Vocational education and training (VET) is an essential component of a sustainable economy, with the mission of preparing a specialized workforce and skilled craftspeople in key fields. However, VET faces numerous challenges. Among the biggest problems are inequitable access to education and a high rate of early school leaving, both of which particularly affect children from rural areas, low-income families, or the roma community.
To address these challenges, the Amfiteatru Foundation is currently implementing the project “An Extra Chance through VET – Botoșani,” providing comprehensive support tailored to the needs of schools. The initiative simultaneously aims to facilitate access to vocational training, prevent school dropout, and run information campaigns for the whole community, from students and parents to teachers. In total, 494 students from lower and upper secondary education benefit from this support, with a focus on 9th-grade students. Of these, at least 204 are at risk of dropping out or come from disadvantaged backgrounds, and 81 are roma.
The package of measures is built around several concrete areas of action. On the one hand, direct material support includes fully equipped school backpacks and daily hygiene kits for 177 students, along with financial support for 73 young people who receive social scholarships and are at risk of leaving school. On the other hand, the educational component includes remedial programs for 213 students, especially in 9th grade, designed to improve their reading, math, and science skills and to help them catch up on material missed due to absenteeism. Participation in these catch-up classes is supported through a hot meal, transportation, and the necessary teaching materials.
At the same time, the intervention also works on prevention, through information programs for 104 students in the 7th and 8th grades and parenting education for 96 parents. In addition, the project supports 56 teachers in technical and vocational education, who receive ongoing training in how to apply teaching techniques adapted to the needs of students from vulnerable backgrounds and how to communicate with them more effectively.
Real change in technical education depends on an integrated approach to all the factors that shape students’ educational paths. By combining material support with catch-up classes, parent information, and teacher training, the Botoșani initiative directly targets the main causes of school dropout. Although long-term results require continuity, the steps taken now give students the foundation they need to complete their studies.
Source:
Centrul European pentru Dezvoltarea Formării Profesionale (CEDEFOP), În prim-plan: Educația și formarea profesională în România, Oficiul pentru Publicații al Uniunii Europene, 2019, URL: În prim-plan Educația și Formarea Profesională în România