Reviews of National Policies for Education : Romania 2000.

162 Pages·2000·1.221 MB·English

by  OECD

«
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Reviews of National Policies for Education
Romania
Reviews of National Policies
for Education
Reform of education, training and human resource development is an integral part
of the transition to a democratic society and market economy. Romania has made
progress in all these areas since reform began in 1990. Still, the real impetus for
Romania
change is more recent and can be dated to the publication of The Reform of
Education Now by the Ministry of National Education in 1997. The Ministry’s
challenge has been to promote and support changes that meet the needs of the
new economy and society as well as the interests of all young people and adults, R
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in the face of a shortage of financial and human resources. v
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The book first gives a brief history of education in Romania and describes the s EDUCATION AND SKILLS

development of education in the country since the political changes. It then o
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presents an analysis of the entire education system and identifies key directions N
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for the reinforcement of the reforms in light of the challenges faced by officials,
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communities, enterprises, educators, parents and students under very dynamic o
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and uncertain conditions. It concludes with a set of key recommendations on a
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education goals and the transition; learning effectiveness, outcomes and the P
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curriculum; management and governance for flexibility, responsiveness and l
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change; and resources and financing. This review will be very useful to both i
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This work is published under the auspices
of the OECD Centre for Co-operation
with Non-Members (CCNM).The Centre
promotes and co-ordinates the OECD’s ISBN 92-64-17635-7
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Reviews of National
Policies for Education
Romania
ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT
ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT
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Publié en français sous le titre:
EXAMENS DES POLITIQUES NATIONALES D’ÉDUCATION :
ROUMANIE
© OECD 2000
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Foreword
The transition of Romania towards a pluralistic democracy and a market econ-
omy has been marked by economic, social and political changes of extraordinary
breadth and depth. The talents, skills and knowledge base of the Romanian popu-
lation are crucial in this process; hence the ambitious scale and urgency of the
reforms being advanced for education.
The review of education policy of Romania, undertaken under the aegis of the
Centre for Co-operation with Non-Members (CCNM), covers the entire system and
identifies key directions for the reinforcement of the reforms in light of the chal-
lenges faced by officials, communities, enterprises, educators, parents and stu-
dents under very dynamic and uncertain conditions. This calls for a more strategic
approach to Romanian education policy which should be more responsive to broad
human resource development concerns and the evolving needs of the economy
and society at large. Specific recommendations are offered for education goals and
the transition; learning effectiveness, outcomes and the curriculum; management
and governance for flexibility, responsiveness and change; and, resources and
financing. This review notes that attention to communication, consultation and
information flow in the change process is critical. Successful implementation of
reforms will ultimately depend on teachers’ feeling an ownership of the planned
changes. Currently, there are signs that teachers do not yet fully understand or
embrace many of the changes being introduced in curriculum and pupil assessment.
In Part I of this report, the Romanian authorities give a brief history of educa-
tion in Romania and describe the development of education policies in the country
since the start of the transition process. Changes have been rapid in some areas,
but less substantial and even constrained in others. This part of the report was pre-
pared within the framework of a project of the World Bank Institute. The OECD
review team presents its analysis of recent trends and reform initiatives in Part II.
The conclusions and recommendations were discussed at a special session of the
Education Committee, convened on 24 and 25 September 1999 in Bucharest. This
report incorporates key points raised in the course of that discussion.
The OECD examiners were: Douglas Windham, Rapporteur, and Terrice Bassler
(United States), Milena Corradini (Italy), Alain Michel (France), Ana-Maria Sandi 3
© OECD 2000
Reviews of National Policies for Education: Romania
(World Bank) and Ian Whitman (Secretariat). This review received substantial finan-
cial support from the government of Austria. The World Bank and the European
Training Foundation participated in the review.
This volume is published on the responsibility of the Secretary-General of
the OECD.
Eric Burgeat
Director
Centre for Co-operation with Non-Members
4
© OECD 2000
Table of Contents
Part I
Background Report
Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................... 11
Introduction................................................................................................................................. 13
Chapter 1. Actors and Functions: The Romanian Education System at Present............ 17
Ministry of Finance.............................................................................................................. 17
Ministry of National Education.......................................................................................... 17
School directors................................................................................................................... 18
Teachers’ board................................................................................................................... 19
Administrative council........................................................................................................ 19
Chief accountant.................................................................................................................. 19
Budget centre....................................................................................................................... 20
School inspectorate............................................................................................................. 20
Local public authorities...................................................................................................... 21
Teachers’ unions.................................................................................................................. 21
Chapter 2. Distribution of Responsibilities........................................................................... 23
School infrastructure........................................................................................................... 23
Personnel.............................................................................................................................. 24
Curriculum............................................................................................................................ 25
Textbooks and materials.................................................................................................... 26
Enrolment............................................................................................................................. 26
Quality control..................................................................................................................... 27
Financial administration and control................................................................................ 27
Vocational education and training.................................................................................... 28
Financing public education................................................................................................ 28
Chapter 3. Internal Contradictions......................................................................................... 31
The ad-hocracy: many rules, poor accountability........................................................... 31
A culture resistant to change?............................................................................................ 33
Remaining gaps: training and educational equity.......................................................... 34
Chapter 4. Many Problems, Few Solutions: Suggestions for Reforms............................. 37
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 37
Decentralisation: one ingredient....................................................................................... 38
Public corporations: self-governance of educational communities.............................. 41
The regional level: quality assurance and support institutions.................................... 45 5
© OECD 2000
Reviews of National Policies for Education: Romania
Modernising managerial systems and procedures......................................................... 46
The role of the centre......................................................................................................... 47
Part II
Examiners’ Report
Introduction................................................................................................................................ 53
The MoNE/OECD review.................................................................................................... 53
The reform process............................................................................................................. 55
Chapter 1. The Romanian Educational System: Context and Description...................... 59
Structure............................................................................................................................... 59
Demographic context......................................................................................................... 62
Economic context................................................................................................................ 63
Policies and priorities......................................................................................................... 65
Finance................................................................................................................................. 67
Chapter 2. Pre-school Education............................................................................................ 69
Structure and enrolments.................................................................................................. 69
Curriculum and instructional materials............................................................................ 70
Teachers............................................................................................................................... 71
Assessment and evaluation............................................................................................... 72
Management and finance................................................................................................... 72
Recommendations.............................................................................................................. 74
Chapter 3. Compulsory Education.......................................................................................... 77
Structure and enrolments.................................................................................................. 77
Curriculum and instructional materials............................................................................ 79
Teachers............................................................................................................................... 84
Assessment and evaluation............................................................................................... 85
Management and finance................................................................................................... 86
Recommendations.............................................................................................................. 89
Chapter 4. Upper Secondary Education............................................................................... 93
Structure and enrolments.................................................................................................. 93
Curriculum and instructional materials............................................................................ 96
Teachers............................................................................................................................... 98
Assessment and evaluation............................................................................................... 100
Management and finance................................................................................................... 103
Recommendations.............................................................................................................. 106
Chapter 5. Vocational Education and Training.................................................................... 109
Structure and enrolments.................................................................................................. 109
Curriculum and instructional materials............................................................................ 116
Teachers............................................................................................................................... 117
Assessment and evaluation............................................................................................... 119
Management and finance................................................................................................... 122
Recommendations.............................................................................................................. 123
Chapter 6. Tertiary Education................................................................................................. 125
Structure and enrolments.................................................................................................. 125
Curriculum and instructional materials............................................................................ 131
6 Teachers............................................................................................................................... 132
© OECD 2000
Table of Contents
Assessment and evaluation............................................................................................... 132
Management and finance................................................................................................... 133
Recommendations.............................................................................................................. 137
Chapter 7. Development of Human Resources for the Education System...................... 141
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 141
Management training.......................................................................................................... 143
Teacher training................................................................................................................... 144
Recommendations.............................................................................................................. 146
Chapter 8. Summary Issues and Recommendations........................................................... 147
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 147
Summary issues................................................................................................................... 147
Key thematic recommendations....................................................................................... 154
Bibliography................................................................................................................................ 167
7
© OECD 2000
Part I
BACKGROUND REPORT