Bolojan: the decision regarding social scholarships during the summer holiday has not yet been finalised

Interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan discussed on Wednesday a proposal put forward for public consultation by the Ministry of Education, which would eliminate social scholarship payments during school holidays. The official clarified that the decision is not yet final and that the proposal will continue to be reviewed.

When asked on B1 TV about the controversy surrounding the cutting of social scholarships during the holidays, Bolojan said the proposal came from the Ministry of Education and that he had already spoken with Minister Mihai Dimian on the matter.

According to the Prime Minister, two pieces of draft legislation from the education sector are currently open for public consultation: one concerning the organisation of examinations by secondary schools starting next year, and another relating to the payment of social scholarships.

"There are two issues that have come from the Ministry of Education. Because they have put certain pieces of legislation out for transparency. One concerns the organisation of examinations by secondary schools starting next year. Mechanisms, an order that has been put out for consultation. And a draft government decision relating to the payment of social scholarships, excluding the summer holidays. And I spoke with Minister Dimian about this today," Bolojan stated.

Regarding the scholarships, the Prime Minister explained that, according to the Ministry of Education, the social scholarship represents a form of support for pupils facing social difficulties, intended to encourage them to attend school and continue their education, rather than a monthly allowance similar to other forms of child support.

"The second proposal falls under the scholarships chapter. The ministry's rationale was that the scholarship should be allocated during school months and not over the summer holidays, because it is not an allowance in the same way as the other allowances that children receive month by month — rather, it is a way of supporting those with social difficulties to attend school, to sustain the educational process, and to signal this need," the interim Prime Minister explained.

Bolojan clarified that the decision is not definitive and that the proposal will be assessed during the public consultation period, which lasts 10 days.

"But I have spoken with the Minister, and we will review both proposals — both the orders and the draft government decisions — so that we can clarify these matters, and once the 10-day consultation period is complete, we will make the right decision," Ilie Bolojan stated.

The Prime Minister also commented on the second proposal, concerning the organisation of examinations by secondary schools starting next year. He explained that a law adopted in 2023 provides for the possibility of organising these examinations from next year onwards, and that the ministry has done nothing more than implement that law.

"With regard to the first issue, we are in a situation where, as I understand it, the law adopted in 2023 stipulates that these examinations can be organised from next year. So the Ministry has done nothing more than implement a law. There are two options: either not to implement it, or to take the matter to Parliament," the Prime Minister said.

Bolojan acknowledged that there are differing views on this change and cautioned against the risk that alterations to the education system could have a negative impact on a sector that, in his view, is not "in perfect shape" as it stands.

"If it is felt that this form of organisation is not appropriate — and there are all sorts of opinions, some for and some against — I do agree that if it is not well organised, we risk making things worse in a sector that is not in perfect shape as it is. In that case, things can be postponed and a decision taken when there is no such context as there is today," Ilie Bolojan added.