A report by the Romanian Academic Society (SAR), released on June 28, shows that the lack of public transport alternatives in rural areas is the main cause of school dropout, Mediafax reported. Another problem of education is the lack of boarding schools and dormitories for accommodating students.

The school dropout rate in Romania declined to 16.4% in 2018, the lowest percentage in the last ten years, according to Eurostat. The rate remains, however, almost six percentage points above the average for the European Union countries.

In order to reduce early school leaving, the authors of the study propose the adoption of a plan of integrated measures aimed at favoring the access to education for pupils studying far from their home, as well as for those in disadvantaged situations.

On the medium term, boarding houses and canteens should be developed so that no child is “left behind” and the social and material situation of the families does not weigh in the future of the children.

The report also shows that the lack of transport in rural areas is the main factor for early school leaving. “We urge the urgent clarification of the situation of the commuter train transport, the main cause of early school leaving, and the remedy of the short-term situation through specific legislative adjustments so that responsibility is shared equally between central and local authorities,” the authors of the report on the situation of education in Romania said.

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editor@romania-insider.com