The “Second Chance” program is aimed at adolescents, young people, adults from various social backgrounds and of different ages who have not attended or 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 are engaged in.

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 their grade and are in one of the following situations:

For the Second Chance – primary education program:

• have not participated at all in formal schooling;
• were enrolled but dropped out of primary education – regardless of the time and reasons for dropping out;
• did not graduate primary education by the age of 14.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

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

or:

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

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, so as to motivate the trainees and encourage them to complete it, to give more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, as well as provide the necessary support to all those involved through teacher training programs and educational materials for trainees 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 competencies previously acquired by trainees, 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 provides a transparent offer of modules which students can follow to develop competences, as a result of participation in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and topics responding to their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8–15 students in each class). Courses can take place according to several schedule options (afternoons or evenings during the week, Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of trainees and teachers. Hours are planned for individual consultations 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 student, depending on demonstrated competences, both in basic education and 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 (upper cycle of high school) or undertake practical training stages, after which they have the possibility to obtain a Level 3 vocational qualification certificate.

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