The “Second Chance” program is aimed at adolescents, young people, adults from diverse social backgrounds and of various ages, who have not attended or have not completed elementary and lower secondary education. The program offers these categories of people the opportunity to continue and complete compulsory education without having to interrupt any 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 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;
• have not completed primary education by the age of 14.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

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

or:

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

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, so as to motivate participants and encourage them to complete it, to offer schools more autonomy in its implementation, as well as support for all involved, through training programs for teaching staff and educational materials for students and teachers. Through the program, innovative elements have been introduced into the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and a credit system for basic education, evaluation, certification and recognition of competences previously acquired by learners, provision of individualized training programs.

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 supply of modules that students can attend to develop competences, as a result of participating 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 (afternoons or evenings during the week, Saturdays or during school holidays etc.) depending on the possibilities of the learners and teachers. Individual tutoring sessions are planned and available for students.

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, depending on proven competences, in both basic education and vocational training areas.

Graduates have the right to continue their studies, as stipulated by law, as follows:

Graduates of the Second Chance Program – primary education can pursue studies in lower secondary education;

Graduates of the Second Chance Program – lower secondary education can pursue studies in upper secondary education (the upper cycle of high school) or go through 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 only represent a personal achievement, but the chance for another tomorrow.