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 opportunity to continue and complete compulsory education without having to interrupt any 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 must have exceeded by at least 4 years the age corresponding to the grade and that they 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 moment and reasons for dropping out;
• have not graduated primary education by the age of 14.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

• have completed compulsory primary education (including in the Second Chance system) but have not continued their education further

or:

• have completed part of the grades corresponding to lower secondary education (V, VI, or VII), but dropped out of school during this cycle of education – regardless of the moment 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 offer more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, and also provide necessary support to 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 the credit system for basic education, the assessment, certification, and recognition of the skills previously acquired by students, ensuring an individualized training program.

Registration in the Second Chance program can be done, every 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 skills, as a result of participation in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and themes that meet their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). Courses can be conducted according to several schedule options (on weekday afternoons or evenings, 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, and 4 years for lower secondary education) can be reduced for each student individually, depending on the proven skills, both in 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 participate in practical training stages, after which they have the possibility to obtain a level 3 professional qualification certificate.

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