President Nicușor Dan says that Romania is suffering because it does not sufficiently value knowledge, and education has not received the funding it needed over the years. The head of state thanked teachers on Monday, the first day of the new school year, and asked parents to give them more trust and authority in front of their children.
The statements were made after a visit to Primary School No. 1 in Curcani, Călărași County.
"A mistake we have been making for years is not valuing knowledge. We are a society that neglects this, and we all suffer because there is a correlation between prosperity and knowledge," said Nicușor Dan.
The President admitted that the education system has been affected by lack of funding and that the teaching profession is not attractive enough. "No matter how many speeches we make, the reality is that education in Romania, for years, has not had the appropriate funding. And this has had an impact on our education system," said the head of state.
According to him, currently, people who feel they have this vocation are mainly heading towards education, given that the social and financial status of teachers is not what it should be. "It is not a profession that our social system makes attractive. That is a problem we need to address directly," stated Nicușor Dan.
Message to parents: Trust the teachers
The President also criticized some parents' attitudes towards school and teachers. "Often, parents have the idea that they know better how to educate their child, how the teacher should teach the student, or why it is good to spend five hours staring at a phone," said Nicușor Dan.
He urged parents to have more trust in teachers and to support their authority in front of the children. "Education is a science. These people have built some schools, there is psychology, there is pedagogy, and they have learned how it is best to educate children," said Nicușor Dan.
In his opinion, parents should convey to children the importance of sleep, limit the time spent in front of the computer, and cultivate respect for teachers. "In this way, they give authority to the teacher and convey to the children that this process is important for them," added the President.
Nicușor Dan thanked the teachers "who provide true education" and encouraged students to view school as a condition for their professional and personal success.
Why he chose the school in Curcani
The head of state explained that he chose to visit Primary School No. 1 in Curcani on the first day of the school year because the teachers there have managed to significantly reduce school dropout rates in a community where many children come from families with economic problems or have parents working abroad.
The results were achieved by adapting activities to the students' needs, explaining the connection between the taught notions and daily life, as well as organizing volunteer activities during the summer vacation. "What impressed me about this school is that many children said they like it here more than during the holidays," confessed the President.
During the visit, Nicușor Dan visited several classrooms, talked to students, and asked them what they had read, what places they had visited, and who likes mathematics.
The President also recalled his own first day of school: his mother held his hand when he entered the schoolyard, and he chose his desk mate at that time.
"These four months are a failure for everyone"
Asked what example politicians set for children, given that they have not reached an agreement in the last four months, Nicușor Dan spoke about the lack of education for teamwork. "For a long time, including in the school I attended, we focused on individual success and acquiring individual skills. I believe that education on how to work in a team is missing or much less present in our culture," said the President.
"After being educated for years to take care of yourself and neglect the community, this is evident in interactions. Obviously, it is a failure for everyone. These four months are a failure for everyone," he added.
However, Nicușor Dan avoided saying when he would appoint a prime minister and when a government with full powers could be installed, even though the questions were asked, including in the context of the interim leadership at the Ministry of Education.
"Politics is an art of compromise," the head of state said.
Moreover, the President refused to answer all questions from journalists that were not directly related to education. He did not comment on the government formation situation or the issues in the judiciary. Nicușor Dan said he would respond to such questions "on another occasion," asking that, at least on the first day of the school year, the discussion remain focused on education.