The “Second Chance” program is addressed to adolescents, young people, and adults from various social backgrounds and different ages, who have not attended or 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 they may be engaged in.

The program is structured on two levels: Second Chance – primary education and Second Chance – lower secondary education – the latter also including a professional 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 their grade and are in the following situations:

For the Second Chance – primary education program:

• have never participated in formal – school education;
• were enrolled but dropped out of primary education – regardless of the time and reasons for leaving;
• have not graduated from primary education by the age of 14.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

• have graduated from compulsory primary education (including through the Second Chance system) but have not continued their education further

or:

• have completed some 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 leaving.

The Second Chance Program is a flexible program, designed to motivate learners and encourage them to complete it, to offer schools more autonomy in implementing it, as well as the necessary support for all those involved, through teacher training programs and educational materials for students and teaching staff. Through the program, innovative elements were introduced in the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and a credit system for basic education, assessment, certification and recognition of competences previously acquired by learners, ensuring an individualized preparation program.

Enrollment in the Second Chance program can be done twice a year: in 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 follow to develop 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 take place in several schedule options (in the afternoons or evenings during the week, on Saturdays, or during school holidays, etc.), according to the possibilities of students and teachers. Individual consultation hours are planned and available to students.

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

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

Graduates of the Second Chance Program – primary education can continue their studies in lower secondary education;

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

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