The “Second Chance” program is addressed to adolescents, young people, and adults from diverse social backgrounds and various ages, who have not attended or have not completed primary and 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 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 have exceeded by at least 4 years the age corresponding to the grade and who 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 time and reasons for abandonment;
• have not graduated, by the age of 14, from primary education.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

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

or:

• have graduated some of the classes corresponding to lower secondary education (V, VI or VII), but abandoned school during this educational cycle – regardless of the time and reasons for abandonment.

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, so as to motivate learners and get them to complete it, to offer more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, but also the necessary support to 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 the credit system for basic education, assessment, certification, and recognition of competencies previously acquired by learners, ensuring 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 can have very different levels and expectations. The new program ensures a transparent offer of modules that students can follow to develop competencies, as a result of participating in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and projects 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 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 the teaching staff. Individual consultation hours are planned and available to students.

The program has a flexible duration. The average period of schooling (2 years for primary education, and 4 years for lower secondary education) can be reduced for each student, depending on the competencies proven, 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 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 take practical training stages, after which they have the possibility to also 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 of a different tomorrow.