September 16, 2022

Opinions and results: first phase of project implementation

Participating students:

So far, within the project framework, 587 children at risk of dropping out and 87 children with possible learning and psycho-behavioral difficulties from the associated schools have been selected/monitored. They represent 78%, respectively, 109% of the assumed targets. The target group of children benefited from “school after school” educational support services, education for environmental protection, orientation in nature, sports, team work and team building, creative activities: painting, dance, theater, photography, music, pottery, knitting, origami, ikebana, tracery, science lab etc. The additional classes provided for the 8th grade students in Romanian Language&Literature and Mathematics, within the “school after school” support program (Act. 2), was positively reflected in the results obtained at the National Assessment – the percentages of those who graduated the secondary school cycle in 2022 being higher than in the previous year:

School Unit	Pass rate at the National Assessment (%)		Percent growth
School Unit	2021	2022	Percent growth
Panaci	40	100	60%
„O.C. Tăslăuanu” Bilbor	83	85	2%
Șerbăuți	72	73	1%
Siminicea	81	96	15%
Măriței	62	76	14%
Drăgoiești	–	77	–
Manoleasa	48	57	9%
Valea Nucarilor	0	67	67%
„Nichifor Ludovig” Niculițel	61	75	14%
Frecăței	64	–	–
„Vasile Alecsandri” Nufărul	70	85	15%

(conform evaluare.edu.ro)

On average, the transition rate in upper secondary education (9th grade, ISCED 3) in supported schools was 79.1% in 2022, compared to 58.1% in 2021. The extracurricular performances of the students from Nichifor Ludovig School in Niculitel (Tulcea County) should also be mentioned. Here, the activities carried out and sport equipment provided within project had an important contribution to the stimulation of students’ talents, development of new skills or cultivation of interest for sports. At the county competition “Olympic Day”-Table Tennis, the participating students included the target group obtained the 3rd, 4th and 5th places.

8th grade students, Siminicea Secondary School, Suceava County: For us, the project Integrated children and youth for a better world, through the School after School program, was a real opportunity in the preparation of the Romanian Language National Assessment exam. During the classes we were able to: fix our “losses” from the online school period, clarify any misunderstandings lately discovered, read and interpret several literary and non-literary texts, become able to compare/associate them, solve more training tests. We therefore thank the initiators and coordinators!

Andreea, 8th grade, Drăgoieşti Secondary School, Suceava County: From the beginning I was excited, I had never participated in something like this before, and the prospect of preparing for the National Assessment together with my colleagues and under guidance careful smiled at me.

Alexandra, 8th grade, Drăgoieşti Secondary School, Suceava County: It was very good, many times I didn’t take money from home for snacks, I had what I received from the project: everyone the same – a fruit, a croissant, biscuits, but, above all, I had an appetite to learn. Week by week I knew more and gained more courage for the exam. Thank you, come next year to my school, there are other colleagues who need such help!

Daniela and Petruţa, 8th grade, Drăgoieşti Secondary School, Suceava County: This school year I participated in the project Integrated children and youth for a better world .The aim of the project was to provide school-by-school educational support services for 30 colleagues from the 8th grade between January and June 2022. At first I did not understand its role, but, after activities performed weekly, I have noticed that my level of knowledge is improving and I am gaining more courage in my preparation for the National Assessment.

Lucian, 8th grade, Drăgoieşti Secondary School, Suceava County: All the hours I have spent during this project, built up my confidence that I can do better in my final exams and I want to thank you for this ! Thank you also for the great meal, I enjoyed the food to the last bit.

Vasile, 8th grade, Drăgoieşti Secondary School, Suceava County: At first, it was a little harder for me to get used to the new program, which required more of my free time. As the recovery and remediation activities for the two exam subjects took place and the attention of those offering support focused better on my needs, I began to look forward to the project hours – being convinced that success in the exam is closer !

Parents from the target group:

Within the project, parental education activities were provided for parents/guardians of children at risk of dropping out school / with special needs: 380 parents of children or young people at risk of leaving school early (approx. 80% of the target assumed) and 42 parents of children or young people with special needs (175% of the target).

Ioana MARTINIUC, mother of the student Bianca Martiniuc, from Călineşti Enache Secondary School (Măriţei, Suceava): My daughter participated in the activities within this project and I think they were very welcome – well organized and very useful for children. As well as the packages of sweets, received by them.

Roxana ZAMĂ, mother of the student George Sebastian Grijincu, from Călineşti Enache Secondary School (Măriţei, Suceava): My son participated in all the activities of the School After School program. I think these went in a normal manner and helped my child a lot.

Ana Simona PANŢIRU, mother of the students Melania(3rd grade) and Laurenţiu (4th grade), from Călineşti Enache Secondary School (Măriţei, Suceava): My children participated in the School after School activities and were very excited to spend extra time with their classmates. Everything was OK !

Teachers from the target group:

170 teachers benefited from training courses about working with children and young people at risk of early dropping out school, respectively working with children and young people with special needs (81% of the target assumed). As a result of the involvement in the implementation of the project, four of them also attended a training course held in Oslo, Norway, with the theme of Inclusive education and skills for a democratic culture.

Mirela VERDEȘESCU-BUZILĂ, principal of the PANACI Secondary School, Suceava County: Among other benefits, the project Integrated children and youth for a better world made the relationship between school – community – family become closer and more connected.

Liliana-Cristina RUSU, teacher in primary education at the Şerbăuţi Secondary School, Suceava County: Only words of praise to those who made this collaboration possible! It was a special surprise that, in addition to the “school after school” program, I was selected to attend the second group of the course held in Norway! The skills for a democratic culture were put to good use in the classroom, capitalized on by the fact that my students set the program of festivities to mark the end of primary school!

Mihaela VÎLCAN, principal of the O.C. TĂSLĂUANU BILBOR Secondary School, Harghita County: Let me thank you for the opportunity to be partners in this very welcome project for our community. Secondly, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to attend the training course held in Oslo, during which I realized that our institution will function effectively only if it is based on a culture of democracy where education is an essential component. I met colleagues from all corners of the country, from education or different fields, we exchanged impressions and learned from each other, at the same time becoming “ambassadors” of a democratic culture in the communities we represented.

Adriana MITITELU, teacher in primary education at the Frecăţei Secondary School, Tulcea County: As a participant in the project Children and youth integrated for a better world, I learned with great interest about the opportunity to participate in training session in Norway on a topic of real interest and of great relevance Inclusive education and skills for a democratic culture. With some reluctance I filled out the registration form and here I was selected among the 24 participating teachers. It was a useful course, from which we all had to learn – social inclusion and democratic education can only be achieved with the participation of all factors. The course was well structured, with interactive activities and involved trainers. I disseminated the new knowledge acquired to my colleagues, parents and students, by presenting the activities carried out, with an emphasis on integration and democratic education.

Trainers/experts providing activities:

Monica TURTUREAN, lecturer, Faculty of Educational Sciences, “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava: I was greeted with many smiles and good cheer at the Secondary School “O.C. Tăslăuanu” Bilbor (Harghita County), where I met a group of curious students eager to learn new things. They welcomed me as if we had known each other forever, I felt a lot of warmth and a feeling of well-being in their souls.The atmosphere was very relaxed, engaging, and my discreet interventions had the role of stimulating the discussion. Questions related to hygiene and healthy eating wanted to be answered as fully as possible, and the students had a great need to feel validated throughout our meeting; we took care of this aspect, which was by no means free, but was a consequence of their involvement, of the fact that they responded with interest. They constantly had their hands raised, they found new explanations for everything I asked, they looked with great interest for other examples than those provided by me to show me that they know, that they master a lot of information, but also because that’s how they saw learning, as a total involvement, no mean lines and no raising of the tone. As a conclusion, this activity filled my soul with beauty, with positive emotions because I connected with innocent young people, full of energy, eager to learn new things, constructive receptive to everything.
Marius EȘI, lecturer, Faculty of Educational Sciences, “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava: The activity (in Manoleasa Secondary School, Botoşani County) made the time compress and the joy remained on everyone’s faces. At the end of it, we all enjoyed a very good and tasty ice cream, parting with handshakes, with a slight regret and with the hope of an equally beautiful and pleasant reunion in the future. There would be much more to say about such an educational approach, beyond the emotions felt by each participant. I can only say that I met some wonderful children full of life, restless in the good sense of the word, eager to know, to color, to communicate. They always tried through the behavior they displayed to express themselves in a personal way, to show what they did, what they know or what they learned during the activity carried out. It is certain that the education of children is like a flower, a flower that always needs to be watered, sprinkled with a lot of care and affection, so that it is pleasing to the eye whenever it is looked at. Let’s not forget that education can only be perfected and transmitted through the children we always have close by, beside us, as educators, because, basically, they teach us how to laugh, smile, enjoy everything moment in our own lives.