Teachers protest on the street on the first day of school: Meting at the Government and Cotroceni / program and route of demonstration
The three major trade union federations announced the organization of a large protest on Monday, September 8, 2025, on the first day of school, in Bucharest.
The Federation of Free Education Unions (FSLI), the “Spiru Haret” Federation and the “Alma Mater” National Federation have said that the action will start at 10:00 in Victoriei Square, with a rally and the Pichet of the Government headquarters.
Between 12:00 and 13:30 the protesters will start to the Cotroceni Palace, on the Victoriei Square route – Nicolae Titulescu Boulevard – Basarab – Șos. Grozavești.
In front of the Presidential Administration there will be a new protest, until 2:30 pm, followed by the participants.
The unions accuse the government that, by Law 141/2025, it generated “chaos in education”. According to the statement signed by the leaders of the three federations, the measures adopted have increased the number of classes with simultaneous teaching, the loss of jobs for thousands of qualified substitutes and the abolition of hundreds of school units.
The union leaders ask the Minister of Education, Daniel David, to publicly assume responsibility for the situation and to resign.
“Not even in the twelfth hour, the Minister of Education, Daniel David, does not recognize the serious problems generated by these hasty decisions made by the government and asks us to be with them and to build together the future of education. Do we ask the minister why he did not consult us and when he thought of these” reforms “? Why did he take these measures that increased the number of students learning in the system simultaneously, who left thousands of skilled substitutes without a job, which led to the disappearance of hundreds of educational units?
Mr. Minister, you publicly recognize that you have generated chaos in education and present your resignation of honor! ”, It is shown in the message of the unionists.
The leaders of the educational unions have stated that the protest is not political and ask for civil society and parties not to try to instrumentalize the action. In addition, they ask parents and students to understand the reasons for the protest, even if the manifestation coincides with the first day of school.
“Please do not blame us for this decision to boycott the first day of school. The Government is to blame, which, through the measures taken, showed that it does not care about us, the Romanian school, the future of this country,” said the trade union leaders Simion Hăncescu, Marius Ovidiu Nistor and Anton Hadăr.
The organizers apologize for the traffic jams generated by the march, but they claim that the protest is “the last solution”, after more than five weeks of picketing in front of the Ministry of Education and the Government.
The message transmitted by the Minister of Education
The Minister of Education, Daniel David, said on Sunday that “the school is primarily of children, so we are waiting for them on Monday, along with their parents.”
David claims that he understands “the difficulties generated by the fiscal-budgetary measures, but also the fact that, if we relate to them, we can build the real reforms, too often postponed and/or hidden under pseudoreforms, for the well-being of all.”
“I see now, when the children are preparing to return to school, that there are still some questions and concerns generated by the effects of the trade union movement. As I said, as a parent and minister I think the school is primarily of children, so we are waiting for them on Monday.
He believes that discontent “must be used not to block our education system”, but “to build measures/reforms”.
“Beyond various dissatisfaction, the agreement or disagreement with the trade union actions, all teachers have, in their turn, not only legal, but especially morally, the duty to the students and, as I know, I am convinced that they will honor it. The dissatisfaction with the fiscal -budgetary measures exist, I know them, Not to block our education system, but, as we said, to build measures/reforms that will develop and bring us a quality and well -being education system, ”continued Daniel David.
“I invite you to make a team”
Finally, the Minister of Education invited the representatives of the actors from the sector to collaboration “to build on the difficulties of the present”.
“So let's all see each other at school, and in parallel I invite you (and I will formally invite the representatives of all the actors in education) to make a team to build on the difficulties we want!”, Concluded Minister Daniel David.
