The “Second Chance” program is addressed to adolescents, young people, and adults from various social backgrounds and of various ages who have not attended or 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 in which they are engaged.

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 grade and 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 graduated from primary education by the age of 14.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

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

or:

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

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, designed to motivate students and determine them to complete it, to offer more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, as well as the necessary support to all involved, through training programs for teaching staff and educational materials for students and teachers. 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 students, ensuring an individualized training program.

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

Pupils enrolled in the program can 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 participation in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts, and with tasks and topics that address their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students per class). Courses can be held in several schedule variants (in the afternoons or evenings during the week, on Saturdays, or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the students and teachers. Hours for individual consultations are planned and available to students.

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

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