Worrying situation regarding the Romanian education system

Romania has the third highest rate of early school leaving, the lowest share of higher education graduates, the highest number of 15 year-old young people with a low level of education, and the lowest rate of adults taking part in the learning process. This data reflects the real and sad situation of the education system in Romania. According to the 2018 edition of the Education and Training Monitor, Romania ranks among the bottom out of the Member States for most of the indicators, being one of the few States which has not yet achieved any of the main 2020 targets.

Under-financing of the education system is one of the main causes of the bad results in this field. The GDP share allocated to this sector, of only 3.7%, is one of the lowest across Europe, compared to the European average GDP share of 4.7%. Low investment in education infrastructure, insufficient and badly paid teachers, the gap between rural and urban areas and illiteracy are only a part of the challenges faced by this sector, which is crucial for a healthy society with European aspirations.

What are the Commission’s recommendations for the Romanian authorities to achieve better results in the field of education?