The “Second Chance” program is addressed to adolescents, young people, adults, coming from various social backgrounds and of varying ages, who have not attended or 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 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 surpassed by at least 4 years the age corresponding to the class 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 abandoned 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 graduated compulsory primary education (including in the Second Chance system) but have not continued their education further

or:

• have completed part of the corresponding lower secondary education classes (V, VI or VII), but dropped out of school during this educational stage – regardless of the moment and reasons for dropping out.

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

Enrollment in the Second Chance program can be done each 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 attend in order to acquire skills, as a result of participating 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 be held according to several schedule options (weekdays in the afternoon or evening, Saturdays, or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the learners and the teaching staff. Hours for individual consultations are planned and available to students.

The program has a flexible duration. The average schooling duration (2 years for primary education, and 4 years for lower secondary education) can be reduced for each student individually, depending on proven skills, both in the field of basic education and in vocational training.

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

Graduates of the Second Chance Program - primary education can pursue studies in lower secondary education;

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

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