The "Second Chance" program addresses teenagers, young people, and adults from diverse social backgrounds and of various 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 mandatory 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 must be at least 4 years older than the appropriate age for 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 the timing and reasons for dropping out;
• did not complete primary education by the age of 14.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

• have completed mandatory primary education (including in 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 of school during this educational cycle – regardless of the timing and reasons for dropping out.

The Second Chance program is flexible so as to motivate learners and encourage them to complete it, to offer schools more autonomy in its implementation, and to provide the necessary support to all those involved, through training programs for teaching staff and educational materials for both learners and teachers. 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, provision of 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 follow in order to develop competences, 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 be held in several scheduling 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 schooling period (2 years for primary education, respectively 4 years for lower secondary education) can be reduced for each student, depending on the competences 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 - 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 go through practical training stages, after which they also have the possibility to 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 a new tomorrow.