Daniel David: "Real reforms in education are only just beginning"

Minister of Education and Research, Daniel David, declared in Timisoara that the first months of his second term were dominated by crisis measures, which changed the priorities of the educational reform. However, the official states that the process of modernizing the system will truly begin this fall, with the stabilization of the budget. Daniel David admitted at the Gala of Innovation and Performance in Dual Education that the reforms planned for the second term were slowed down by the fiscal-budgetary austerity measures adopted by the Government: "When I took over the second term, I thought that we would continue the reforms from the first term and that I would be able to implement the aspects of the QX report, but the logic changed completely in a few days, when the Government entered a line of accentuated austerity. These measures allowed us to have salaries and scholarships until the end of the year, but they temporarily blocked the reforms. Only now, after stabilization, can we talk about real changes again".

• Dual education - priority in the new reform plan

One of the central directions of the reform, according to the minister, is the development of dual education, as a modern form of vocational training.

Daniel David emphasized that technological high schools should be gradually transformed into dual schools by 2029, in partnership with the economic environment. "Dual education is fundamental, because we want to train real skills. More skills mean more professions and more links between education and the labor market,” the minister explained. The event in Timişoara - the Gala of Innovation and Performance in Dual Education - brought together teachers, students, representatives of the private sector and local authorities, and was dedicated to promoting collaboration between schools and companies.

• Salaries and scholarships, maintained through crisis measures

The Minister of Education confirmed that austerity measures have allowed the Government to maintain the payment of teachers' salaries and student scholarships until the end of the year. At the same time, Daniel David admitted that budget restrictions have also had negative effects on teachers and investments in the system. "We all want to reduce the effects of fiscal-budgetary measures, but we will do it over time. As priorities, I have teachers' salaries and student scholarships in first place,” he specified. Regarding student scholarships, the minister mentioned that progress had been made after a meeting with the Minister of European Funds and with representatives of student organizations, to identify alternative sources of funding.

• Unions, between protest and dialogue

Asked about union protests, Daniel David emphasized that they remain a legitimate form of expression, but called for patience. "That's why unions exist: to protest. They haven't stopped them, they just don't organize them every day anymore. I told them the truth - the measures had effects, but they saved our salaries and scholarships. We all want to mitigate these effects," said the minister.

Regarding the issue of plagiarism, the minister announced the formation of a working group that will analyze the ethical and legal norms applicable in universities.

According to him, the final report will be presented at the end of November. "We have a combination of ethical norms, which should be flexible and easy to apply, and legal constraints. We will clarify this intersection in order to have coherent legislation,” explained Daniel David. The minister reiterated his firm position on the depoliticization of the education system, stating that political influence should stop at the level of school inspectorates. "The inspector general could be the equivalent of the prefect for the Government, the representative of the Ministry of Education in the territory, but at the level of school directors, competitions should be organized. I do not want temporary appointments or arbitrary extensions,” the minister declared.

• "I am a suspended rector, not a politician”

Daniel David, rector of the "Babeş-Bolyai” University in Cluj-Napoca, reaffirmed his technocratic position, arguing that rectors should not be actively involved in political parties. "My opinion is that the rector should not be involved in parties, much less in their leadership. I am a suspended rector and I chose to remain a technocrat. In the past, rectors were part of Parliament, but the context has changed. We need clarity and separation between politics and education,” he said.

The event in Timisoara, organized by the Ministry of Education and local partners, brought to the fore models of good practice from dual schools in Romania, projects developed in collaboration with private companies, universities and local authorities.