Minister of Education, Daniel David, argues that the functional illiteracy of children who do not attend school cannot be blamed on teachers, but emphasizes that when a student is consistently present in classes and still remains in this zone, „the greatest responsibility” belongs to the teachers.
„If you have a child who comes to school, does not miss classes or drop out, attends school for four years, and I don’t ask you for them to be an Olympic champion, not even to have an ordinary performance, but I ask you to take them out of the functional illiteracy zone, and if they do not get out of that zone, I have said that the greatest responsibility, in that situation, lies with the teachers,” stated the minister, as quoted by News.ro.
He specifies, however, that functional illiteracy has multiple causes, and teachers cannot be considered guilty in situations where children drop out or are massively absent.
"You cannot blame teachers for illiteracy that arises in the zone, I repeat, of school dropout or if children simply absent, do not come to school, you don't have them in school, you have nothing to teach them, what to do, how to educate them, how to shape them," says Daniel David.
The minister states that many students go to school for scholarships or for the meal provided there and emphasizes that major differences persist between urban and rural environments. "It is a mechanism. If I had given up this mechanism, I fear that the dropout rate would look even worse," he explained.
Rejects banning social networks, but supports parental control
Asked about the debate on banning children's access to social networks, the Minister of Education opposes a radical approach and supports regulation through control, not through blocking. "I always avoid prohibitions, but I am in favor of their control," said Daniel David, on Digi24.
He believes that the primary responsibility lies with parents. "I would rather encourage parental control, which is much more useful, especially for teenagers, those over 14 years old. If you start banning things for children who are in the adolescent phase, I am afraid they will find hidden ways to still get there."
The minister warns that lack of access to the Internet can disadvantage young people. "If they are already teenagers and do not have contact with the Internet and social networks in a controlled, safe zone, with parental control, it is a problem because through the industrial revolution we are going through, I fear they will lag behind."
In his opinion, the solution is a balance between protection and adaptation. "Neither should we exaggerate exposure that leads us to pathology, nor should we enter a logic of fear to ban things."
Daniel David reminds that in schools, phones are already banned during class time, except for their educational use, with the teacher's permission: "I had a balanced attitude and that's what I would recommend regarding social networks as well."