The “Second Chance” program is aimed at adolescents, young people, and adults from diverse social backgrounds and various ages, who have not attended or not completed primary and lower secondary education. The program offers these categories of people the possibility 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 professional training component.

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

For the Second Chance – primary education: program:

• they have not participated at all in formal – school education;
• they were enrolled but abandoned primary education – regardless of the moment and reasons for abandonment;
• they have not graduated, by the age of 14, from primary education.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education: program:

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

or:

• they have graduated part of the classes corresponding to secondary education (V, VI or VII), but abandoned school during this educational cycle – regardless of the moment and reasons for abandonment.

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

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

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

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). Courses can be conducted according to several schedule options (during the week in the afternoon or evening, on Saturdays or during school vacations, etc.) depending on the possibilities of students and teachers. Individual tutoring hours are planned at the disposal of the students.

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

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

Graduates of the Second Chance Program - primary education can continue studies in secondary education;

Graduates of the Second Chance Program - lower secondary education can continue studies in higher secondary education (the upper cycle of high school) or can follow 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 the chance of another tomorrow.