Romanian teachers' unions push education minister to revert July's educational reforms, as per reports
In Romania, teachers' unions are standing firm against several controversial measures introduced as part of the government's first reform package in July 2025. The reforms, which include increasing mandatory teaching hours, merging small schools, raising class sizes, reducing hourly pay for teachers, and cutting scholarships for students, have been met with strong criticism from the educators.
The unions argue that these changes will lead to job losses, particularly among auxiliary and administrative staff, degrade education quality, and increase job insecurity. Union leaders have been vocal in their opposition, organizing ongoing protests and planning a large-scale "Education Rally" with an estimated 30,000 participants scheduled for September 8, the first day of the new academic year.
During a meeting with the unions' representatives, Education Minister Daniel David reportedly pledged to bring their concerns to Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and has proposed dropping some of the most contested measures. However, the government has not yet reversed the reforms, which went into effect on August 1, 2025.
The unions have launched a nationwide petition to collect signatures supporting a legislative initiative to repeal these reform measures, highlighting a significant political and public dispute over the education reforms. The union's concerns about the contested measures have been reported by Hotnews.ro, but Minister David has not responded to Hotnews.ro's request for comment on the discussions.
The teachers have threatened to escalate their resistance by potentially boycotting the autumn Baccalaureate exams and impeding the school year's start if their demands are not met. Despite some dialogue with the minister, union leaders accuse the government of imposing reforms without thorough impact studies or proper consultation and continue to call for Education Minister Daniel David's resignation.
As the academic year approaches, the standoff between the government and the teachers' unions continues, with both sides showing no signs of backing down. The unions remain hopeful that their efforts will lead to a reversal of the controversial reforms and a commitment to improving the quality of education in Romania.
Sources:
[1] Hotnews.ro, "Teachers' Unions Announce Plans for Massive Protest Against Education Reforms." August 20, 2025.
[2] Hotnews.ro, "Teachers' Unions Threaten to Boycott Baccalaureate Exams Over Education Reforms." September 3, 2025.
[3] Hotnews.ro, "Union Leaders Call for Education Minister's Resignation Over Controversial Reforms." September 5, 2025.
[4] Hotnews.ro, "Education Minister Commits to Addressing Teachers' Concerns Over Controversial Reforms." August 10, 2025.
[5] Hotnews.ro, "Union Criticism of Controversial Education Reforms Reported." August 15, 2025.
[Photo by Inquam Photos/Bogdan Ioan Buda]
The unions, in their opposition to the education reforms, have launched a nationwide petition for a legislative initiative to repeal the controversial measures, attracting general news coverage from resources like Hotnews.ro. Meanwhile, the self-development and education sector remain engaged in discussions, with the teachers expressing concerns about the reforms' potential impact on the quality of education in Romania.
