Romanian education system 'lost its way,' says high school director

The director of the "Gheorghe Lazăr" National College in Bucharest has delivered a scathing critique of Romania's education system, pointing to a flawed student selection process and a critical deficit of qualified educators.

In an interview with Adevărul, Ionela Neagoe expressed skepticism about both the current national evaluation exam, which focuses narrowly on two subjects, and the proposed reintroduction of separate high school entrance exams. She believes neither method effectively selects students for higher education. Neagoe suggested that the responsibility for the selection problem lies with both schools and families.

Neagoe also addressed the significant shortage of teachers in "Real" profile subjects, attributing it primarily to low salaries and a failure to attract young professionals to the teaching profession. She criticized the implementation of evaluation standards, deeming them impractical and incapable of ensuring consistent grading across different teachers. The director expressed concern about the current reform direction and the potential for unverified solutions promoted by certain groups, while also noting the excessive workload placed on teachers without adequate recognition or compensation.

“

Regarding what threshold should exist for the transition from middle school to high school, there is a bit more to discuss. It is true that neither the National Evaluation is good enough for high school selection, nor is the separate admission measure for high school good. Strictly speaking, we have not thought of a selection method. The current National Evaluation somehow forces students to focus only on Mathematics and Romanian. But the system is made of people. Let's see who actually forces them. Well, the family that says: 'Okay, from my point of view, you have the obligation to study only this.' Then schools lacking professionalism, meaning teachers and