Revolutionizing the Classroom: Can Romanian Education Keep Pace with the Digital Age

The participants, Government representatives, university professors, pupils and students, non-governmental organizations involved, as well as the best Romanian companies, highlighted the challenges for Romanian education that must keep up with the evolution of technology.

Sorin Ion, Ministry of Education: “PNRR in education is a success”

Present at the debates, Sorin Ion, secretary of state in the Ministry of Education, emphasized the importance of digitization and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) in supporting school modernization programs. “If we think about the school of the future, we cannot avoid saying the word digitalisation, because this is the period we are going through and the modernization of schools in Romania at the moment has an extremely strong digitization impression and if we say digitalisation. , it is mandatory in education says PNRR. From our point of view, PNRR in education is a success. We’ve released all the calls we’ve made, and I’ll give you some numbers – 4,377 computer labs. All figures represent either projects already implemented or projects in progress, but all contracts are now in some stages of implementation. We also have 1,435 smart laboratories, we have or very soon will have a 3D printer, because it is mandatory equipment in a smart laboratory. There are a few secondary schools, over 300, that even have two smart laboratories. We say that it is one of the most successful programs that we fund through PNRR.

We have nearly 90,000 classrooms with IT equipment. We have around 6,200 educational units with legal personality, a significant process. I’m not talking about endowed schools, which means more than 5,800, that is, almost all of them,” said the Ministry of Education official.

Buzăul is the first digital city in Romania

An example of “it is possible” is the one offered by the city of Buzău, which managed to become the first digital city of Romania. Mayor Constantin Toma explained that education is among his priorities and that developing a community includes creating and permanently improving the capacity for economic, educational, social and cultural development. “I saw that in Buzău you put education high on the list of priorities. It is an example that proves not only that the care for water, sewage, waste and public lighting must be on the mayor’s table, but also what happens to the city’s residents now and in the future “, said Adi Ursu, moderator of the debate. . “That’s right, I’ve been trying since eight years ago, since I was the mayor of Buzău, after I read a definition of community development and it influenced on me. The development of a community includes the creation and continuous improvement of the capacity for economic, educational, and cultural development. And in 2017-2019 we completed the first digital city in Romania , through that digital school management platform, we are in 27 countries, with an electronic catalog, communication with parents, teachers. We were the first city in Romania that managed to switch to online education immediately”, explained Constantin Toma, the mayor of Buzău.

Mihnea Costoiu, rector of UPB: “The transformations of this period will not be seen in the next 50 years, but in the next 5 years”

Invited to the debates, the rector of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest (UPB), Mihnea Costoiu, said that the school and society are changing and that it is very important to use all the tools at our disposal, otherwise we will wasting time. “For me, it is encouraging, and I walk around the country a lot… The statistical data shows that the school in Romania is changing. A school is part of society, it is neither better nor worse. Our efforts are to support the school. It is clear that school and society are changing and we must admit that if we do not accept the change we are just wasting time. It is important to use the tools we have.

We also try to do many things, with the participation of many actors. Last year over 40,000 children visited us to see what the school of the future looks like, and this year, we have already reached over 30,000 visitors. (…) We managed to sign a big project, beyond what we do, to become energy independent using green energy. We are installing 7.4 MW in photovoltaic panels, a project funded by the Ministry of Energy. It is extremely important, not only because it will not be the first independent energy institute, but the fact that 40,000 students will have a real, living laboratory in which they can understand and design the future. This whole ensemble is one that has come to ensure that all the tools we have are available to children, in the hope that they will make our lives more beautiful in the future. I hope the world will understand that the transformations of this period will not be seen in the next 50 years, but in the next 5 years. If we don’t understand this, we are losing this battle”, said the rector of UPB.

“It’s important to understand and use technology without fear. It is very important to understand that each of us needs the other. And technology needs actors, and technology needs actors. It is important to work interdisciplinary, together we can make a difference”.

Mihnea Costoiu, rector of UPB

The young people who develop Romania

Last year, on December 1, the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania launched the Campaign 100 young people for the Development of Romania. In this campaign, which is open until December 31 this year, hundreds of young people who have performed in their fields have already been included. According to Alina Panico, communications director within the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania, a team of experts from the foundation will make a selection, and the 100 young people selected will be awarded at a gala that will take place on the start from 2025. They will also be included in an album that will be edited this time. “This campaign also deals with the promotion of these young people, so that their stories and achievements reach not only in the country, but also internationally. In addition to the performances these young people achieve, there are also exceptional results at school. Most of them are grade 10 students”, said Alina Panico. This time, she also introduced some of the young people who took part in this campaign. Among them was Simona Chiru – she won the world record for swimming in icy waters, Ruben Ghidiceanu – he was chosen to take part in a master class at the George Enescu International Competition and, in addition to his activity as a pianist, he also stands out as a talented composer, Ruxandra Orga-Dumitriu – she is the youngest author in Romania, and her volumes “Taith ym myd krühtaut ia saklits” and “Straeon o galon landan” have reached the shelves of the biggest bookshops in Romania. The second book has been translated into English and can be read also bought in New York, and a play was made after this book.

Between November 1-3, 2024, the Polytechnic University of Bucharest will organize ROBOFEST, the biggest festival in Europe dedicated to technologies. ROBOFEST is a reference event in the field of Industry 4.0, automation, artificial intelligence and robotics. As part of ROBOFEST, ROBOCHALLENGE, the largest robotics competition in Europe, will be held.

ECDL Romania, active presence in schools

3DUTECH is an initiative of ECDL Romania and represents a platform of ideas for connecting teachers and young people who are passionate about new technologies with digital skills, held in selected secondary schools during each school year. The aim of the program is to offer young people an educational and interactive experience in areas such as 3D Printing, AI and robotics, Mihai Peca, representative of ECDL Romania, an entity that has been active in our country since 2002, when it developed a network, emphasized during the discussions a national network of ECDL Accredited Testing Centres, ensuring that all candidates have the opportunity to gain and certify their digital skills at a specific level. For example, through the campaign “3DUTECH. Shaping the future. Print 3D!” 60 3D printing centers have been established and are active in each county, more than 200 multiplier teachers and more than 1,000 young people have been trained and certified internationally. Reviewing other achievements of ECDL Romania, Mihai Peca talked about the development of optional school programs for new technologies, the transformation of 15 secondary schools into robotics hubs, support for the introduction of a new position to the COR (Occupational Classification in Romania), namely “3D printing technician”, which succeeded at the beginning of the last year.

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