The budget for education, including all sources of funding, will reach – according to current estimates – 4.5% of GDP, with 0.17% of GDP allocated to research, development and innovation, Minister of Education and Research Daniel David said on Friday.

„Now, as the world’s paradigms change, social structures are redefined, and institutions transform, the difference between who will lose, who will survive, and who will be the winner will be made by ‘knowledge.’ And knowledge – generated through research, development and innovation – is transferred into human cognitive and behavioural responses through education. I am glad that education is regarded as a national priority in the coalition, as promised at the beginning of the mandate, and that this has been taken into account in the Government’s proposal and in the decision made by Parliament, despite the limits and constraints caused by the economic and financial situation we are going through,” wrote the minister of Education on Facebook.

He pointed out that the target remains 15% of the consolidated general budget (approximately 6% of GDP in expenditure) for education and 1% of GDP for research, development and innovation, with the goal of improving the efficiency of the current budget.

According to the minister, the budget increases for education focus on investments, primarily through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), with objectives such as preventing school dropout, equipping schools, building campuses for dual education, as well as ensuring salaries and scholarships.

„In the research, development, and innovation segment, the focus is on increasing the budget for competitions dedicated to research projects and other competitive activities,” explained Daniel David.

AGERPRES