The “Second Chance” program is addressed to adolescents, youth, and adults, coming from diverse social backgrounds and of various 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 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 having a professional training component.

There is no upper age limit for those who wish to enroll in this program. The condition is that they have exceeded by at least 4 years the age corresponding to the grade and are in one of 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 moment and reasons for dropping out;
• did not graduate, until the age of 14, from primary education.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

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

or:

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

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, so as to motivate the learners and encourage them to complete it, to offer more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, but also the necessary support for all involved, through teacher training programs and educational materials for learners and for the teaching staff. Through the program, innovative elements have been introduced in the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and credit system for basic education, assessment, certification and recognition of competences previously 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 can have very different levels and expectations. The new program ensures a transparent offer of modules that students can follow to develop their skills, as a result of participation in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and themes that respond to their interests and needs.

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

The program has a flexible duration. The average duration of schooling (2 years for primary education, and 4 years for lower secondary education) can be shortened for each student, depending on the skills proven, 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 – primary education Program can continue their studies in lower secondary education;

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

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