The “Second Chance” program is aimed at adolescents, young people, adults, coming from diverse social backgrounds and various ages, who have not attended or 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 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 have exceeded by at least 4 years the age corresponding to the grade and are 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, by the age of 14, from primary education.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

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

or:

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

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

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

Students enrolled in the program can have very different levels and expectations. The new program ensures a transparent offer of modules that students can follow to form skills, as a result of participating in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and assignments that address their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). Courses can take place according to several timetable options (during the week in the afternoon or evening, on Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the students and teachers. Individual counseling hours are planned at the disposal of the 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 shortened for each student, depending on the competences demonstrated, both in the field of 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 can continue studies in lower secondary education;

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

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