Romania’s Education Ministry set to increase number of school counselors

Romania’s minister of education, Ligia Deca, recently announced that 1,200 new school counselor positions will be made available, a 50% increase from the current number.

"This measure will ensure a greater number of teachers in psycho-pedagogical assistance offices, which will contribute to increasing the access of students and preschoolers to services of this kind, school, and professional guidance,” said Deca. The expansion will also help prevent violence in schools, she added.

There are 2,288 teachers currently offering psycho-pedagogical assistance to around 2.75 million students and preschoolers, according to evz.ro. The executive’s decision also includes the establishment of complementary services such as toy libraries, playgroups, and community kindergartens.

“We are talking about 2,550 positions needed to ensure the necessary personnel for the establishment, until 2026, of 850 community kindergartens or playgroups, playschools. They will provide education, care, protection, and nutrition services for children, especially those from disadvantaged communities. We will allocate EUR 103 mln from the Recovery and Resilience mechanism (PNRR) for the first 412 such complementary services. EUR 14.3 mln will also be allocated for the training of the personnel,” the minister said.

(Photo source: Valerii Honcharuk | Dreamstime.com)