Recent proposals presented to the Romanian Ministry of Education signal significant changes on the horizon for high school language curricula, particularly focusing on the Romanian language and its place within the broader educational framework. Amidst growing discussions among educators and policymakers, the push for unified national standards to evaluate communication skills is gaining traction.
On February 20, 2025, during parliamentary discussions, it was revealed by deputies of the Party of Action and Solidarity—specifically, Larisa Novac, Marcela Adam, and Liliana Nicolaescu-Onofrei—that legislation has progressed to incorporate standardized measures to certify the Romanian language competencies of adolescents. This move aims to regulate the evaluation process across all high schools, ensuring competency assessments align with European standards.
"According to the proposed changes, students who have studied Romanian as their primary language are set to benefit significantly during their baccalaureate exams. 'High school students who have studied national minority languages and who can certify their skills at the B2 level will automatically be awarded the max score of 10 for their Romanian exam,' detailed Larisa Novac, shedding light on the positive outcomes being considered for students' academic futures.
The objective behind this legislative initiative is to fortify educational quality and broaden young people's opportunities as they venture onto the job market. To this end, the evaluation method is framed as not merely administrative but as pivotal for societal integration, ensuring students emerge with strong communication skills—an increasingly sought-after asset.
Alongside the focus on evaluation, the Faculty of Letters at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University has taken the proactive step of submitting comprehensive proposals concerning the high school curriculum to the Ministry. They advocate for maintaining three hours per week of Romanian language and literature across all educational profiles, asserting this is instrumental for developing students’ reading, writing, and communication capabilities.
From the proposals, the Faculty emphasizes the role of classical languages such as Latin and ancient Greek, which they argue contribute significantly to young people's intellectual development, and offer them insights not only on European civilization foundations but also on their national identities. The respective proposals include specific requests for Latin to be retained as part of the humanistic profile curricula and suggested increased hours for modern languages, enhancing students' linguistic proficiency—vital for competing effectively on the job market.
Addressing the Minister, the Faculty's communication articulated their suggestions, stating, "Given the public debate on high school curricula and our commitment to preparing youth solidly within the human sciences, we urge you to recognize the importance of these topics for our students' futures, particularly concerning language skills."
This commitment to language education is underlined by concerns over potential reductions of these subjects from the curriculum, where stakeholders believe diminishing hours could significantly hamper student outcomes on national exams like the baccalaureate and their overall educational trajectories.
Financially, these educational reforms carry considerable weight—over 191,000 lei is needed for implementation, which will fund the development of examination materials as well as evaluations for written and oral assessments. It is projected around 400 citizens will annually engage with these standardized evaluations of communication skills.
Through these legislative reforms and academic proposals, both the government and educational institutions highlight their commitment to not only preserving the integrity of Romanian language instruction but also enhancing its recognition on both national and international stages. These adjustments reflect broader ambitions for improving national education standards and fostering global citizenship among Romanian youth.
The proposed changes and evaluations are set for review and are expected to facilitate significant strides toward higher educational standards. With multiple stakeholders emphasizing the need for solid communication and language skills, it seems these recommendations will play a pivotal role as Romania seeks to equip its future generations for life, study, and work beyond its borders.
These educational reforms pivot around the belief of nurturing well-rounded, linguistically capable individuals poised for success, both academically and professionally. The dialogue surrounding the curriculum changes is expected to remain vibrant as the plans advance to final parliamentary discussions.