Teacher and trainer continuing professional development

In 2015, several teacher training actions were implemented by the National Centre for TVET Development.

590 teachers from VET schools, Training teachers as evaluators of professional competences: the training programme was developed to support teachers to acquire / develop professional skills as well as building a successful career in education and training, for their active involvement in supporting lifelong learning. Beyond developing the capacity to elaborate and administrate tools for assessing knowledge, skills and attitudes, the training programme has generated a change in the perspective of the participating teachers on the relevance of the evaluation activities to the value and significance of learning, detailing the extent to which learning objectives and the effectiveness of the teaching strategies used have been achieved. Through the partnerships between the National Centre for TVET Development and the teaching staff resource houses, this continuous training programme was delivered locally, with the multiplication and transfer of experience gained in professional competences assessment.

42 teachers from within schools of technical and vocational education participated in the Training of teachers in professional competences evaluation, Trainer of professional competences assessors/ evaluators. The scope of the training programme was to improve the assessment of professional competences in technical and vocational education by creating a nucleus of 42 resource persons certified to train the assessors of professional competences throughout all the regions of the country. Such persons are the necessary resource for multiplying the local training of VET teachers in professional competences assessment.

80 VET teachers trained as developers of professional competence assessment tools. The training programme has been developed to support teachers who have demonstrated their skills and creativity, who have performed well in the elaboration of evaluation tests, for the development of professional competences in making use of innovative, alternative evaluation techniques.

An Erasmus+ funded project, Dalivet aimed to strengthen cooperation between schools and companies. A new form of organisation of the 3-year school-based VET programme was designed as another possible option to involve companies, local authorities and schools to participate in the vocational education and training offer/actions for future learners. There was a national debate regarding the prospects of this new opportunity; in late 2016, the government issued new provisions for the introduction of the initial dual VET programme.

Considering the importance of companies in the practical training of learners, the National Centre for TVET Development designed a training programme for both VET teachers and company tutors to accommodate and strengthen their cooperation in VET training. 45 persons participated in the training course Together we build bridges - practical training in vocational education and training. This included 23 teachers of technical subject subjects together with 22 tutors for practice, as providers of work place learning.

The National Centre for TVET Development created a project in cooperation with the centre for international projects in education of Zurich University of Teacher Education. It was carried out in partnership with the University of Bucharest and was financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Romanian government. The project aimed to support learners ' future job orientation and teacher competences for career guidance and counselling'. The target group were learners in the last years of lower secondary education and the first years of technical high school or vocational education. Students are prepared for choosing their further education career, receive general information about professional opportunities, and get the chance to acquire life skills, which are useful in any future career.

The project had several phases of implementation:

1. first phase (2012-14): this included two pilot schools from one county in the central region, then extended to 16 schools. During this period seven booklets, a toolbox for students and teachers, and a teacher training programme were developed;
2. second phase (2014-15): the project was extended to other counties in the same region involving 42 schools;
3. third phase (2015-16): the project was extended to two new regions, and a total of 73 schools (36 schools in north-east region and 37 schools in South-Muntenia region), of which 37 schools will be from lower secondary education and 36 schools from technological/work-based learning.

Between 2013 and 2017, 810 teachers participated in Training teachers for carrying out career guidance and counselling activities for students (within the project JOBS - Professional orientation - training in companies and schools).

The JOBS project implemented by the National Centre for TVET Development offered the opportunity for teacher training courses in career guidance and counselling for 889 teachers.

The directorate for continuous teacher training in the education ministry provided information that 217 213 teachers participated in continuous teacher training in 2018. Besides the teaching staff, other members of the auxiliary teaching staff (librarians, IT staff, school technicians, secretaries) participated in training courses: a total of 29 521 in 2018.

Between March and June 2019, 525 teachers were trained for career guidance and counselling through the JOBS project. The National Centre for TVET Development coordinated the teacher training sessions with the support of teacher resource houses in the country.

The Ministry of Education and Research accredited 383 teacher training courses in the preceding three years. Their accreditation period varies between two and four years, meaning that the provider may implement the training course every year for different teachers.

In 2019, 213 894 teachers took part in training activities. Besides the teaching staff, 25 761 auxiliary teaching staff (librarians, IT staff, school technicians, secretaries) participated in training courses in 2019.

In 2020, CPD was implemented through of the following actions:

Accredited training programmes

The Ministry of Education and Research continued the implementation of continuing teacher training programmes of variable duration of accreditation (one to five years); this means that the provider may implement the training course every year for different teachers, based on training needs. During the pandemic, the accredited training programmes were approved to take place online. According to the Directorate for Continuous Teacher Training, 95 teacher training programmes were accredited, 61 027 teachers were certified, 109 981 persons attended the accredited training courses.

Continuing teacher training is also made through the teacher option to enrol in specific procedures for advancement /evolution in career, in accordance with national provision (teaching experience, undertaking class inspections, examinations). If successful, there are teaching degrees awarded as a form of evolution in the teaching career (Second degree in teaching and First degree in teaching). In 2020, 4 065 teachers and 42 foremen in pre-university education were awarded the second degree in teaching certificate (after passing specific requirements: teaching experience, school inspections, examination), and 4 911 teachers and 35 foremen in pre-university education were awarded the first degree in teaching certificate.

Other training programmes at national level

For qualitative, standardised national evaluations (eighth grade assessment, baccalaureate, definitive degree in the teaching career (examen de definitivat), teacher tenure competition (concursul de titularizare), the Ministry of Education and Research, with the support of the National Centre for Policy and Evaluation in Education (NCPEE) (a new, institution joining the former Institute for Educational Sciences and the National Centre for Examination) organised a series of training courses for teachers acting as evaluators in the national exams. The National Centre for TVET Development was a training partner for VET teachers. The selection of teachers and their training started in November 2020 and was completed in March 2021. The target group consisted of 20 000 teachers at national level, of which 1 000 were IVET teachers. The training for IVET teachers was organised in groups of 30-35 teachers; the participants in the first three groups became trainers for the rest of IVET teachers.

The Ministry of Education and Research, in line with the recommendation of the OECD report, 2017, and the European Commission's recommendations on good teaching in schools in the community, and in accordance with the national project Educated Romania, developed an ESF funded project Professionalisation of the teaching career, PROF, which had as main purpose the implementation at national level of measures designed to achieve a coherent and reliable normative and institutional framework for the professionalisation of the teaching career. The project was approved in 2020 and included the development of an analysis and a proposal on restructuring bodies or institutions capable of self-regulation, assessment and certification in teaching.

In 2021, the education ministry accredited a total of 98 teacher training programmes designed by professional teacher training providers based on identified needs. The thematic fields covered subject-related topics, school management, from teaching career to school management, leadership, teaching and learning of SEN and second education students, active teaching focusing on students improved performance and competences. Most of the teacher training programmes were also highly focused on ICT-related competences and teaching techniques. These teacher training programmes were included in the national database and made public on the website of the education ministry to reach all teachers who are interested in their professional development. Often these teacher training programmes were also made public on the website of county school inspectorates and teacher resource house to make sure that the information is always at hand, and they provide all necessary information on request. The teacher training programmes were implemented by teacher resource houses, NGOs with education activities included in their profile, and universities.

Part of the continuing teacher training included specific training and exams teachers undertook for their evolution in career (leading to the award of degrees and certificates in the teaching career). Consequently, the directorate for teachers' professional development in the education ministry reported that 2021 was a successful year despite the restrictions and challenges brought by the pandemics. School inspections were slightly reorganised to allow teachers to enrol as candidates for the teaching degrees. A total of 3 426 teachers and 29 forepersons (maistru-instructor) obtained the second teaching degree and another 4 480 teachers and 32 were awarded the first teaching degree certificate.

In 2022, the methodology for continuous professional development programmes was updated, based on professional standards for levels of teaching positions, quality standards and roles, and included three main categories of programmes: accredited, complementary, and programmes for personal development and functional empowerment (e.g. pedagogical autonomy).

In 2022, 53 314 teachers were trained in 128 accredited continuous teacher training programmes. 4 523 teachers and 34 education leaders in pre-university education were awarded the second-degree teaching certificate (after passing specific requirements: teaching experience, school inspections, examination). 4 459 teachers and 32 forepersons (maistru-instructor) in pre-university education were awarded the first-degree teaching certificate. 78 teachers who obtained the PhD diploma which, on request, conferred on them the right to be awarded the equivalent rank/recognised as first degree-awarded teachers.

DigCompEdu was adopted as a frame of digital competences of the professions in education as of 2022/23 (Ministry of Education Order No 4.150/June 2022).

Within the project Professionalisation of the teaching career, PROF, a national institutional framework for pre-university teaching career mentoring was developed and a national register and body of mentor teachers offering a mentoring support throughout the teaching career was approved by the education ministry.

In 2022, the National Centre for TVET Development initiated and organised training seminars on standardised assessment for teachers in initial VET (designing assessments tests and assessment tools and principles). These training seminars made an important, innovative contribution to teacher training.

Continuous teacher training (CPD) continued on as a regular practice with 76 463 teachers participating. CPD was also ensured though teacher enrolment in specific exams for the award of teaching certificates, based on they cumulated teaching experience and following methodological requirements issued by the education ministry.

In 2023, to continue the support in the professionalisation of the teaching career, as part of the project PROF, a list of pedagogical high schools teaching future teachers and the register of mentor teachers were updated,

Several training courses were designed to support the sustainability of the PROF project at national level:

1. 4 teacher training programmes PROF-Acces in mentoring the teaching career, and
2. 11 teacher training programmes PROF - Evolution in mentoring the teaching career/mentorship, accredited by ministry order no. 6870/21.12.2023, and implemented by each Teacher Resource House (CCD) included in the project.

Continuous teacher training (CPD) continued on as a regular practice with 21 773 teachers participating from March to October 2024.