Correspondence from Brussels. What Nicușor Dan answered asked what he thinks was a math of math, who became president in the country that cuts the exchanges at the Olympic

“I was told that the scholarship system we have in the pre -university is nowhere in Europe and that it is abnormal to appoint what 30% of the students in the system,” said President Nicușor Dan, on Thursday night, at the European Council in Brussels, asked by Hotnews about the announcement of the Minister of Education, Daniel David Olympic, in the context of the efforts to cut the state's expenses in order to reduce the budget deficit.

According to the head of state, the evaluation criterion for these scholarships “is absolutely non -objective”, and further the decision depends on the government led by Ilie Bolojan and the Ministry of Education.

• Hotnews correspondent at the summit of the European Council in Brussels, Laurențiu Ungureanu, transmits the main information from this event.

The question addressed to President Dan de Hotnews:

“Mr. President, you were an international Olympic in mathematics, reaching there through your work, but under the conditions in which the Romanian state has invested, including by the fact that you grouped all the students at a special school, as you told in the campaign.

Now, the budget balancing program has begun in education through the disappearance of the Olympic scholarships, as announced by the Minister of Education, Daniel David. Compared to health, local administration or justice, in education a little invested. Education salaries are the lowest. Of all the fields, do you consider that in education is needed scholarships? ”, Was the question asked the head of state by our correspondent, in the press conference held around 1 o'clock on Thursday night (Romania time).

What did the head of state answer:

“Without being a specialist in this field, I was told, on the one hand, that the scholarship system – in pre -university, we are only talking about pre -university – the scholarship system we have in pre -university there are nowhere in Europe and that it is abnormal to appoint 30% of the students in the system,” said President Nicușor Dan.

“In addition, the evaluation criterion is absolutely non -objective, given that this scholarship depends on the teachers you have in school and is uneven at national level.

“Further, it is a decision of the Ministry (Education, no) and the Government,” concluded Nicușor Dan.

You can follow below the full statements of President Dan from the press conference:

School scholarship changes

On Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Daniel David, announced, in a statement, that only two types of scholarships-social and merit will be kept. From the school year 2025-2026, the exchanges for the Olympians and the technological scholarships will be eliminated. Changes are also made in terms of minor mothers scholarships.

The school scholarship system is to be reorganized, according to the announcement made by Daniel David, in a message that marks the beginning of his second term as Minister of Education.

“The spectacular growth of recent years cannot be sustained. I think it was a good intention, but it is unsustainable!

According to the minister, the school scholarships cost 7 billion lei annually, that is “almost a quarter of the deficit for which we return the country on the back and everywhere the research-development-invitation budget”.

“More importantly, honestly and directly said, especially now in crisis, we will not allow this system financially!”, Said Daniel David.

The new formula proposed by the ministry involves the preservation of only two categories of scholarships:

• Social scholarships, intended for students from vulnerable environments, will continue to include the support given to minor mothers. These scholarships will be managed by the local social assistance authorities, based on a methodology initiated by the ministry.
• The merit scholarships will be awarded to students with averages of at least 9 (currently 9.50), within 15% of the total students in a class (currently a 30% limit). After the reorganization of the Olympics and competitions, the winners' prizes will be increased.

What scholarships are removed

Currently, six types of scholarships are granted. They are divided as follows:

• Olympic excellence scholarship I: Between 750 and 3000 lei
• Olympic excellence scholarship II: 700 lei
• Merit scholarship: 450 lei
• Social scholarship: min. 300 lei
• Scholarship for minor mothers: 700 lei
• Technological scholarship: 300 lei

Thus, four types of scholarships will be cut – those for the Olympics (I and II), the technological ones, and those for minor mothers will be included in the social scholarships.

The changes come after last year the merit scholarships were removed from grades I-IV, these being granted at present to those in grades V-VIII, as well as IX-XII, provided that a general average of at least 9.50. They were granted within 30% of students in each class.

David, about the students' protests: “I would do the same”

The Minister of Education said on Thursday that he understands the dissatisfaction of the students protesting the diminution of the scholarship fund, which involves the elimination of some, and that, in their place, they would react the same, but that “the pressure on the budget is huge”.

“If I were in their place, I would protest. As I am convinced that a rational and decent student, if they were in my place, would do what I do.

“The pressure on the budget is huge”

The minister explained that the year of reference in the governance program is 2023, a year of transition between the old system and the application of the new law of education: “Between 2022, in which the levels of scholarship funds were very low, and the year 2023, you are already beginning to benefit from the regulations of the Education Law. In 2024, the effects of the law are. Very large increases between 2022 and 2023 and spectacular increases between 2023 and 2024. Romania has become one of the countries that offer the strongest scholarship system in the public system – both in the pre -university and in the university area. “

Daniel David claimed that, at present, the pressure on the budget, by granting the scholarships, is “huge”:

“As Minister of Education, I will always say: If someone wants to give money in our system, I am happy. I do not make any evaluation of those who were before me. Only, when such growths are made, you are very careful about sustainability. And under normal conditions, not in the economic-financial crisis, it is hard to cover it. budget.

The Minister of Education insisted on the importance of preserving social scholarships, especially in pre -university education, said that “they have a very important role in preventing school dropout:” Because I know that if I want to protect something – and I want – those are social scholarships. We will have to change. “

Regarding the merit scholarships, Daniel David explained that the current system is not sustainable and that the merit should be defined clearer and more stricter.

Merit scholarships will be awarded to students with averages of at least 9 (currently the average is 9.50), within 15% of the total students in a class (currently a 30% limit).

“We will probably define the merit otherwise. It was defined up to 30%, but often you exceed 30%. The proposal we are working now is 15% in a class, with a minimum note 9. And those 15% remain 15%. That is, if we have more than 9, we will have to think of secondary criteria.

Wherever I looked, in any system, in the western countries, in Germany, when I speak of scholarships and merit, the percentage is 10-15%. Do not reach 30%. We were very generous – I repeat, not critically, it is very good that we tried to give – but it is not sustainable. We do not allow ourselves, ”said the Minister of Education.

Final decisions, pending

The minister said that the measures are not yet final and that they will be announced at the governmental level: “We do not yet have the final decisions. They will be communicated by the prime minister, most likely, in the package with all the important decisions, because education is not the only one and probably not the main contributor to the reduction of the budget deficit. But we are there.”