The “Second Chance” program is aimed at adolescents, young people, and adults from diverse social backgrounds and with 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 possible 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 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 education – schooling;
• were enrolled, but dropped out of primary education – regardless of the timing and reasons for dropping out;
• have not graduated, by the age of 14, primary education.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

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

or:

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

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, designed to motivate learners and encourage them to complete it, to give schools more autonomy regarding its implementation, as well as the necessary support for all involved, through teacher training programs and educational materials for learners and teachers. The program introduces innovative elements in the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and credit system for basic education, assessment, certification and recognition of prior acquired competencies by learners, providing 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 ensures a transparent offer of modules that students can take to develop competencies 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 be held in several schedule options (weekday afternoons or evenings, Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.), depending on the possibilities of the learners and the teaching staff. Individual consultation hours are planned and available to students.

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

Graduates have the right to continue their studies, according to the provisions of the law, 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 (the upper cycle of high school) or participate in practical training stages, after which they have the possibility to obtain a level 3 professional qualification certificate.

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