Romanian teachers' unions urging education minister to reconsider July's educational policy changes
Teachers' Unions in Romania Continue Pressure Against Contested Education Reforms
Teachers' unions in Romania have been vocal about their opposition to the government's education reform measures, but as of August 2025, the contested reforms remain in place.
The reforms, introduced in July 2025 as part of a government austerity package, include increasing teachers’ weekly teaching hours by two hours, merging small schools, raising class sizes, reducing hourly pay rates for teachers, and cutting scholarships for pupils and students.
Education Minister Daniel David reportedly pledged to present the unions' concerns to Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and propose abandoning some of the most contested reforms. However, there has been no official reversal of these measures.
The unions have criticized these measures, stating that they would undermine the quality of education and create job insecurity. They claim that Minister David promised to present their concerns to Prime Minister Bolojan and propose that the measures be abandoned. But, no specific details have been provided about which measures Minister David agreed to drop.
The reforms were intended to reduce administrative costs and streamline the education system. However, the unions have pointed out that the merger of educational institutions would lead to layoffs of auxiliary teaching and administrative staff. No details were provided about the number of educational institutions that would be merged.
The proposed reforms did not specify the number of teachers, students, or staff affected. Similarly, no details were provided about the number of scholarships for pupils and students that would be reduced.
The government has maintained that the reforms are necessary given budget constraints and align teaching hours with European averages. Despite ongoing protests, union petitions launching legislative initiatives, and threats of boycotting the start of the school year and exams, the government has not made any confirmed concessions to drop the contested education reform measures.
In summary, the reforms remain in place, with education unions continuing protests and political pressure, but no confirmed government concession to drop the contested education reform measures as of mid-August 2025.
- The voiced concerns of teachers' unions about the education reforms have also extended to the realm of general news, as they continue to pressure the government on matters such as job insecurity and potential cuts in scholarships.
- Meanwhile, the ongoing political pressure from teachers' unions raises questions about whether education-and-self-development policies will be reevaluated or if they will be a point of discussion in future political debates.
