The "Second Chance" program is aimed at adolescents, young people, adults from various 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 opportunity to continue and complete compulsory education without having to interrupt any 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 be at least 4 years older than the appropriate age for the class and fall into 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 when and why they dropped out;
• have not graduated primary education by the age of 14.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

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

or:

• have completed part of the lower secondary education grades (V, VI, or VII), but dropped out during this education cycle – regardless of when and why they dropped out.

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, so as to motivate learners and determine them to complete it, to offer schools more autonomy in its implementation, but also the necessary support to all those involved, through teacher training programs and educational materials for both learners and teachers. Through the program, innovative elements have been introduced into the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and the credit system for basic education, the evaluation, certification, and recognition of previously acquired skills by learners, and the provision of 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 can have very different levels and expectations. The new program provides a transparent offer of modules that students can take to develop skills, 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). Classes can take place in multiple schedule formats (afternoons or evenings during the week, on Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the learners and teachers. Individual consultation hours are planned at the students' disposal.

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

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

Graduates of the Second Chance – primary education program can pursue studies in lower secondary education;

Graduates of the Second Chance – lower secondary education program can pursue studies in upper secondary education (upper cycle of high school) or can complete practical training stages, after which they have the opportunity to obtain a level 3 professional qualification certificate.

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