President Klaus Iohannis decorated, on Tuesday, several educational institutions in the country, in the context of which he declared that the optimal functioning of the school is a barometer for the state of society, and the achievements of the representatives of the decorated schools give confidence to all citizens in a better future.
„At today’s decoration ceremony we have with us new representatives of some really impressive school communities. I am convinced that it is very useful to continue the dialogue between you and to share your experiences and the solutions found to overcome the challenges inherent in the education process. I am glad to see you here in such large numbers, because it is proof of the increase in performance in the Romanian school. I assure you that your efforts are noticed and I encourage you to collaborate and discuss the good practices that each educational unit promotes. Optimal functioning of the school is a barometer for the state of society, and your achievements give confidence to all citizens in a better future,” said the head of state at the ceremony of decorating the 101 educational institutions on the occasion of the World Education Day.
He said that education was one of the fundamental themes of his mandates, because it represents the foundation on which a nation develops. President Iohannis recalled that he initiated the „Educated Romania” program, whose vision was transposed into legislation, taking into account the contribution of all those who participated in the multiple consultations he promoted and in the dialogue regarding the modernization of Romanian education.
The head of state stated that „the meeting is intended to be a signal for the education system, but also for the whole society”.
„School performance, of students and teachers, is no longer measured, in the 21st century, only by grades. Now, the school is called to respond to a complex mission, to prepare students not only professionally, but also to become active citizens , who have a successful career in an extremely dynamic labor market. And we have such schools, which truly educate young people to become responsible, balanced adults and support them to develop emotionally and intellectually, in order to achieve their full potential,” declared Iohannis.
He conveyed to the teachers present that they represent the diversity and richness of Romanian pre-university education, multi-medal national colleges, schools and high schools with outstanding results in local and international competitions, but also educational units that stand out with other achievements.
„I am referring to those schools where the number of participants enrolled in the national exams has increased, where school dropouts have decreased, or where students start their first expedition of knowledge beyond the country’s borders, through the Erasmus+ program,” added the head of state.
President Iohannis pointed out that „the National Recovery and Resilience Program has allowed the development of new tools that have considerably improved the quality of the educational act, and the fact that the institutions in the academic sector have learned to make better use of the opportunities created by belonging to the European community is beneficial”.
He congratulated those who prepared projects and managed to obtain funding through open calls under Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) umbrella, either to implement the National School Dropout Reduction Program or to make investments in school infrastructure.
„Some of these investments have materialized in the form of laboratories equipped with digital equipment, with modern study materials, and will continue to materialize in the rehabilitation or construction of buildings for school units. I appreciate the genuine partnership you have developed with local and national authorities, to make these projects a reality for your students. They are important achievements, which represent the result of team work, and I am glad to see that you have succeeded, thus strengthening the capacity of the educational system to overcome all challenges with which he recently faced,” the head of state added.
President Iohannis argued that the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects, the reality of the war in Ukraine, extreme weather phenomena are external pressure factors, which are added to the everyday ones, specific to the act of education.
„Even in these difficult conditions, you made efforts so that the educational process continues and the students are affected as little as possible”, he said.
The head of state wants the distinction received by the representatives of the educational institutions „to primarily represent a recognition of the fact that work is rewarded, that it is always worth choosing the longer but satisfying path of thorough development”.
The Minister of Education, Ligia Deca, also took part in the ceremony.
On October 5, the Presidential Administration announced that the head of state signed decrees for decorating educational institutions in the country on the occasion of World Education Day, awards received by 101 educational institutions.
AGERPRES
