Over 1.4 million Romanian students signed up for religion classes until Tuesday, March 3. This is about half of the total number of students in Romania - 3.1 million. The rest have until March 6 to choose whether they attend religion classes.

A Constitutional Courts decision from November last ear, ruling that students have to request to take such classes, enters into force on March 9. Initially, an article from the Education Law obliged students to submit a written in order not to attend such classes, but the Court ruled it unconstitutional.

The need to submit such a request stirred heated debates in the Romanian society recently.

In Suceava county, north-eastern Romania, 90% of students signed up for religion classes until Wednesday, March 4. This might be considered the result of several local actions, such as a march for religion in schools, a contest with cash prizes and messages in churches and monasteries.

The Sihăstria Putnei Monastery launched a contest with cash prizes, reports Mediafax. Students in primary schools, gymnasiums and high schools have to write an essay on the theme “Why is the religion class important for me?”. The deadline for submitting the essays is April 5. Priests from the monastery and teachers in the area will evaluate the essays and decided on awarding prizes, which vary between RON 300 (EUR 68) and RON 1,000 (EUR 230).

Romanians are in general religious, and the Church is among the most trusted institutions in the country. The majority of Romanians are Orthodox.

Attendance to religion classes, Romania’s latest hot potato.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com