New school year in Romania to start amidst cancelled ceremonies, union protests

The 2025-2026 school year in Romania starts today, according to the schedule approved by the Ministry of Education and Research, but education trade unions have announced that they will boycott the beginning of the school year, picket the headquarters of the government and hold a protest march to the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.

The first break, at the decision of the county school inspectorates and of the city of Bucharest, is scheduled for February 9 and March 1, 2026.

The Alternative School and Green Week programmes will take place between September 8, 2025 and April 3, 2026, based on decisions taken by schools.

For the twelfth grade regular, the thirteenth-grade evening and part-time, the school year lasts 34 weeks, ending on June 5, 2026.

For the eighth grade, the school year lasts 35 weeks, ending on June 12, 2026, and high school education - technological establishments as well as vocational education establishments go on for 37 weeks, ending the year on June 26, 2026.

The 2025-2026 school year is divided by course intervals and break intervals, as follows:

* Course intervals

- from Monday, September 8, 2025, to Friday, October 24, 2025;

- from Monday, November 3, 2025, to Friday, December 19;

- from Thursday, January 8, 2026, to Friday, February 6, 2026, and Friday, February 13, 2026, or Friday, February 20, 2026, as the case may be, at the decision of school inspectorates;

- from Monday, February 16, 2026, Monday, February 23, 2026, or Monday, March 2, 2026, at the decision of school inspectorates, as the case may be, to Friday, April 3, 2026;

- from Wednesday, April 15, 2026, to Friday, June 19, 2026;

* Breaks:

- from Saturday, October 25, 2025, to Sunday, November 2, 2025;

- from Saturday, December 20, 2025, to Wednesday, January 7, 2026;

- one week, at the decision of school inspectorates, between February 9 and March 1, 2026;

- from Saturday, April 4, 2026, to Tuesday, April 14, 2026;

- from Saturday, June 20, 2026, to Sunday, September 6, 2026.



On October 5 - World Teachers' Day - and on non-working days/public holidays provided under the law and collective labour agreements, no courses are held.

The Alternative School National Programme and the Green Week Programme take place between September 8, 2025, and April 3, 2026, in intervals of five consecutive working days, the planning of which is decided by schools.

In education - technological and vocational high schools, during the times set aside for the two programmes, practical training will be provided.

Post-secondary schools will also provide training activities.

In the event of suspension of courses according to the framework regulation on the organisation and operation of pre-university education establishments, the measures regarding the full completion of the school curriculum through alternative methods established by the board of directors of the educational establishments shall not be ordered during the school holidays.

The calendar of national examinations and assessments, graduation exams, as well as certification/attestation of professional qualification/competences, and the calendar of admission to the ninth grade shall be approved by separate orders of the minister of education and research.

In special, well-founded instances, depending on the special local climatic conditions and school specificity, school inspectorates may approve, with the prior approval of the Ministry of Education and Research, at the request of the management of the educational establishments, changes in the division of the school year established by this order.

The request to change the division of the school year is made after consultation with the representative council of parents in the requesting educational establishment(s).

Changes in the division of the school year are made conditional upon ensuring full completion of the school curriculum, as well as the possibility for all students to participate, without restrictions, in the national exams and assessments.

Education trade unionists have announced they will be boycotting of the beginning of the school year due to the fiscal and budgetary measures taken by the government.

"On September 8, instead of being at the department to celebrate the beginning of school, we, the teachers, will also take to the streets for the future of education and for the future of Romania. We are not in the streets for higher salaries, but for better conditions in carrying out education, for justice. We are in the streets because the government has taken a series of measures that directly affect our work and, implicitly, the education we offer," the trade unionists said in a press release.

The unions claim that "the new legislation, adopted without real consultation and without a serious impact study, has generated a series of problems".

"The increase in the teaching workload, the merger of educational establishments, the increase in the number of students in class and, last but not least, the increase in the teaching obligation for principals and inspectors - all these are burdens that we carry together, albeit from different perspectives," the trade unions also said.