Contents:

• Order No. 3207/1999 of the Minister of National Education
• Order No. 3250/1999 of the Minister of National Education
• Specification No. 9122/2000
• Order No. 3084/2000 of the Minister of National Education
• Order No. 3113/2000 of the Minister of National Education
• Order No. 3294/2000 of the Minister of National Education
• Order No. 3479/2000 of the Minister of National Education
• Notification No. 27804/2000
• Note No. 28260/2000

Considering that the syllabus is essential, regulating part of the National Curriculum,

Bearing in mind the necessity to accelerate the real reform, of essence of the pre-university education in Romania, in order to assure the quality of educational activities in the Romanian educational system, its compatibility with other educational systems and its impact on the reform of the Romanian society on the whole,

Considering the necessity that education in Romania contributes to developing of an active, competent, motivated and creative personality, capable to express an opinion and make decisions,

On account of public discussions and negotiations with interested factors on the proposals of the Ministry of National Education regarding the new Framework-plans for Secondary and Vocational Education, published in April of the current year,

Under the conditions of the gradual application of the new Framework-plans for Primary and Middle School Education, in accordance with Order No. 4150 from July 13, 1998 of the Minister of National Education,

As provided by Law on Education No. 84/1995, Articles 127 and 128,

As provided by Government Order No. 690/1997 on the organization and functioning of the Ministry of National Education, supplemented by Government Order No. 57/1998,

Art. 1. Approves the Framework-plans for grades IX-XII, part of the present Order (Appendix I).

Art. 2. Beginning with 1999/2000 school year, the new Frame-work-plans, which are part of the present Order (Appendix I), shall be applied.

Art. 3. The Methodology on the application of the new Frame-work-plans for grade IX is part of the present Order (Appendix II).

Art. 4. Grades X, XI and XII in secondary education continue to function in 1999/2000 school year, in conformity with the syllabus for secondary education approved by the Order No. 4634/03.08.1995 of the Minister of Education and in conformity with Order No. 4150 from July 13, 1998 of the Minister of National Education. In compliance with this order, secondary schools dispose of autonomy in organizing the scheme of their timetables, on the condition to observe Order No. 4634 from August 3, 1995 of the Minister of Education in the case of subjects prescribed for school leaving examination.

Art. 5. For grade IX the new curricula, which is part of the new National Curricula, shall be applied beginning with 1999/2000 school year. The curricula for grades X, XI and XII are revised and lightened curricula, and they will be lightened further more. The curricula for grade X will be elaborated until February 15. The new curricula for the entire secondary education will be elaborated until May 30, 1999.

Art. 6. The content of the lessons at the decision of the school are regulated by a special Order of the Minister of National Education. In the case of curricula fields like Arts, Physical Training and Sports, technology, in schools where there exist human and material resource, the secondary schools can include in the School Offer extracurricular activities as well (artistic, physical training, information technology) which are included in the norm.

Art. 7. The Framework-plan for grades IX-XII in the languages of national minorities include in the curricula field Language and communication the subject the Native Language and literature, with the same number of lessons allotted, depending on profile and specialization, as for Romanian language and literature.

Art. 8. Religion, as a school subject, was regulated in accordance with the law in force. In accordance with Government Edict of Urgency No. 36/1997, religion is a school subject within the syllabus. In conformity with Law on Education No. 84/1995, Art. 127 paragraph 2, school subjects can be compulsory, Optional subjects or facultative. The amended text of Government Edict of Urgency No. 36/1997, passed by the Senate states: �Art. 9 (1) Curricula of primary, middle school, secondary, and vocational education include religion as a school subject, in conformity with the regulations of the Ministry of National Education�. The amended text of Government Edict of Urgency No. 36/1997, passed by the Chamber of Deputies states: �Art. 9 (1) Curricula of primary, middle school, secondary, and vocational education include religion as a school subject, are part of the common trunk. The pupil chooses the church and denomination subject with parental consent or the consent of his/her legally appointed guardian. (2) At the written request of the parents or the legal guardian, the pupil may not attend the religion lessons�� The study of Religion shall be defined right after the promulgation of the Law on Education under its modified form.

Art. 9. The demand to increase the number of lessons at certain subjects requested by the professional associations (and in the case of Romanian language and literature, history, etc.) was solved through public discussions with the committees of experts. As the number of lessons cannot increase in an unlimited way, different solutions were chosen, which take into consideration the principles which assure differentiated periods of time and agreement of the curriculum with the type, profile and specialization. Thus, at certain specializations and years of study, the number of lessons for Romanian language and literature, History, etc. is more numerous that in the initial proposals and the number of lessons existing in the syllabi in force for 1998/1999 school year.

Art. 10. The Framework-plan for grades I-VIII is approved in its revised form, in which two lessons within the common trunk is allotted for the second foreign language beginning with grade V (Appendix III). In grades I-IV pupils will be able to study one foreign language, introduced compulsorily with grade III and/or in grades I. and II. In grades I and II, the foreign language is studied at the level of oral communication. In grades III and IV, the Optional subjects lessons from the filed of Language and communication can be used to extend the knowledge of the foreign language or other courses/subjects/themes related to the Romanian language or the Native language. The content and methodology of Optional subjects is regulated by a special Order of the minister.

Art. 11. The Framework-plan for grades I-VIII (Appendix III) becomes valid beginning with 1999/2000 school year.

Art. 12. The Secretariat of State for Pre-university Education, the Secretariat of State for Education in the Languages of National Minorities, the General Educational Directorate for Pre-university Education, the specialized directorates within the Ministry of National Education, the National Council for Curriculum, the County School Inspectorates and the School Inspectorate for the Municipality of Bucharest, the school and secondary school boards shall observe the present Order.

1. General Considerations

For grades I-VIII the syllabus was conceived as a Framework-plan. It contains a common trunk (subjects and number of lessons common for all the pupils), offering, at the same time, the possibility for schools to assure for pupils differentiated period of time.

For secondary schools, the Ministry for National Education conceived Framework-plans differentiated according to types, profiles and specializations that allow a real diversification of the periods of time, answering thus the interests and aptitudes of teenager pupils.

Grade IX, the first year of secondary education, remains still a year for orientation. For all the specializations within the academic (theo-retical) and the technological field, the common trunk is almost the same. This assures the possibility of a correct orientation/reorientation for the pupil, a common basis of knowledge and capacity so that the pupil can decide which the specialization to chose.

The curricular fields established by the Framework-plan for compulsory education are maintained at the level of secondary schools as well. Their proportion within the curricula as a whole changes a lot according to the profile of the secondary school. In the school-leaver grades the importance of the curricular fields which are connected with the profile of the school and the specialization chosen by the pupil grows, while the presence of other curricular fields diminishes.

The final decisions on the Framework-plans for secondary education take into consideration the necessity that in the secondary school the pupils have adequate periods of time to obtain a training of higher secondary type in all curricular fields, by keeping certain equilibrium between their importance in the plan.

The relations between the common trunk and the curricula chosen by the school - from among the curricular fields and different subject included in it - aim at assuring the horizontal and vertical coherence connected with different profiles and specializations.

The percentage of the curriculum at the choice of the school grows gradually. From approximately 20% in grade IX, to approximately 40-45% in grade XII, thus the importance of the real profile and the specialization grows.

The curricula is lightened and made flexible by:

• growth of the importance of subjects and activities which are in the curricula at the choice of the school;
• renouncing at the excessively theoretical character of the curri-cula and textbooks parallel with the growth of the applied character of knowledge and teaching activities;
• stimulation of the motivation for learning of the pupils;
• growth of the responsibility of the pupils and the school for the quality and the finality of the educational process.

2. Types and specializations

The secondary school has the function to accomplish the personality of the teenager expressed under the terms of �general culture�. On the other hand, the contemporary world does not allow the Renaissance-type encyclopedism, but implies a general culture oriented towards precise fields of activity. It is necessary that the secondary school offers knowledge and capacity included in the concept of �general knowledge�, as well as competence which makes possible orientation and active insertion in a social medium that is mainly characterized by the accelerated rhythm of changes. Therefore, the syllabi aim at ensuring that the pupil has an adequate level of self-knowledge and the possibility to make compatible the personal interests of training with the offer of the school and the predictable evolution of the social medium.

Bearing in mind the characteristics of the age and without neglecting the functional elements of general culture, the secondary school shall consist of types, profiles and specializations as follow:

I. Theoretical (academic) type:

Specializations:

• philology
• social sciences
• mathematics-informatics
• sciences

II. Technological type:

• technical profile, specializations:
  • electronics and automation
  • electrotechnics
  • telecommunication
  • mechanics
  • public works - constructions
  • textile - leather
  • food industry
  • chemistry and environmental protection
• economic profile, specializations:
  • economic
  • food and tourism
• administrative profile
• agricultural profile
• sylvicultural and forestry profile
• alpine agriculture

III. Vocational type:

• sports profile
• military profile
• theological profile
• artistic profile, specializations:
  • fine arts
  • architecture
  • music
  • theatre
  • choreographic
• pedagogical profile, specializations:
  • librarian-documentalist
  • instructor-animator, instructor for extra-curricular activities
  • educator.

This structure of the secondary school presumes a generative model common for designing of specific plans, as well as for designing of curricula and textbooks in accordance with the specific feature of each profile and each specialization.

3. Principles of the elaboration of the Framework-plan

The elaboration of the Framework-plan for secondary education was based on the same principles and criteria as for the compulsory education:

• The principle of cultural selection (respectively, the modality of selection of the fields of knowledge and grouping in curricular are-as). At secondary level this principle aims at harmonizing:
  • the characteristics of the pupils, his skills and personal interests expressed in his option for a type and specialization;
  • the extensive and continuous diversification of the fields of knowledge;
  • the permanence of basic competence of the personality and of the values associated to it, characteristic to a democratic society.

  It resulted in seven curricular areas, the same with the ones of compulsory education.

• The principle of coherence aiming at the homogeneous and equi-librated character of the allotted time, bears in mind the vertical and horizontal integration of the curricular areas within each type and each profile, expressed in the percentile relation between the curricular areas and the subjects studied both at horizontal and vertical levels. Within the common trunk a sufficient number of lessons were allotted for Romanian language and literature and a foreign lan-guage at all types and profiles, together with the subjects which contribute to the development of basic professional and civic competence. At the same time, the weight of the specialization in the curricular area is approximately the same within each specialization.
• The principle of functionality presumes the organization in curricular cycles that have in view the characteristics of the pupil�s age, interests and motivation. The principle of functionality, strengthened with a series of internal organizational strategies of the curriculum, determined the fact that the educational process consists of curricular levels. These represent the periodicity of schooling that coincides with the structure of the educational system, with the aim of focusing the major objectives of each stage and of regulating the educational process by the modification of the curricula. The introduction of the curricular cycles has in view, mainly, to assure continuity at the moment of passing from one level to another by:
  • transfer of didactic methods;
  • establishment of explicit connections at the level of the curricu-lum;
  • a better correlation between the psychological age and the structure of the curriculum.
• The principle of equality of chances has in view the offer of equivalent opportunities under the condition of having differentiated school periods. Associated with the didactical criterion, this prin-ciple sets the problem of the common trunk. Consequently, the Framework-plans allow the accomplishment of an adequate relation between the common trunk and the curricula at the decision of the school, bearing in mind the specialization within each educational type.

  The common trunk represents the minimum number of lessons prescribed by the Ministry of National Education for each compulsory subject apart. In order to draw up the schemes of timetable according to grades and groups beside the lessons included in the common trunk, those prescribed by the curricula at the decision of the school, in compliance with the options of the pupils and the human and material resources of the school, shall be also added.

• The application of the principle of flexibility through differentiated individual school periods is achieved by the offers of Optional subject packages at central and local level for each curricular field.

  The schemes of timetable represent concrete modalities by which the grades and schools can draw up the programme based on the options that have in mind the curriculum at the decision of the school.

  This option has in view:

  • the allotment of the lessons in the curricula at the decision of the school prescribed for a certain curricular area to one or more subjects from that field;
  • option for the content of these lessons.
• The principle joining to the society has in view the assurance of premises needed by the secondary school graduate to choose to:
  • continue his studies in post-secondary education;
  • continue his studies in higher education;
  • integrate into the labour market.

  This principle determines the establishment of optional subjects packages that allow both training for higher educational specialization and a medium level specialization that aims at integrating into the labour market.

4. Framework-plans for secondary education (appendices)

Academic (theoretical) secondary school

		Grade IX
Curricular fields	Subjects	Common trunk	Curriculum of the school
1. Language and communication	Romanian language and liter.	4
	Mother tongue (1st)	2
	Foreign language (2nd)	2
	Latin	1
	Total	11
2. Mathematics and sciences	Mathematics	2
	Physics	2
	Chemistry	2
	Biology	2
	Total	10
3. Man and society	History	2
	Geography	1
	Social and human sciences	1
	Religion/history of religions
	Total	6
4. Arts	Musical education
	Artistic education
	Total	2
5. Physical education and sports	Physical education	1	+1
	Total	2
6. Technology	Technological education / IT	1
	Total	1
7. Counseling and orientation	Counseling and orientation		+1
	Total	1
TOTAL		24	+10
Minimum/maximum number of hours		32-34

SPECIALIZATION: PHILOLOGY

Grade X		Grade XI		Grade XII
Common trunk	Curriculum of the school	Common trunk	Curriculum of the school	Common trunk	Curriculum of the school
4		4		4
3		3		3
2		2		2
1		2		2
13		14		14
2		2
1
1
1
7		5		4
2		2		2
1		1		1
2		2		2
7		8		8
3		3		2
1		1		1
1		1		1
	+1		+1		+1
1		1		1
	+1		+1		+1
1		1		1
24	+10	23	+11	22	+12
31-33		31-33		30-33

ACADEMIC (THEORETICAL) SECONDARY SCHOOL

		Grade IX
Curricular fields	Subjects	Common trunk	Curriculum of the school
1. Language and communication	Romanian language and liter.	4(3+1)
	Mother tongue (1st)	2
	Foreign language (2nd)	2
	Latin	1
	Total	9
2. Mathematics and sciences	Mathematics	4
	Physics	2
	Chemistry	2
	Biology	2
	Total	12
3. Man and society	History	1
	Geography	1
	Social and human sciences	1
	Religion/history of religions
	Total	5
4. Arts	Musical education
	Artistic education
	Total	1
5. Physical education and sports	Physical education	1	+1
	Total	2
6. Technology	Technological education / IT	2	+1
	Total	3
7. Counseling and orientation	Counseling and orientation		+1
	Total	1
TOTAL		25	8
Minimum/maximum number of hours		31-33

SPECIALIZATION: MATHEMATICS-INFORMATICS

Grade X		Grade XI		Grade XII
Common trunk	Curriculum of the school	Common trunk	Curriculum of the school	Common trunk	Curriculum of the school
4(3+1)		3		3
2		2		2
2		2		2
8		7		7
4		4		4
3		3		3
2		2		1
2		1		1
13		14		14
1		1		2
1		1
1		1
5		5		4
1		1		1
1		1			+1
1		1		1
2	+2	2	+2	2	+3
4		4		5
	+1		+1		+1
1		1		1
25	8	23	10	20	13
31-33		31-33		30-33

Curricular field / Subject	I	II	III	VI	V	VI	VII	VIII
I. Language and communicat.	11-13	11-13	11-13	11-13	11-14	12-13	12-13	13-14
1. Romanian language and lit.	4	4	4	4	5	4	4	4
2. Mother tongue and literature.	7-8	7-8	5-7	5-7	5	4	4	4
3. Foreign language (1st)	-	-	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3
4. Foreign language (2nd)*	-	-	-	-	2	2	2	2
5. Latin language	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
6. Optional subjects	0-2	0-2	0-2	0-2	0-1	0-1	0-1	-
II. Mathematics and sciences	3-4	3-4	4-6	4-6	4-6	6-8	7-10	7-10
1. Mathematics	3-4	3-4	3-4	3-4	3-4	4	4	4
2. Natural sciences	-	-	1-2	1-2	1-2	2-3	-	-
3. Physics     Chemistry     Biology	- - -	- - -	- - -	- - -	- - 1-2	1-2 - 1-2	1-2 1-2 1-2	1-2 1-2 1-2
4. Optional subjects	-	-	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
III. Man and society	1	1	2-3	3-5	3-5	3-5	5-7	6-7
1. Civic education     Civic culture	- -	- -	1-2 -	1-2 -	- 0-1	- 0-1	- 1-2	- 1-2
2. History and geography     History of the Romanians     Geography of Romania     History and traditions of minorities	- - - -	- - - -	- - - -	-	2-3 - - -	2-3 - - 1	2-3 - - 1	- 2 2 -
3. Religion	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
4. Optional subjects	-	-	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
IV. Arts	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	1-2
1. Artistic education	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
2. Musical education	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
3. Optional subjects	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
V. Physical educat. and sports	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
1. Physical education	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
2. Optional subjects	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
VI. Technology	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
1. Practical abilities	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	-	-	-	-
2. Technological education	-	-	-	-	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
3. Optional subjects	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
VII. Counseling and orientation	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
1. Counseling and orientation	-	-	-	-	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
2. Optional subjects	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
Minimum no. of hours/week	22	22	24	25	27	29	32	32
Minimum no. of hours/week	24	24	26	27	31	33	34	34

Curricular field / Subject	I	II	III	VI	V	VI	VII	VIII
I. Language and communicat.	7-9	7-9	7-9	7-9	9-10	8-9	8-9	8-9
A. Romanian language and lit.	7-8	7-8	5-7	5-7	5	4	4	4
B. Foreign language (1st)	-	-	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3
C. Foreign language (2nd)*	-	-	-	-	2	2	2	2
D. Latin language	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
E. Optional subjects	0-2	0-2	0-2	0-2	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
II. Mathematics and sciences	3-4	3-4	4-6	4-6	4-6	6-8	7-10	7-10
1. Mathematics	3-4	3-4	3-4	3-4	3-4	4	4	4
2. Natural sciences	-	-	1-2	1-2	1-2	2-3	-	-
3. Physics     Chemistry     Biology	- - -	- - -	- - -	- - -	- - -	- - -	1-2 1-2 1-2	1-2 1-2 1-2
4. Optional subjects	-	-	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
III. Man and society	1	1	2-3	3-5	3-5	3-5	4-6	6-7
1. Civic education     Civic culture	- -	- -	1-2 -	1-2 -	- 0-1	- 0-1	- 1-2	- 1-2
2. History and geography     History of the Romanians     Geography of Romania	- - -	- - -	- - -	-	2-3 - -	2-3 - -	2-3 - -	- 2 2
3. Religion	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
4. Optional subjects	-	-	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
IV. Arts	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	1-2
1. Artistic education	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
2. Musical education	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
3. Optional subjects	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
V. Physical educat. and sports	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
1. Physical education	2-3	2-3	2-3	2-3	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
2. Optional subjects	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
VI. Technology	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
1. Practical abilities	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2	-	-	-	-
2. Technological education	-	-	-	-	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
3. Optional subjects	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
VII. Counseling and orientation	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
1. Counseling and orientation	-	-	-	-	1-2	1-2	1-2	1-2
2. Optional subjects	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1	0-1
Minimum no. of hours/week	18	18	20	21	22	24	27	28
Minimum no. of hours/week	20	20	22	23	26	28	29	30

Taking into consideration that the proposals of the Ministry of Natio-nal Education regarding the Framework-plan for the reform of primary and middle school education published by the Order No. 4150 of the mi-nister from July 13, 1998 and revised by Order from February 3, 1999 are completed in the perspective of a compulsory education of nine grades,

In the context of maintaining in 1999/2000 school year, in accordance with the law, of the compulsory education of eight grades, grade VIII being the last grade of middle school,

In accordance with Law on Education No. 84/1995, Articles 127 and 128,

In accordance with Government Decision No 690/1997 on the organization and functioning of the Ministry of National Education, completed by Government Decision No. 57/1998,

Art. 1. Under the condition of maintaining the compulsory education of eight grades, in accordance with the law, the optional lesson from the curricular area of Language and communication shall be allotted in grade VIII to Latin, as a lesson included in the common trunk, according to the explanations from Appendix I, which is part of the present order.

Art. 2. Under the condition of maintaining the compulsory education of eight grades, in accordance with the law, for 1999/2000 school year the lessons allotted for Natural sciences are distributed as follow:

Grade V:	1-2 lessons - Biology (Botanics);
Grade VI:	1-2 lessons - Physics 1-2 lessons - Biology (Zoology).

The table of Appendix I contains the specifications.

Art. 3. Under the condition of maintaining the compulsory education of eight grades, in accordance with the law, the subject the History and the traditions of minorities shall be studied in grades VI and VII, in one lesson per week in each of the two years.

In the education in the languages of national minorities, the Native language and literature is studied in grades V-VIII and in secondary school in an equal number of hours with the number of lessons allotted for Romanian language and literature.

The table of Appendix II, part of this order, contains the specifi-ca-tions.

Art. 4. The Framework-plans for integrated arts and sports edu-cation, as well as for special education (grades I-VIII), approved by Order No. 4324 from August 23, 1998 and 4323 from August 23, 1998 are modified by including Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the present Order.

Art. 5. The Secretariat of State for Pre-university Education, the Secretariat of State for Education in the Languages of National Minorities, the General Educational Directorate for Pre-university Education, the specialized directorates within the Ministry of National Education, the National Council for Curriculum, the County School Inspectorates and the School Inspectorate for the Municipality of Bucharest, the school boards shall observe the present Order.

The provisions of the republished Law on Education state:

Art. 12. Par. 1, 2 and 3

- Par. 1. The Ministry of National Education elaborates, builds and applies the global strategy of education, establishes the objectives of the educational system in its entirety as well as the educational objectives on levels and educational profiles based on consultations with other institutions and ministries involved.

- Par. 2. The organization and content of education cannot be structured according to exclusive and discriminatory criteria of ideological, political, religious or ethnic nature. Those educational units and institutions that are established due to religious or linguistic need and in which instruction corresponds with the choice of parents or legally appointed guardians of the pupils are not considered to be structured according to exclusive and discriminatory criteria.

- Par. 3. The Ministry of National Education consulting the factors interested in the organization of specific forms and types of education is responsible for the elaboration of the curricula: syllabi, programmes and textbooks for pre-university education.

Art. 9. Par. 3 and 4

- Par. 3. Religious denominations officially recognized by the state shall request that the Ministry of National Education organize special theological education to train personnel for the religious and social-missionary activities of cults only for secondary school graduates, proportionally to the percentage of the respective cult in the religious configuration of the country in accordance with the actualised official census. This education shall be established and function according to the law.

- Par. 4. Religious denominations officially recognized by the state have the right to establish and run their own private educational units and institutions according to the law.

Art. 24. Par. 1 and 2

- Par. 1. Secondary education functions usually with the following branches and profiles:

- Par. 2. Secondary schools have one or more profiles. Within these profiles forms with a more restricted specialization or forms for pupils with special skills and performances can be set up with the approval of the Ministry of National Education.

- Order No. 3207/03.02.1999 of the MNE
- Order No. 4121/21.07.1999 of the MNE
- Order No. 4176/23.07.1999 of the MNE
- Order No. 5145/28.12.1999 of the MNE
- Order No. 3032/11.01.2000 of the MNE

Taking into account these legal provisions, the specific social-missionary needs of religious denominations in their activity, the local needs, the specific material bases, the specialized human resources and the numeric percentage of each cult in the religious configuration of the country, the religious denominations officially recognized by the state can request from the Ministry of National Education that within pre-university theological units of secondary level forms with theological profile, as well as forms with profiles and specializations specified within the vocational, theoretic and technological branches function.

Yearly, the theological educational units shall present to the country school inspectorates (Municipality of Bucharest) their proposals together with the justification of the number of places necessary for each profile and specialization by observing the Methodology of the Ministry of National Education concerning the school network and schooling figures.

The Ministry of National Education shall approve these requests in accordance with its annual budget.

In case the requests of the religious denominations exceed the financial possibilities of the state, the Ministry of National Education can approve, at their request, the establishment and administration of their own educational units and forms in private system according to law.

The possible divergences between the proposal of the religious cults and the proposals of the country school inspectorates (Municipality of Bucharest) shall be analyzed and solved by the Ministry of National Education in co-operation with the Secretariat of State for Cults.

on the extension of education in German language and the consolidation of the traditions of the German education in Romania

The acquisition of modern languages is one of the tasks of the school. The New National Curriculum ensures that the pupils acquire two modern languages in middle and secondary school education, with the possibility to acquire - optionally - a third modern language as well.

In the years past, the number of parents and pupils who request the acquisition of the German language increases. Romania has a remarkable tradition in the tuition of the German language both as mother tongue and as a modern language.

By Order No. 3205 of the Minister for National Education of February 3, 1998, the Programme for the extension of education in German language in schools, secondary schools and university was ela-borated and put into practice.

By the measures adopted by the Ministry of National Education, in 1998 and 1999 the possibility to study the German language within the educational framework in Romania increased.

In Bucharest the section of the �H. Oberth� Secondary School with school-leaving examination in German was consolidated. In 2000 the �Nikolaus Lenau� Secondary School in Timi?oara shall organize the school leaving examination in German language. In the secondary schools of Bistri?a and Media? the number of forms in German was increased. In 1999 the second secondary school with a German section was opened (�Alexandru Vlahu??� Secondary School) in Bucharest. Besides the �Samuel Brukenthal� Secondary School in Sibiu another secondary school offers tuition in German language. In Satu Mare the Secondary School was also extended.

In 1998 a Centre for the Continuous Training in German Language was set up in Media? with specialist assistance from Germany.

In 1999 the University of Bucharest together with the Goethe Institute finalized a course of professional retraining for unqualified teachers and for the training of primary school teachers who teach in German language.

The �Babe?-Bolyai� University ensures complete studies in German language on twelve sections (History, Applied modern languages, Physics-Mathematics, Biology-Chemistry, Geography, Philosophy, Arts etc.) in one training line of master degree and a college for primary school teachers.

The establishment of forms with the tuition of the German language in an intensive and bilingual system with the possibility to take the examination for German Language Diploma second degree organized by the Permanent Conference of the Ministers of Education of the Federal States of Germany has been encouraged.

For the further extension of the acquisition of the German language - the language of an ethnic community and a widely used language - in pre-university teaching and for the consolidation of the tradition of education in German language in Romania, based on the legal prerogatives, on Government Order 690/1997 on the organization and functioning of the Ministry of National Education with subsequent modifications and completions

1. The School Inspectorates of Suceava, Constan?a, Craiova, Ma-ramure? and Ia?i Counties shall explore the possibilities to set up forms with tuition in German language in a secondary school within their sphere of authority or forms with bilingual education in school year 2000/2001 and submit a project in this respect to the General Directorate of Pre-university Training of the Ministry of National Education until February 15, 2000.

2. The School Inspectorate of Cluj County shall extend the number of forms with tuition in German language at the �George Co?buc� Secondary School in 2000/2001 school year and set up forms with bilingual education in other secondary schools.

3. The School Inspectorate of Mure? County shall extend the number of forms with tuition in German language at the �J. Haltrich� Secondary School in Sighi?oara and consolidate the section at the �Al. Papiu Ilari-an� Secondary School within the School Inspectorate of Mure? County in 2000/2001 school year. At the same time the School Inspectorate of Mure? County shall explore the possibility to introduce the German language in an intensive and bilingual system in middle and secondary schools.

4. The School Inspectorate of Bistri?a County shall consolidate the section with tuition in German language of the �L. Rebreanu� School and extend the number of forms with tuition in German as a modern language in an intensive and bilingual system.

5. The College with University Degree of Bistri?a shall take the necessary steps to organize the department with specialization in Tourism with secondary training in German in order to launch tourism in the region together with German and Austrian partners.

In the building assigned to the College of Bistri?a - in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education, the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania, secondary schools and universities with tuition in German language - an exposition shall be organized to point out the valuable tradition of German education in Romania for the present generations.

Beginning with the year 2000 the Arbeitskreis - Gundelsheim (Germany) and the Institute for German Studies of the �Babe?-Bolyai� University organize a round-table conference entitled The Saxon Commu-nal Education in Transylvania - One of the First Educational Systems in Europe. The papers of the conference shall be published in a volume.

6. School inspectorates, the managements of secondary schools and the rectors of the above-mentioned universities, the specialized directorates of the Ministry of National Education shall apply the present Order.

In the spirit of the active policy for the maintenance, development and expression of identity for persons belonging to national minorities, for the promotion of mutual understanding and tolerance, the respect for the linguistic and cultural identity and diversity as well as to diminish the bureaucratic obstacles concerning access to the study of the mother tongue of pupils belonging to national minorities who study in schools with tuition in Romanian language;

In compliance with Law No. 84/1995, published in the Official Gazette of Romania, Part I, No. 606 of December 10, 1999;

Under the Orders of the Minister of National Education No. 4150/13.07.1998 and 3207/03.02.1999 on the application of the framework-plans;

Under Government Decision 690/1997 on the organization and functioning of the Ministry of National Education with subsequent modifications

Art. 1. Lessons of the mother tongue for pupils belonging to national minorities who study in schools with tuition in Romanian language are part of the common trunk of the framework plans and, consequently, they are included compulsorily in the timetables of schools;

Art. 2. In localities where there are no groups or forms for the study of the mother tongue of a national minority, the associations and the alliances of the respective national minority or ethnic community may name the pre-university units in which parents and pupils take an interest in the study of the mother tongue and send an official communication in this respect to the educational unit and the county school inspectorate.

Art. 3. The list with the names of the parents who request that their children study the mother tongue shall be submitted to the management of the specified school either by the organization of the respective minority (ethnic group) or the committee of parents.

Art. 4. If pupils choose to extend their knowledge of the mother tongue, the schools can include supplementary hours at this subject of study in the category of hours at the disposal of the school.

Art. 5. The present order supplements the Orders of the Ministry of National Education No. 4646/23.09.1998 and No. 3533/31.03.1999 on the study of the mother tongue of pupils belonging to national minorities who study in schools with tuition in Romanian language

In 1998, on the strength of the Orders of the Minister of National Education No. 3577/15.04.1998 and No. 5083/26.11.1998, the young Gypsies were backed in order to study in a larger numbers in pedagogical secondary schools and universities.

Our fellow citizens, the Gypsies, continue to need an educational support to instruct the youth in crafts useful for the community and to develop a natural cultural and civic representation that is capable to represent and to integrate them democratically in the institutions of the democratic Romania.

Under the aegis of the Council of Europe, the High Commissioner on National Minorities of the OSCE and other organisms a beneficial action takes place in the sense of helping the Gypsies to instruct their youth and to form a democratic civic and cultural representation they need, including the road of affirmative actions (positive discrimination).

1. Under the authority of the school inspectorate, each County School Inspectorate and the School Inspectorate of the Municipality of Bucharest shall elaborate until March 31, 2000 the work schedule for the application of the Order of the MNE No. 4231/18.08.1999 on putting into practice of the �Programme for overcoming the marginalization, the social and professional exclusion of young people who abandoned compulsory education and do not have the minimal competence to enter work�.

2. In 2000/2001 academic year the pedagogical university colleges organized by the University of Bucharest, �Al. I. Cuza� University - Ia?i, �Babe?-Bolyai� University - Cluj-Napoca, University of Craiova, �Ovidius� University of Constan?a, �Transilvania� University of Bra-?ov receive 5 places each at the entrance examinations in 2000 for young Gypsies as separate places, in subsidized system.

3. The University of Bucharest, �Al. I. Cuza� University - Ia?i, �Babe?-Bolyai� University - Cluj-Napoca shall organize the entrance of young Gypsies on separate places in subsidized system. The respective universities shall establish the number of places.

4. The rectors� offices of the University of Bucharest, �Al. I. Cuza� University - Ia?i, �Babe?-Bolyai� University - Cluj-Napoca, the Universities of Timi?oara, Sibiu, Craiova, �Ovidius� University of Constan?a receive 10 places in subsidized system for Gypsy candidates. The above mentioned rectors� offices dispose of autonomy in the distribution of the places on faculties and departments and take decisions concerning enrolment.

5. Candidates who compete at all levels for the places set apart for Gypsies must present the written recommendation of the president of a legally registered civic, cultural or political Gypsy organization.

6. The above mentioned school inspectorates, university colleges of pre-school or primary school teachers and universities as well as the general directorates and the directorates of the Ministry of National Education shall implement the present order.

Romania had one of the most powerful educational traditions in German language in Central and Eastern Europe.

The German language is one of the world languages in which many representative intellectuals of Romania studied.

The German language is one of the modern languages widely used.

Many parents in different counties of the country request more places in schools and secondary schools so that their children can study in German language.

During the last three years, the Ministry of National Education applied a programme for the extension of education in German language. A Centre for the Continuous Training in German Language was set up in Media?. Another secondary school in German language was established in Bucharest. The sections of several secondary schools with German tradition were extended; the final examination based on the Romanian-German agreement was introduced at the �N. Lenau� Secondary School in Timi?oara. The �Babe?-Bolyai University in Cluj has 12 specializations based on complete studies in German language. Faculties and university colleges in the country have extended education in German language.

Starting from the general premises evoked above, in order to extend education in German language and to acquire German as a modern language, in accordance with its legal jurisdiction, under Government Decision No. 690/1997 with subsequent modifications

1. The General School Inspectors of Suceava, Constan?a and Dolj Counties are authorized to initiate and implement measures to re-establish the traditions of education in German language in the above mentioned cities and to set up sections (forms) in German language at least in one secondary school in Suceava, Constan?a and Craiova.

2. The General School Inspectors of Suceava, Constan?a and Dolj Counties shall submit the project for the organization of the section in German language in one of the secondary schools of Suceava, Constan?a and Craiova for approval until May 1, 2000 to the Director General of the General Directorate for Human Resources of the Ministry of National Education.

3. The Inspector General for German Language, the Director of the Directorate for German Language of the Ministry of National Education, the Director of the Directorate of Pre-university Education, the General School Inspectors of Suceava, Constan?a and Dolj Counties shall implement the present order.

Approved Andrei Marga Minister

Taking into consideration the information received from the educa-tional network on the application of the provisions of the Orders of the MNE No. 3269 of 27.02.2000 and 3271 of 28.02.2000 on the ratio-na-lization of expenses regarding the teaching staff of units of pre-univer-sity education and on economic and financial decentralization, as well as the reorganization of county school inspectorates and of the school inspectorate of the municipality of Bucharest, we inform you as follows:

1. In accordance with the provisions of Art. 126 of Law No. 84/1995, republished in 1999 and Art. 23. and Art. 26 of Law. No. 128/1997, we ask you to ensure a proportional representation of the teaching staff belonging to national minorities in leading posts at the level of educational units and at the level of school inspectorates in a manner that their percentage be maintained after the application of the above mentioned orders of the Minister of National Education.

2. In educational units with sections in the languages of national minorities under the guidance of a deputy headmaster, the deputy headmaster shall be nominated in compliance with the percentage of these forms in the school unit.

3. The legal provisions concerning the reduction with 5% shall be observed by bearing in mind the necessity to ensure inspectors for minority education. In case at a school inspectorate there is only one inspector who co-ordinates schools (kindergartens) with tuition in the languages of national minorities, his/her post cannot be reduced.

4. The provisions of Order No. 3269/27.02.2000 of the Minister of National Education shall not effect the independent juridical per-so-nality of educational units with tuition in the languages of national minorities.

5. The managements of county school inspectorates and of the educa-tional units in question shall implement the present specifications.

Approved Andrei Marga Minister

Art. 141 c) of Law No. 84/1995 on Education, republished, stipulates that the Ministry of National Education �approves the National Curriculum and the national system of assessment, ensures and supervises their observance�. Par. e) of the same article stipulates that the MNE �ensures the framework for the elaboration of textbooks�� Art. 41.2 mentions: �The integration of children with special educational demands is achieved through special educational units, in special groups or forms of common pre-school and school units, or in common educational units including the school units with tuition in the languages of national minorities�. Art. 44 shows: �Special education disposes of curriculum, syllabi, textbooks and alternative didactical methodologies elaborated in compliance with the type and the degree of the handicap and approved by the Ministry of National Education.�

For the special education of children with deficiency in hearing belonging to the Hungarian national minority no textbook of Hungarian language and literature was elaborated. Consequently, the textbook proposed and the request of the Alliance of Hungarian Teachers in Romania addressed to the Ministry and the Council for Textbooks concerning the experimental use of the primer �Brumi bet?vil?ga� - elaborated by a collective formed of psychologist Zsuzsanna Vargha and teacher Csilla B. Kiss with experience in the education of children defective in hearing and illustrated by graphic artist J?lia Mak?r - is timely.

The Department for the Education of National Minorities sustains the approval of the experimental use of this primer for ethnic Hungarian children defective in hearing and proposes for endorsement to the Ministry of National Education in order to be used in special schools for children defictive in hearing with tuition in Hungarian language in Romania.

Source: Government of Romania, Department for Protection of National Minorities