The “Second Chance” program is addressed to adolescents, young people, adults from diverse social backgrounds and of varying ages, who have not attended or have not completed primary and lower secondary education. The program offers these categories of people the possibility to continue and complete compulsory education without having to interrupt their 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 four years the corresponding age for the grade and find themselves 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;
• did not graduate from primary education by the age of 14.

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

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, designed to motivate learners and encourage them to finish, to provide more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, as well as the necessary support for all those involved, through teacher training programs and educational materials for both learners and teaching staff. Through the program, innovative elements have been introduced into the educational process such as: modular curriculum and credit system for basic education, assessment, certification and recognition of prior competencies acquired by learners, 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 provides a transparent offer of modules that students can take to form competencies, as a result of participating 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 learners and teachers. Hours for individual consultations are scheduled and available to students.

The program has a flexible duration. The average schooling duration (2 years for primary education, respectively 4 years for lower secondary education) can be reduced for each student, depending on proven competencies, both in basic education and vocational training.

Graduates have the right to continue their studies, according to 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 secondary school cycle) or may complete practical training stages, after which they have the opportunity to also obtain a level 3 vocational qualification certificate.

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