Minister of Education and Research Daniel David said that a different architecture and model are needed for the educational system, as the current one 'can no longer continue.'

Daniel David participated on Wednesday in the presentation of the first National Report on Numerical Literacy, which shows that over a third of students are affected by numerical illiteracy, and 16% of them face significant difficulties.

'Most of the comments are related to the tenure system. I know it is an issue, and I know it is a system that is rather atypical, not found in other countries. At the same time, it is a system we are used to, and probably, it will have to be thought through. How? I don't know yet, that's why I said I want to conduct this analysis and comparison between various countries. We will have to come up with a system that strengthens the good things. There are major issues - the national assessments in grade VIII, is this anywhere else? When you look at our system, it doesn't quite resemble what we have in other countries. The tenure system, the transition from grade IV to grade V, where the exam is held. There are many things we need to address, but that's after we make a diagnosis. (...) It is clear that, with the current educational system, we can no longer continue,' said the minister.

In his opinion, the National Evaluation may also need to be analysed at some point.

'The National Evaluation may need to be analysed at some point. I wouldn't have a problem with the current model. I don't have the reflex to come and change things. I want to save the good things. However, right now, when I look at these results, it is clear that we need a different architecture and a different model,' David said.

He believes that, given that nearly half of high school graduates are in the functional illiteracy zone, this becomes a national security problem.

'When almost half of high school students pass graduation and they end up in the functional illiteracy zone, it is no longer just a problem of correcting something at some point. It is a national security problem,' Daniel David said.

According to him, a complete change in how education is delivered in rural areas is necessary.

'I believe that in the rural area we need a complete change. What we have now can no longer continue. Everyone says: let's bring schools, minibuses. To me, this is a mistake. We still have many children in rural areas, many. But it's no longer like in Spiru Haret's time when schools were concentrated, and when you had a class, you had 30-40 children in all the communes. Now you have schools with seven or eight children, with ten, with four. You have teachers who simultaneously teach lessons at different levels. You can't ensure quality, it's impossible. What is being piloted at the ministry level right now wasn't my idea, but I like it, I'm supporting it and funding it in that direction - the idea of rural campus schools. That is, in a certain area, let's say 50-70-100 km, you bring all the children into one campus where there aren't 10, but 50 or 70, where you can bring quality teachers and pay them well, where you can ensure healthy meals, and if needed, accommodation. You no longer need 5,000 minibuses to go from one village to another, you need fewer minibuses that actually work, and won't break down on the road,' David explained.

The minister also said that one of the biggest problems in rural areas is that there are not enough resources to bring quality teachers into those areas.

'The truth is that there aren't enough resources to bring quality teachers into those areas, that's the truth. (...) The idea that we can still function like this in rural areas, I think it's a mistake,' Daniel David said. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Roberto Stan, editing by: Mihai Simionescu; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)