The “Second Chance” program is aimed at adolescents, young people, and adults from diverse social backgrounds and 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 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 must be at least 4 years older than the corresponding age for the class and are in the following situations:

For the Second Chance – primary education program:

• have not participated in formal schooling at all;
• have been enrolled but dropped out of primary education – regardless of the time and reasons for dropping out;
• have not completed 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 did not continue 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 learners and encourage them to complete it, to give more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, but also to provide the necessary support for all involved, through training programs for teaching staff and educational materials for learners and teachers. Through the program, innovative elements have been introduced in the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and credit system for basic education, evaluation, certification and recognition of competencies previously acquired by learners, and providing 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 can have very different levels and expectations. The new program ensures a transparent offer of modules that students can follow to develop skills, as a result of participating in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and topics that respond to their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). Courses can be held in various schedule options (during the week in the afternoon or evening, on Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the learners and the teachers. Hours for individual consultations are planned and available for students.

The program has a flexible duration. The average schooling period (2 years for primary education, and 4 years for lower secondary education) may be reduced for each student, depending on the skills demonstrated, both in basic education and in 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 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 periods, after which they have the possibility to obtain a level 3 professional qualification certificate.

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