1-st January 2007:Romania’s Entering the EU -moment of joys and reflections

1. 1-st January 2007:Romania’s Entering theEU-moment of joys and reflections Mariana STREZA

2. Certainties • Romania will be a presence hard to be ignored in the EU, due to its geographical position , size , natural and human resources in some domains • It depends on ourselves and our political leaders to turn all these into a long-term advantage • Only the opening up to the European market , in any way and at any level may change something in everybody’s life • The living standard won’t raise overnight • The young people have 10 times as many chances as they have at present to succeed in career Mariana STREZA

3. Good news • We will learn on the fly what we haven’t learned until now • We’ll have access to the European Structural funds ( 30 billion Euro) • We don’t need passports at customs • The Romanians bring about an optimistic European breath; they have been the most enthusiastic supporters of Romania’s entering the EU; they have the most favourable opinion on the EU and trust in its institutions • Romania takes its new status as a member state of the EU very seriously • The European family may expect a serious and reliable partner Mariana STREZA

4. Dilemmas, bad news and “musts” • Dilemma:Will the Romanians’ mentality ever adapt to the important long-term requirements such as information and involvement in community’s life? • Bad news:-The authorities are not prepared to access and absorb the European funds • -The European rules and regulations are not known in villages and even towns , fact that can seriously jeopardize any activity • Musts:- After entering the EU , the Romanians must know that Romania has more rights and more obligations as well • A rapid state reform and decentralization of education, health , agriculture system is needed. Mariana STREZA

5. Comparative Analysis

6. Documents • The Policy of the European Union in the Field of Education and Training • Main Tendencies in the Education System in Romania • 2006 Report of the European Union Regarding the Reaching of Objectives in the Field of Education and Training • Re-launched Lisbon Strategy Mariana STREZA

7. SIMILARITIES • Improving the quality and effectiveness of education and training ( to meet the needs of the society ) • Decreasing of school leaving by 2010 • Increasing the duration of compulsory education • Ensuring access to ICTs to everyone • Developing skills for the knowledge society • Improving education and training for teachers and trainers • Increasing participation of adults in lifelong learning with 8-10% • Increasing participation in education and training within a lifelong perspective - increasing participation in pre-primary education of groups of children at risk of dropping-out - increasing attractiveness of vocational education and training Mariana STREZA

8. SIMILARITIES • Opening up education and training to the wider world -improving foreign languages learning • Increasing the recruitment to scientific and technical studies • Decreasing the number of persons-low achievers in reading / writing • Teacher recruitment during the next decade: -policies and initiatives to motivate older teachers to remain in the profession and to offer them continuous professional development; -improving teachers’ salary competitiveness Mariana STREZA

9. PARTICULARITIES • Fighting school failure by project developing and running • Reconsidering the entrance system at different levels of education • Improving the evaluation/assessment system • Orientation of education toward humanistic , cultural , international studies • Offering of more opportunities to young people at risk of social exclusion in vocational education • Increasing participation of adults in lifelong education and training • Increasing the number of persons with proper skills in reading / writing Mariana STREZA