The “Second Chance” program is aimed at adolescents, young people, adults from diverse social backgrounds and of various ages, who have not attended or have not completed primary and 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 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 including a professional training component.

There is no upper age limit for those who wish to enroll in this program. The condition is that they must be at least 4 years older than the appropriate age for the class and meet one of the following situations:

For the program Second Chance – primary education:

• 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 graduated from primary education by the age of 14.

For the program Second Chance – lower secondary education:

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

or:

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

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

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

Students enrolled in the program can have very different levels and expectations. The new program provides a transparent offer of modules which students can follow to develop skills, as a result of participation 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 in various schedule options (during the week in the afternoon or evening, Saturdays, or during school holidays etc.), depending on the possibilities of students and teachers. Individual consultation hours are planned, 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 individually, depending on proven competencies, both in basic education and professional training.

Graduates are entitled to continue their studies, according to the law, as follows:

Graduates of the Second Chance Program – primary education can continue studies in 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 stages, through which they may 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.