The “Second Chance” program is addressed to adolescents, young people, adults, coming from various social backgrounds and of different ages, who have not attended or finished primary and lower secondary education. The program offers these categories of people the opportunity to continue and complete compulsory education without being forced to interrupt their possible professional or family activities in which they are engaged.

The program is structured on two levels: Second Chance – primary education and Second Chance – lower secondary education – the latter also having a vocational training component.

There is no upper age limit for those who wish to enroll in this program. The condition is that they must have exceeded by at least 4 years the age corresponding to the grade and be in the following situations:

For the Second Chance – primary education program:

• have not participated at all in formal – school education;
• were enrolled but dropped out of primary education – regardless of the time and reasons for dropping out;
• have not graduated, by the age of 14, from primary education.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

• have completed compulsory primary education (including in the Second Chance system) but did not continue further education

or:

• have completed part of the classes corresponding to lower secondary education (V, VI or VII), but dropped out during this educational cycle – regardless of the time and reasons for dropping out.

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, so as to motivate the trainees and determine them to finish it, to give schools more autonomy regarding its implementation, but also the necessary support to all involved, through training programs for teaching staff and educational materials for trainees and teachers. Through this program, innovative elements have been introduced into the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and credit system for basic education, evaluation, certification and recognition of previously acquired competences by trainees, ensuring an individualized training program.

Enrollment in the Second Chance program can be done each year in two sessions: October and February.

Students enrolled in the program may have very different levels and expectations. The new program ensures a transparent offer of modules that students can follow in order to form competences, as a result of participation in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and topics that meet their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). Courses can be held according to several timetable options (on weekdays in the afternoon or evening, on Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the trainees and the teaching staff. Hours for individual consultations at the students’ disposal are scheduled.

The program has a flexible duration. The average schooling period (2 years for primary education, and 4 years for lower secondary education) can be reduced for each student individually, depending on the competences demonstrated, both in the field of basic education and in the field of professional training.

Graduates have the right to continue their studies, according to the provisions of the law, as follows:

Graduates of the Second Chance Program - primary education may continue their studies in lower secondary education;

Graduates of the Second Chance Program - lower secondary education may continue their studies in upper secondary education (upper cycle of high school) or can undergo practical training, after which they have the possibility to obtain a level 3 Professional Qualification Certificate.

For the young people in the program, the graduation certificate will not represent just a personal success, but the chance of another tomorrow.