2018-2019 school year to vocational high schools are carried out in accordance with the methodology for organizing and conducting and the structure of aptitude tests for admission to vocational high schools, provided in annex no. 3 to the order of the Minister of National Education no. 4.432/2014, with subsequent amendments.

The admission of 8th grade graduates to state professional education for the 2018-2019 school year is carried out in accordance with the Methodology for the organization and conduct of admission to state professional education, approved by the Order of the Minister of National Education and Scientific Research no. 5.068/2016.

The admission of 8th grade graduates to dual professional education for the 2018-2019 school year is carried out in accordance with the framework methodology for organizing and conducting admission to dual professional education for level 3 professional qualifications, according to the National Qualifications Framework, approved by the order of the Minister of National Education no. 3.556/2017.

Candidates who, during their secondary education, pass internationally recognized exams for the certification of language skills in foreign languages may request the recognition and equivalence of the results obtained in these exams with the test for verifying knowledge of a modern language for admission to 9th grade classes with bilingual teaching programs of a modern language of international circulation.

This procedure regulates the way of organizing and conducting the linguistic competence test for admission to the 5th grade with an intensive program of teaching a modern foreign language of international circulation, at the level of public or private pre-university educational institutions in Romania, based on the provisions of Art. 6 (2) and (3) of the Framework Regulation for organizing and functioning classes with intensive or bilingual teaching of a modern foreign language in pre-university educational institutions, approved by OMEN no. 4797/31.08.2017.

The Ministry of National Education informs that, for the inclusion in preschool education of children aged between 3 and 6, the following stages will take place successively at the level of each educational unit:

• re-enrollment of children who are attending kindergarten in this school year and wish to attend also in the school year 2018-2019 - will begin on May 7;
• enrollment of new children will take place starting May 21.

The schedule for re-enrollments and enrollments will be set by the management of the educational unit and will be displayed, in a visible place, in each kindergarten, for the information of parents and interested public, including on its website (if it exists), and possibly on the websites of school inspectorates.

Filling the available spots, after the completion of the re-enrollment process, will generally be done in descending order of age groups, as follows: large group (5-year-old children), middle group (4-year-old children), and small group (3-year-old children). According to Government Decision no. 1.252/2012 and within the limit of available places, children aged between 2 and 3 years can also be enrolled in the small group.

If, in an educational unit, the number of enrollment requests is higher than the number of available spots, general and specific separation criteria will be applied, successively.

The general separation criteria are the following:

• the existence of a document proving that a child is an orphan of both parents (the situation of a child coming from an orphanage/a placement center/family placement is assimilated to the situation of a child orphaned of both parents);
• the existence of a document proving the child is orphaned of one parent;
• the existence of a brother/sister enrolled in the respective educational unit;
• the existence of a medical certificate attesting the child's disability degree.

The specific separation criteria (elaborated by each preschool educational unit, approved by its Board of Administration and endorsed by the County School Inspectorate/of the Municipality of Bucharest by May 18) cannot be discriminatory and cannot include pre-enrollment lists. Also, the specific separation criteria will be applied only after the general criteria are exhausted.

To ensure the transparency of the re-enrollment/enrollment process, the management of preschool educational units will display, in a visible place, for all interested, the following information:

• the institution's capacity (the number of children for which it was designed);
• the number of spots approved through the schooling plan for the school year 2018-2019 (by age groups: small, middle, large);
• the general and specific criteria for admitting children;
• the number of children re-enrolled/enrolled daily (during the set period) out of total available.

We mention that private preschool educational units also have the obligation to display in a visible place the information regarding their status, namely whether they are authorized to operate provisionally or are accredited by the Agency for Quality Assurance in Pre-university Education (ARACIP).