The “Second Chance” program is addressed to adolescents, young people, and adults from various social backgrounds and of different ages, who have not attended or have not completed primary and lower secondary education. The program offers these categories of people the opportunity to continue and complete compulsory education without having to interrupt their possible professional or family activities in which they are engaged.

The program is structured on two levels: Second Chance – primary education and Second Chance – lower secondary education – the latter also having a component of vocational training.

There is no upper age limit for those who wish to enroll in this program. The condition is that they must have exceeded by at least 4 years the age corresponding to the class level and who are in one of the following situations:

For the Second Chance – primary education program:

• have not participated at all in formal – school education;
• were enrolled but dropped out of primary education – regardless of the time or reasons for dropping out;
• did not graduate, up to the age of 14, primary education.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

• have graduated from compulsory primary education (including through the Second Chance system) but did not continue further education

or:

• have completed part of the classes corresponding to lower secondary education (V, VI, or VII), but dropped out during this educational cycle – regardless of the time or reasons for dropping out.

The Second Chance program is a flexible program, to motivate learners and encourage them to complete it, to offer more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, but also the necessary support to everyone involved, through teacher training programs and educational materials for both learners and teachers. Through the program, innovative elements have been introduced in the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and a credit system for basic education, assessment, certification and recognition of previously acquired competences by learners, provision of individualized training programs.

Enrollment in the Second Chance program can be done each year in two sessions: October and February.

Students enrolled in the program can have very different levels and expectations. The new program provides a transparent offer of modules that students can follow to develop competences, as a result of participating in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts, and with tasks and topics that respond to their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). The courses can be held in several schedule variants (during the week in the afternoon or evening, on Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of learners and teaching staff. Individual consultation hours are planned at the students' disposal.

The program has a flexible duration. The average length of schooling (2 years for primary education, respectively 4 years for lower secondary education) can be reduced for each student individually, depending on the competences demonstrated, both in the field of basic education and in professional training.

Graduates have the right to continue their studies, according to legal provisions, as follows:

Graduates of the Second Chance Program – primary education can pursue studies in lower secondary education;

Graduates of the Second Chance Program – lower secondary education can pursue studies in upper secondary education (upper cycle of high school) or can undertake practical training stages, after which they have the possibility to also obtain a level 3 professional qualification certificate.

For young people in the program the graduation certificate will not only represent a personal success, but also the chance of a new tomorrow.