Romanian president promulgates law reducing number of school hours

President Klaus Iohannis promulgated on November 18 the law that establishes a lower number of school hours for all students in the pre-university school system.

According to the law, children in primary school will spend, on average, 20 hours per week in school, compared to 22 hours at present. Those in secondary school will spend 25 hours, compared to 34 hours at present, while those in high school 30 hours per week.

The provisions of the law apply beginning with the 2020 – 2021 school year.

The education unions have contested the law, saying that reducing the number of school hours will mean that over 20,000 teachers will loose their jobs, Digi24.ro reported.

On the other hand, parents say the measure is welcome.

“The measure is welcome but changes need to be made to the curriculum, otherwise these hours will take place at a very fast pace; we will be able to speak only about teaching and evaluating, without training and learning, which would be very detrimental,” Iulian Cristache, the president of the National Federation of Parent Associations, said, quoted by Digi24.ro.

The law also covers the introduction of teacher training sessions concerning bullying, to allow teachers to identify and devise appropriate educational strategies on the phenomenon.

The draft law was approved by Parliament at the end of October. President Iohannis rejected the law at the beginning of the year, when it sent it back to Parliament.

(Photo: Pixabay)