The “Second Chance” program is addressed to adolescents, young people, and adults from various social backgrounds and of different 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 finish mandatory education without having to interrupt their possible 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:

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

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

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

or:

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

The Second Chance program is flexible, so as to motivate the learners and to encourage them to complete it, to provide more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, but also the necessary support for 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 the competencies previously acquired by the learners, ensuring an individualized preparation program.

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

The students enrolled in the program may have very different levels and expectations. The new program ensures a transparent offer of modules that students can follow in order to acquire competencies, as a result of participation in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and themes that respond to their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). Courses can take place in several timetable options (during the week in the afternoon or evening, on Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the learners and teaching staff. 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 individually, 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 may continue their studies in lower secondary education;

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

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