Romania is committed to adapting its education system to current and emerging needs, and citizens must be protected from the challenges posed by economic changes and new social realities, president Klaus Iohannis said in the video message sent during the session dedicated to the state and government leaders of the Transforming Education Summit (TES) which takes place on the sidelines of the 77th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, according to Agerpres.

„As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic diminishes, leaving room for new and difficult global challenges, we must decide on the policies that are needed to heal the world. Our efforts these days should pave the way for better global governance. Building a sustainable future is a key component of this. Success depends, of course, to a great extent, on ensuring an inclusive quality education. We must prepare our citizens for the challenges posed by economic change, climate change and new social realities, while protecting the fundamental rights and active participation of citizens,” the president said.

President Iohannis said that Romania is in the stage of implementing a „substantial” reform approach, based on the results of an extensive consultation called „Educated Romania”.

„Over 10,000 citizens have been actively involved, this consultation becoming the most inclusive process of policy-making in the field and generating the vision for Romanian education by 2030,” Iohannis said.

Romania co-chairs at the summit, at the initiative of President Klaus Iohannis, the thematic line „Teachers, teaching and teaching career”.

„Teachers are the heart of education. As part of the recent reforms, Romania is committed to providing teachers in our society with adequate initial and continuous training, motivating salaries and a high professional status. We also strive to give teachers greater autonomy in organizing school activities. The participation of teachers in the decision-making process is essential for their involvement in the transformation of our education systems,” Iohannis asserted.

He indicated that in the last year, a process of reflection on education on climate change and sustainable development has been initiated in Romania, which has turned into a concrete strategic vision, integrating in the educational process the philosophy of the Sustainable Development Goals.

„In this regard, the young generation is a strong ally! The role of teachers, however, remains essential to ensure that all children acquire the necessary skills to protect the resources and beauty of our planet. The transformation of education involves achieving the current global challenges, which are growing exponentially, with all the resources that education has, to encourage progress, peace and prosperity! For this to happen, we need to make sure that we prioritize education in our policies, including the sensitive area of public funding. No reform can be accomplished without investing in young people, in their teachers and thus in our future. It is the most beneficial investment that we all can make!” president Iohannis concluded.

Presidential counselor Ligia Deca attends the Transformation of Education Summit in New York. President Klaus Iohannis is leading the Romanian delegation that will participate, on Tuesday and Wednesday, in New York, in the high-level segment of the 77th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. The president’s visit to the United States will also include a trip to San Francisco on Thursday and Friday.

Agerpres