The Repeatable Burden - The Festivities of the Beginning of the School Year

Year after year, politicians big and small storm schools in September, make triumphant declarations, then forget about education for 12 months. In their messages sent on the occasion of the start of the new school year, President Nicuşor Dan, Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, and Minister of Education Mihai Dimian emphasized various themes, from the investments made in the system and the need for continued reforms to the role of education in reducing inequalities and building children's futures.

• Ilie Bolojan: over 2.5 billion euros for investments in education

Interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan wishes students a school year with results commensurate with their hard work and thanks teachers for their activity: "Good luck to all students who start school today! I wish them a good year, with results commensurate with their work and as many new things learned as possible. I wish parents patience and strength to support them throughout the year, and I thank teachers for doing their job with dedication, day after day." The interim Prime Minister recalls that the new school year begins under the conditions of the completion of one of the largest investment programs in education, with over 2.5 billion euros allocated through the PNRR, local budgets and the national budget. According to Ilie Bolojan, the investments targeted several components of the education system. Modernization of classrooms - new furniture and equipment in over 90,000 classrooms and school offices, in over 4,000 schools. A digital leap for high schools - over 1,000 high schools were equipped with smart laboratories. New nurseries for children - over 100 nurseries were built, with over 6,600 new places for children. Supporting vocational education - seven campuses for dual education were built and equipped. Equity funds - over 1,500 schools received support to reduce school dropout, so that as many students as possible have access to quality education, regardless of the area in which they live. Teacher training - over 95,000 teachers were trained in digital pedagogy, so that the new equipment can be used as best as possible in the learning process. "Education allocations are investments whose benefits are seen generation after generation", concluded the Chief Executive.

• Nicuşor Dan: education is not just about grades and exams

President Nicuşor Dan states, in his message at the start of the school year, that education is not just about grades, catalogs or exams, but also the trust that a teacher gives to a student, the patience of a parent and the courage of a child to ask questions, to make mistakes and to try again: "This day, which marks the start of the new school year, is, for children, one of emotion and hope. For the youngest, it is the first step into a world of discoveries. For those who are preparing for exams or for choosing a profession, it is a new stage of maturation. Education is not just about grades, catalogs or exams. Education is the trust that a teacher gives to a student, the patience of a parent and the courage of a child to ask questions, to make mistakes and to try again. Today, school has a more important, but also more difficult mission than ever: to train adults capable of critical thinking. In a world where information circulates instantly, and technology and artificial intelligence become part of our daily lives, it is not enough to have quick access to information. We must know how to ask the right questions, to verify how true what we find in a simple internet search is, to distinguish between facts and misinformation, and to form our own opinions based on accurate sources of information. Dear teachers, thank you for your tenacity and dedication. I know that, beyond programs, rules, and administrative challenges, your work means responsibility, professionalism, and care for each student. I have full appreciation for the people of the school and I believe that no reform or investment can be successful without respected, well-trained, and supported teachers, including through working conditions and salaries that reflect the importance of the profession. In recent decades, Romanian society has changed profoundly, and the field of education has been targeted by these transformations, some of which positive, others that generated dissatisfaction. Sometimes, the changes came too quickly, without the necessary time for preparation and adaptation, sometimes they were not implemented until the end or not at all. This succession of reforms and rules has often generated a lack of trust and demotivation. Education needs measures thought out with responsibility, built on data, on the real evaluation of results and on what really works for the benefit of students. Any change must be accompanied by dialogue, resources and time to produce effects”.

The President also directly addressed the students and parents: "Dear students, start this new school year with the confidence that it will be an exciting discovery of new knowledge, ideas, information. The safest investment in your future is education. School is not only the place where you accumulate knowledge, but also the place where you begin to discover yourself, develop and prepare for life. Curiosity, discipline, patience and the desire to learn are not only important for school. They are skills that will always help you, long after you finish your studies and become adults. School is also the space where you make new acquaintances, grow and mature. Do not neglect interactions with others. The online environment can offer you options that capture your interest, but nothing can replace the unique experience of time spent with colleagues and friends. Dear parents, in school not only knowledge is acquired, but people are also formed, and this cannot be achieved without the contribution and family involvement. Children need support, trust and examples. What is learned at school must naturally continue at home. In turn, teachers need the support and respect of parents. When school and family become partners, each child's chances of success increase exponentially. Romania still has many backlogs to solve in education. There are children who learn in difficult conditions, communities that are waiting for solutions to the pressing problems they face. We must not ignore these realities. But it is equally important to see the things that are going well and, above all, the extraordinary potential of the young generation. Our objective must be simple and clear: every child in Romania should have access to education, regardless of where they were born, in which community they live or what their family's material possibilities are. Education remains one of the most important responsibilities we have towards the future of Romania. A country does not change overnight. But, without access to quality education, capable of responding to the profound transformations taking place in the world and especially the demands of a society undergoing an accelerated metamorphosis, we cannot hope to succeed in placing Romania on a path of sustainable development. Therefore, making education a priority is not only a responsibility for the present, but above all a choice that we make now for the generations of tomorrow”.

• Mihai Dimian: "Where you start does not determine where you can end up”

The Minister of Education, Mihai Dimian, tells students, at the beginning of the school year, to enjoy education and, invoking their own path, tells them that where they start in this life does not determine where they can end up. The minister recalls that he comes from a modest family and that, during his university years, he worked as a tourist guide and gave tutoring sessions to support himself during his studies: "Dear students, enjoy your education! Today begins a new school year. I know that you would have liked a longer vacation, that you would have preferred to sleep more this morning, that you wonder what this school is for. However, try to enjoy the chance to learn, the teachers, the classmates, the school. Regardless of where you were born, regardless of how much or little money your parents have, regardless of your ethnicity, education offers you all a chance. You don't all start from the same point. Some have more books at home, others fewer. Some have their own desk and computer, others don't even have a quiet place to do your homework. But that's precisely why you need school: so that the place you start from doesn't determines where you can end up. I come from a modest family, from a marginal neighborhood of a working-class city in Romania. I worked as a tourist guide and gave tutoring in mathematics and physics during college to support myself during my studies. At the same time, I tried to learn as well as possible, as much as possible, and not give up on my dreams. And education has offered me much more than I dared to imagine. I studied and researched in France, Germany, and the United States of America. I became a professor and doctoral supervisor in Washington D.C., the capital of the United States of America. Therefore, I repeat to you: where you start in this life does not determine where you can end up. Education is the key that opens the door to this world. A world much bigger than the place where you were born, a world where opportunities await you that you cannot imagine. It will not be an easy road. It will be difficult at times to understand certain concepts, to retain certain knowledge, to solve certain topics. Sometimes you will make mistakes and be harshly criticized for them. Other times you will be successful and it will seem like no one appreciates your success. and the effort put in. But you should not give up when it is hard. There is no reason and no excuse to give up on education. You have extraordinary potential and you have the duty to discover and value it. Now you have a blank sheet in front of you on which you can write your own future. Maybe some of you will become doctors, teachers, engineers. Maybe others will become successful entrepreneurs or very good technicians. Maybe some of you will end up in Bucharest, Paris or Washington. Maybe others will choose to stay where you are now and develop something important for your community. The important thing is to have the freedom to choose and to be happy. And this freedom is gained through education. I am not telling you that you have to be the best in the class. I'm just telling you not to give up on yourself."

The first step in the new school year has been taken, the road to the end is very long and full of challenges for everyone involved.