The “Second Chance” program is aimed at adolescents, young people, adults from diverse social backgrounds and various ages, 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 finish compulsory education without having to interrupt possible professional or family activities they are involved in.

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 class and who are in the following situations:

For the Second Chance – primary education program:

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

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

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

or:

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

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, motivating students to complete it, giving schools more autonomy in its implementation, and providing the necessary support to all those involved, through training programs for teaching staff and educational materials for students and teachers. The program introduced innovative elements in the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and credit system for basic education, evaluation, certification and recognition of competencies previously acquired by students, provision of 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 may have very different levels and expectations. The new program provides a transparent offer of modules that students can follow to develop competencies, as a result of participating in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and topics that meet their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). Courses can take place according to several timetable options (during the week in the afternoon or evening, on Saturday or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the students and the teaching staff. Individual consultation hours are planned and available for students.

The program has a flexible duration. The average schooling duration (2 years for primary education, respectively 4 years for lower secondary education) can be shortened for each student, depending on the competencies demonstrated, both in the field of basic education and professional 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 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 can attend practical training internships, after which they have the possibility to obtain a level 3 professional qualification certificate.

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