President Nicușor Dan to attend rural school opening as principal rejects ceremonial approach

President Nicușor Dan has chosen a rural school in Călărași County for the opening of Romania’s 2026-27 school year. He is scheduled to attend School No. 1 in Curcani at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, September 7.

The school is the only rural institution included in a pilot program for Romania’s education system. It has 650 pupils, from preschool through lower secondary school. A standardized assessment pilot involved 100 students, while the school’s results in the national assessment improved sharply in 2025. The share of averages above 5 rose to 44.16%, from 18.42% in 2024.

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Because if it is ceremonial, it is not for the children, it is for the authorities, for adults.

Curcani’s principal, Viforel Dorobanțu, has argued against turning the first day into a formal ceremony. “Because if it is ceremonial, it is not for the children, it is for the authorities, for adults,” he said last year. For about two years, the school has instead started the year directly in classrooms decorated with balloons by teachers and class advisers.

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The beginning and the end of the school year must be a moment for the students.

Dorobanțu said the same approach should apply at the end of the year. “The beginning and the end of the school year must be a moment for the students,” he said, adding, “If I do it for myself, from my point of view, I steal it. And I would rather not steal it.”

The 2026-27 school year will contain 36 weeks of classes and several holiday periods, including a ski break whose exact timing will be set by each county. County school inspectorates will also choose one additional holiday week after consulting students, parents and teachers. Schools must publish their detailed calendars by April 1, 2026. The “Different School” and “Green Week” programs must take place by April 23, 2027.

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If I do it for myself, from my point of view, I steal it. And I would rather not steal it.