Romanian Teacher Slams "Makeshift" Baccalaureate Exam for Lowered Standards

A seasoned Romanian mathematics teacher has voiced strong criticism, labeling the current Baccalaureate exam as a "makeshift baccalaureate." Georgeta Mirică, a retired teacher with decades of experience, argues that the exam's mathematics component has been deliberately simplified over the past decade to artificially boost pass rates.

Mirică contends that the pandemic significantly impacted the curriculum, removing crucial chapters that previously differentiated diligent students from others. While the full curriculum officially returned in 2023, she asserts this has remained merely theoretical, with practical application falling short.

She recalls a time when complex problems, like integrals with parameters, were standard for advanced students. Now, she observes, students struggle with such tasks, indicating a decline in rigor. The exam structure, once consistent, now features repetitive, simpler exercises like basic matrices, linear functions, and trivial probabilities, omitting abstract algebra and complex polynomial roots.

This perceived watering-down, Mirică believes, stems from a fear of low pass rates. Consequently, the Baccalaureate exam, in her view, fails to serve its purpose of effectively selecting students based on their academic abilities. The current format, she suggests, allows students to pass even by guessing, undermining the exam's credibility.

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Pandemia a fost un dezastru, asta e clar. Dar ce au făcut domnii de la minister? Au scos din programă exact capitolele care separau elevii silitori de restul. Și atunci ce-a ieșit? Un Bacalaureat de mântuială.