Education: "Two-in-one" order published in the Official Gazette

Students in a hurry to finish their studies faster have good news. The Order of the Minister of Education approving the methodology for promoting two years of studies in one school year in pre-university education has been published in the Official Gazette. Students capable of high academic performance can promote two years of studies in one school year, as part of the educational path subsumed under compulsory pre-university education. According to the methodology: "Acceleration of promotion is achieved by completing two years of studies in a single school year by students who have exceptional academic results and who have the physical and intellectual capacity to adapt to the requirements of completing this process and their integration into a class with older students. Completing two years of study in a single school year is done for two consecutive years of study: the year in which the student is enrolled following promotion, in the regular regime, (...) and the year following it, which the student completes additionally, at the same time as the current year". Completing two years of study in a school year can be done only once in each of the primary, middle and high school education cycles. The beginning classes of the education cycle are excluded from the program of completing two years of study in a single school year. In primary education, enrollment in the program of completing two years of study in a single school year can be done starting with the age level specific to the third grade.

Students who enroll in the program for completing two years of studies in one school year must meet the following selection criteria: for those who enroll for the 3rd and 4th grades - to have, in the school year prior to the current year, the grade "Very good' in each subject of study; to have, in the school year prior to the current year, the grade "Very good' in behavior; for those who enroll in the program at the middle and high school level, to have an overall average of 10 in each subject of study; to have, in the school year prior to the current year, an annual average of 10 in behavior; for all students who enroll in the program, to pass an interdisciplinary test from the curriculum of the class prior to the current class with a score of at least 80% of the total score awarded on the test. "In order to organize and carry out in good conditions the program of completing two years of studies in one school year, a program monitoring committee will be established at the level of the educational unit, following the decision of the Administrative Council and by the decision of the director of the educational unit", the methodology also provides. Completing the two years of studies in one school year is achieved by attending at least 50% of the school courses related to the current year and at least 40% of the school courses related to the second year of study according to the personalized learning plan developed by the monitoring committee, individual study, consultations/tutorials provided by the primary education teacher/class teachers of the second year of study. In order to promote two years of studies in one school year, the student will be evaluated in each subject/module in the two-year curriculum. At the same time, the student will participate in the current assessment forms in both classes and will be evaluated according to the Framework Regulation for the organization and functioning of pre-university education units, as well as the personalized learning plan that also provides for the assessment forms. "To conclude the school situation, the student takes periodic summative assessments, during the school year, after the second module and during the fifth module," the document further explains. The parent or legal representative and the student may request the modification of the student's study program, based on a request addressed to the Teaching Council of the educational unit.