The "Second Chance" program is aimed at adolescents, young people, and adults from diverse social backgrounds and of various ages, who have not attended or have not completed primary and lower secondary education. The program offers these categories of people the possibility to continue and complete compulsory education without having to interrupt any professional or family activities they may be engaged in.

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

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

For the program Second Chance – primary education:

• have not participated at all in formal schooling;
• were enrolled but abandoned primary education – regardless of the time or reasons for abandonment;
• did not graduate from primary education by the age of 14.

For the program Second Chance – lower secondary education:

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

or:

• have graduated part of the classes corresponding to lower secondary education (V, VI, or VII), but abandoned school during this cycle – regardless of the time or reasons for abandonment.

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, so as to motivate learners and encourage them to complete it, to offer more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, but also provide necessary support to all involved, through teacher training programs 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 the credit system for basic education, evaluation, certification and recognition of competencies previously acquired by learners, ensuring an individualized training program.

Enrollment in the Second Chance program can be done every 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 follow to acquire competencies, as a result of participation 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 several schedule options (in the afternoon or evening during the week, Saturdays, or during school holidays etc.) depending on the possibilities of learners and teaching staff. Hours are planned for individual consultations available to students.

The program has a flexible duration. The average duration of schooling (2 years for primary education, and 4 years for lower secondary education) can be shortened for each student, depending on the competencies demonstrated, both in basic education and in vocational training.

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

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

Graduates of the Second Chance Program - lower secondary education can continue studies in upper secondary education (the upper cycle of high school) or can undertake practical training internships, after which they have the opportunity to obtain a Level 3 vocational qualification certificate.

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