Education Minister: Teachers Are Responsible for Functional Illiteracy Only When the Child is Constantly Present at School

Education Minister Daniel David addressed three of the most sensitive topics on the public agenda: functional illiteracy, the financing of student scholarships, and the controversy sparked by the draft of the new Romanian language and literature curriculum for high school, in a TV intervention. His central message: responsibilities must be understood in a nuanced way, and the changes under debate represent "a natural exercise in a democratic society.” Daniel David rejected the interpretation that he would blame teachers for the high level of functional illiteracy in Romania. He specified that the responsibility of teachers arises strictly in cases where the student is constantly present at school and, after years of study, does not develop the minimum skills to understand the text. "If you have a child who comes to school, doesn't miss, doesn't drop out, and you have him in class for four years, I'm not asking him to be an Olympian. I'm just asking him not to stay in the area of functional illiteracy. In that situation, if he stays there, the responsibility falls on the teachers," the minister explained. On the other hand, when students miss school, drop out or come from environments affected by extreme poverty, the problems are related to the social context, not to the teaching method. The minister recalled that some children only go to school for scholarships, hot meals or other forms of support, highlighting the major differences between rural and urban areas in terms of access to education. Another important topic is that of student scholarships, after intense debates regarding the possibility of decreasing their amount in 2025. Daniel David announced that Romania is very close to receiving the final agreement of the European Commission to supplement the scholarship fund with approximately 60 million euros. "The agreement is very advanced. If approved, we will supplement the state budget with approximately 60 million euros. With this addition, the value of scholarships will not reach the level foreseen for 2025, but it will approach that of 2024," said the minister. He stressed that the opening of European institutions confirms the advantages of EU membership, especially in a difficult social context for students, regardless of whether they are on the budget or on tuition fees.

• Controversies regarding the Romanian language curriculum

The modification of the Romanian language and literature curriculum for high school has generated a wave of debate, especially in the academic and editorial environment. Criticisms have targeted the elimination of traditional authors or the reduction of the weight of classical texts in favor of modern ones, considered inappropriate by opponents. Daniel David rejected the characterization of this process as a "scandal" and specified that the proposal does not belong to the ministry, but to the commission of specialists formed by members of the Romanian Academy, academics and pre-university teachers. "I did not propose the curriculum. The Ministry does not decide on the specialized content. The expert committee worked based on educational models from other successful countries. We have a public consultation period, it is normal for there to be reactions, including criticism,” said the minister. He added that, at the end of the consultations, a decision "good for children and for the school” will be made, insisting that the debate is beneficial and that the protests are not directed against the Ministry, but reflect differences of opinion among specialists. Minister Daniel David's speech attempts to draw a line of balance in a period in which the education system is facing major pressures: teacher shortages, gaps between environments, the requirement to align curricula with European standards and the need to reduce school dropout. On the one hand, the minister recognizes the limits of the Romanian social system, which sends students to schools with major integration and access to resources problems. On the other hand, he reaffirms the responsibility of teachers in training basic skills where the conditions are met.