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 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 including 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 through the Second Chance system) but have not continued their education further

or:

• have completed some of the classes corresponding to lower 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 offer more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, but also the necessary support for all 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, evaluation, certification, and recognition of competences previously acquired by students, providing an individualized training program.

Enrollment 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 ensures a transparent offer of modules that students can follow to acquire competences, 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 according to several timetable options (on weekday afternoons or evenings, on Saturdays, or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of students and teachers. Individual consultation hours are planned and 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 reduced for each student individually, according to demonstrated competences, both in basic education and in vocational training.

Graduates have the right to continue their studies, according to legal provisions, 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 (the upper cycle of high school) or can attend practical training stages, after which they have the possibility of obtaining 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.