Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
The official entrance age to pre-primary education in 2023 was 3 years old. In 2023, the number of years of free pre-primary education granted in legal frameworks was 3 years. The number of years of compulsory pre-primary education granted in legal frameworks is not available. For 2023, the net enrolment rate for pre-primary for both sexes was 75,25%.
Governance
The Ministry of Education, Research, Youth, and Sports ensures basic financing for pre-school children enrolled in accredited public and private education facilities. This financing is based on the standard cost per student or child, as outlined in the Ministry's methodology. Financing for pre-academic units includes basic, complementary, and additional funding.
Tuition-free status
Pre-primary education and care in Romania is free of charge starting from 3-months-old.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Basic school funding follows the principle that financial resources are allocated per student, transferring the budget to the school they attend. This funding, derived from state revenue sources like value-added tax, ensures alignment with national education standards and covers salaries, maintenance, and training. Funding is calculated by multiplying the standard cost per student by specific coefficients and the number of students, approved annually by the government. It is distributed to rural areas, towns, and Bucharest by public finance departments and the Bucharest School Inspectorate, with support from county inspectorates.
The administrative-territorial units to which the school establishments belong have a local budget for complementary funding that covers capital expenditures, social charges, and other costs associated with public school education, such as student grants, transportation, investments, and capital repairs.
2. Education resources to institutions
School funding is calculated by multiplying the standard cost per student by school-specific coefficients and the number of pupils. This amount is approved each year by a government decision. As noted above, the per-student cost is calculated by multiplying baseline amounts by school-specific coefficients, including school level, geographic location (urban or rural), isolation, low population, type of education, language of instruction (minority versus Romanian), and school size.
Furthermore, the additional funding (as part of the state-allocated funds mentioned above) is a fixed global amount from the MNESR budget to reward educational institutions for exceptional inclusion or performance. Local and county councils may contribute by granting funds based on their own methodology. This funding is contingent on a performance contract between the pre-university education institution and the sponsor.
In the private pre-academic educational system, the tuition is decided by each educational institution or facility, according to the legislation in force.
3. Education resources to students and families
Law Nr. 248/2015, known as the Fiecare Copil în Grădiniță or “Preschool Law,” took effect in February 2016 to promote regular attendance of 3-6-year-olds in grădiniță (preschool and kindergarten). It was based on a successful pilot programme initiated by OvidiuRO in 2010, in partnership with the Romanian Ministry of Education and funded by a $30,000 grant from The Alex Fund, a US non-profit.
The “Preschool Law” adopted the pilot programme’s key mechanism: providing poor families with $11 per month in food coupons for daily attendance of their 3-to-5-year-olds at grădiniță. The measure passed in October 2015 with full support from all major political parties, reflecting the government’s recognition that early education is vital for Romania’s disadvantaged children to succeed in school and escape multi-generational poverty.
As of January 2021, all children in families receiving SFA (social welfare payments) and enrolled in preschool will automatically qualify for the programme. The food coupon incentive, contingent on the child's daily attendance, will be doubled to 100 lei ($22 USD) per month. Mayors and school directors must organize information and enrollment campaigns twice a year.
Apart from this programme, ante-preschoolers, preschoolers and students in public and authorised/accredited private schools benefit from free medical, psychological and speech assistance, in school medical, psychological counselling and speech offices or in public medical facilities.
Recent measures also include integrated interventions, a warm meal pilot programme, improved reimbursement of school transportation costs, nursery tickets and social vouchers to encourage poor children’s preschool education.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
The Family Allowance, established by Law 277/2010, is a means-tested programme that provides financial support to families with children whose monthly net income falls below a set threshold. Its purpose is to improve the care, education, and upbringing of children, while encouraging school attendance among school-age children in beneficiary families. Under the law, the allowance is reduced by 20% or 50%, depending on the number of unjustified absences during a school semester. If a student accumulates more than 20 unjustified absences, the allowance may be further adjusted. In 2023, the average monthly payment ranged from 90 to 512 lei, depending on family income, the number of children, and family type.
Venitul Minim de Incluziune (VMI)
Venitul Minim de Incluziune (VMI) is a broad social assistance benefit introduced in Romania to support low-income families and individuals facing economic hardship. It replaces previous forms of social aid and has two main components: a general inclusion allowance for those with incomes below a certain threshold and a supplementary allowance for families with children. For families with children, eligibility for the child allowance component is conditional on children’s continuous school attendance. The amount received depends on family composition and income, with requirements such as regular school participation designed to encourage educational inclusion and prevent poverty among children.
Tichete sociale pentru sprijin educațional programme
The Tichete sociale pentru sprijin educațional programme, established by Romania's Government Emergency Ordinance 133/2020, provides annual financial support to children from low-income families. Eligible families receive an electronic voucher worth 500 lei per child each year, which can be used exclusively to purchase school supplies and clothing necessary for school attendance. The initiative targets children in state preschool, primary, and lower secondary education whose families' incomes meet set criteria, aiming to reduce school dropout and promote equitable access to education. Distribution and monitoring are managed nationally and locally, with the program funded through national and EU sources.
