The new Minister of Education supports dividing the institution into two separate ministries

Education Minister Sorin Costreie supports separating pre-university education from university education and establishing two distinct ministries, considering that each system could be managed more efficiently and better represented. The proposal was made in the context of appointing a delegated minister from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) for pre-university education.

Costreie explained that, since 2023, Romania has had two separate organic laws for pre-university and university education, yet the two fields continue to be managed by the same institution. In the minister’s view, separate administration would allow public policies to be established by people with experience and legitimacy in each system.

The official cited European practice. France, Sweden, Poland and Denmark have separate government structures for different levels of education, while Finland has a single ministry with two ministers, a model similar to the one applied in Romania. Spain has three ministries, for pre-university education, university education and research.

Sorin Costreie believes that research should remain associated with university education. He also argued that the current arrangement, with two ministers within the same institution, may generate mistrust between representatives of the two systems. The minister stated that decisions in education must be made at ministerial level, with the agreement of the prime minister, who coordinates the Government’s activity.