Romania
Since 1989, much work has been devoted to the formal education system in Romania. This has taken the form of a new law, which contains a chapter on continuing education, and in particular, vocational training.
Since 1989, formal education has become more flexible and decentralised, giving more space to private initiatives that are adapted to the needs of individuals and to the market. Adult education has evolved accordingly: more varied forms of activities are now needed by an increasingly varied job market. Adults
choose continuing training and education to acquire the new knowledge required by society.
The number of institutions that promote adult education has also expanded. Unfortunately, these institutions do not work within a system and there is a lack of co-ordination between the various players.
A continuing education system for adults needs to be well correlated at national level to the new educational goals, and to the development of specific programmes in order to ensure that educational actions involve the totality of the population.
Romania has a law on education (No. 84 / 1995 and Ruling No. 36 /1997 modifying Law nr. 84) and a law on vocational training (in the process of being promulgated). Neither of them covers all of the problems relating to continuing education, as a separate system directly connected with the educational system and to the labour market.
From this perspective, Romania needs a law on continuing education that will promote individual improvement and the development of Romanian society through the assimilation of Romanian and universal cultural and scientific values, and by the creation of an economic, political and democratic milieu to
educate Romania´s citizens. From this legislative perspective, continuing education must provide the resources and solutions that favour the acquisition of the knowledge that is necessary for professional improvement.
The goal is to achieve more active integration of the individual into the labour market, or to fill in the gaps in the formal educational system. This legislative proposal must ensure that continuing
education is financed both at national and local level.
Ileana Boeru
References
Boeru, I. Logos nr. 2/1996, pg. 1
Vinşanu, N. Paideia nr. 4/1997
