Romanian education system criticized following PISA test results

Recent PISA test results have sparked significant debate regarding the state of the Romanian education system. Television personality Dan Negru criticized the public tendency to label students as “functionally illiterate,” arguing that the failure lies with the educational system rather than the students themselves. Negru suggested that the current teaching methods prioritize rote memorization and reproduction over genuine understanding.

Education expert Dragoș Iliescu noted that approximately 50% of 15-year-old students in Romania struggle with basic real-world mathematical problems presented in natural language. He explained that while students might solve simple equations, they often fail to apply mathematical concepts to everyday scenarios, such as calculating temperature differences or total weights. Iliescu highlighted that many students fall below the minimum functional level required by PISA standards.