Germany’s Klett enters Romania’s private school market

German education group Klett made its first investment in Romania’s private school and kindergarten sector by acquiring a significant minority stake in Equilibrum Educațional. The transaction was signed and completed on September 9 through Klett Kita & Schule GmbH.

The deal included the purchase of part of the existing shareholdings and a capital increase. Financial details and the precise size of the stake were not disclosed.

Equilibrum founders Maria Ștefania Manea and Mihaela Ștefan remain majority shareholders and will continue to manage the institution. Klett will act as a strategic partner for its development.

Founded in 2022, Equilibrum provides nursery, kindergarten, primary school, and after-school programs. Its model combines Romania’s national curriculum with Reggio Emilia and STEAM approaches.

The institution plans to develop a Bucharest network of small educational clusters providing continuous education from nursery through middle school. Each location would have a limited number of classes and pupils, it said.

“For us, the size of the school is not just an organizational matter, but a condition for the quality of education,” Maria Ștefania Manea said. “We want to expand this model without losing the close relationship among teachers, children, and parents.”

Equilibrum expects to open its next Bucharest center in 2027 or, depending on the availability of a suitable property, in 2028.

Over the next two to three years, it plans to modernize its existing center, build a covered outdoor sports field, and invest in educational and technological equipment.

The partnership will also provide teacher-training opportunities, exchanges with schools in other countries, and access to Klett’s educational and digital resources. Equilibrum is considering introducing an international curriculum for its first educational levels.

“We selected Equilibrum because of the consistency of its educational model, the founders’ experience, and the trust built within its parent community,” said Michał Kulesza, chief operating officer of Klett CEE.

Founded in Stuttgart in 1897, Klett operates through more than 90 companies in 24 countries. It was already active in Romania through educational publisher Art Klett.