The “Second Chance” program is aimed at adolescents, young people, and adults from diverse social backgrounds and of varying 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 involved 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 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 when or why they dropped out;
• did not graduate primary education by the age of 14.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

• have completed mandatory primary education (including through the Second Chance system) but did not continue 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 when or why they dropped out.

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, so as to motivate students and determine them to complete it, to provide schools with more autonomy regarding its implementation, as well as the necessary support for all involved, through teacher training programs and educational materials for students and teachers. Through this program, innovative elements have been introduced in the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and a credit system for basic education, assessment, certification, and recognition of competencies previously acquired by students, and 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 offering of modules that students can follow to acquire competencies, as a result of participating in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and topics that respond to their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). Courses can take place according to various schedules (afternoons or evenings during the week, Saturdays, or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the students and teachers. Individual consultation hours are planned at the students’ disposal.

The program has a flexible duration. The average schooling duration (2 years for primary education, respectively 4 years for lower secondary education) can be shortened for each student individually, depending on the competencies demonstrated, both in basic education and vocational 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 (the upper cycle of high school) or can participate in practical training stages, after which they have the possibility to 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 also the chance for another tomorrow.