The "Second Chance" program is aimed at adolescents, young people, and adults from diverse social backgrounds and 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 must be at least 4 years older than the age corresponding to the class and be in one of the following situations:

For the Second Chance – primary education program:

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

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

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

or:

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

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, so as to motivate learners and encourage them to complete it, to offer greater autonomy to schools in its implementation, and to provide the necessary support to all those involved, through teacher training programs and educational materials for learners and teachers. Through the program, innovative elements have been introduced in the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and the credit system for basic education, assessment, certification and recognition of skills previously acquired by learners, ensuring an individualized training program.

Enrollment in the Second Chance program can take place every 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 that students can attend to develop skills, as a result of participation in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and assignments that meet their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). Courses can be held according to several schedule options (in the afternoons or evenings during the week, on Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the learners and the teachers. Individual consultation hours are scheduled and available to 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 reduced for each student, depending on the skills demonstrated, both in basic education and in vocational training.

Graduates have the right to continue their studies, according to the legal provisions, as follows:

Graduates of the Second Chance Program – primary education may continue their studies in lower secondary education;

Graduates of the Second Chance Program – lower secondary education may continue their studies in upper secondary education (upper cycle of high school) or may enroll 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.