Romania launches competency-based curriculum for 9th graders with digital textbooks

This autumn, 9th-grade students across Romania will start their academic journey under a newly revised curriculum. The updated programs emphasize the development of practical skills and competencies. The goal? Make education more relevant and applicable to real-world scenarios. This change currently affects only 9th-grade students, while older high school students will continue with the existing curriculum and textbooks.

The introduction of this new curriculum is part of a phased approach to modernize high school education. Textbooks will be customized according to the students' academic profile, specialization, hours of study, and language of instruction. The tender process for these new educational materials began in early April. The technical evaluation of textbook submissions has been completed. The process is currently in the administrative phase, overseen by the National Agency for Public Procurement (ANAP). The results of the tender are anticipated to be released soon.

For those lots where the tender process proceeds without contest, digital versions of the textbooks are expected to be available by the end of September. Teachers will have the opportunity to review the materials. They will select the appropriate manuals through the platform manuale.edu.ro. Most textbooks will be offered in both digital and printed formats, although some are planned exclusively in digital format.

Bogdan Cristescu, Director of the National Center for Curriculum and Evaluation, is involved in overseeing these developments. Students enrolled in state education will receive their textbooks free of charge. This aligns with the government's commitment to accessible education.