Why has Romania’s education ministry started a reform of high school instruction and what does it hope to achieve?

Romania’s new education minister, who has been in office since the end of December, has kicked off his mandate with an overhaul of the high school framework plans, which outline the structure and content of upper secondary education.

The proposed changes, currently under public debate, have generated widespread reactions and disputes, in a system that has seen numerous changes throughout the years. The minister explained the framework plans are a many-sided emergency, as the institution he heads put forth plans aiming to avoid overload, give schools and students a bigger say in what is studied, and better equip them to face the labor market or further their education, among others. Meanwhile, teachers have voiced concerns regarding the disciplines that all students need to study and their weight in the curriculum. More on what the new framework plans include and how the debate has been shaping up so far below.