Romania back to school 2025: Parents more worried about bullying than budgets, study finds

Bullying has overtaken financial concerns as the top worry for Romanian parents sending their children back to school, according to the “Back to School 2025” study released Friday, September 5, by independent research agency MKOR. The survey showed that 38% of parents cite bullying as their greatest fear, ahead of the weight of schoolbags (33%) and their children’s physical safety (32%).

The fear of aggressive behavior and conflicts among students is felt more strongly by mothers (46%) than by fathers (31%) and peaks among parents of preschool children, where one in two (51%) report this concern. Other practical worries, such as the weight of schoolbags, become central only at the middle school level (47%).

Bullying is the leading concern, particularly in Bucharest and Ilfov county, where worries about children’s safety rose to 44%, the study also found.

Parents with higher education also place the school curriculum (31%) on their agenda, suggesting that pressure is measured not only in financial terms but also in the quality of the educational environment.

“Back to school in 2025 is no longer just about shopping lists. Parents are telling us clearly: children’s emotional safety now outweighs the price tag of school supplies. Bullying is an issue that can no longer be postponed,” said Cori Cimpoca, founder of MKOR.

Meanwhile, the average back-to-school budget stands at RON 450 (around EUR 90), but the study reveals sharp disparities. Parents with children in private schools spend, on average, RON 660, more than 50% higher than the RON 430 allocated by parents in the public system.

Spending patterns also reveal significant regional and socio-economic divides. In western Romania, the average budget per child climbs to RON 590, while in the south it drops to RON 330.

Clothing dominates household spending, averaging RON 570 per child, almost double the RON 300 spent on stationery.

The report highlights that 44% of Romanian parents pay for private tutoring, at an average cost of RON 100 per session, with mathematics leading demand (92%), followed by Romanian language (59%) and foreign languages (33%). The prevalence of tutoring rises sharply at high school level, reaching 67%, compared to just 21% in primary education, raising concerns about inequality of access to performance.

The study further underscored a systemic lack of trust in Romania’s education system. While 70% of parents want schools to provide well-rounded, informed citizens, nearly half (48%) point to chronic underfunding and the absence of a coherent national vision as the biggest obstacles.