Romania public sector faces scrutiny over exam integrity and workplace culture

A survey by the APSAP training center reveals significant skepticism among Romanian public employees regarding the integrity of state job competitions. Approximately 54.7 percent of respondents believe that some competitive exams for public positions have predetermined winners. Among those surveyed, 34.4 percent believe such outcomes are decided occasionally, while 20.3 percent state it happens frequently.

The study also highlights concerns regarding workplace culture. About 66.2 percent of public employees report feeling pressure regarding their freedom of expression, with many fearing professional consequences for voicing opinions openly.

In a separate development regarding educational leadership, candidates for school principal and deputy principal positions recently underwent a competency assessment developed by the National Center for Curriculum and Assessment (CNCE). Participants described the digitalized, multiple-choice test as exceptionally difficult, noting that the one-hour time limit was insufficient to complete the verbal, numerical, and logical reasoning tasks.