Romania has a high participation in STEM education, but young people do not have sufficient knowledge. Deficiencies in teacher training affect practical teaching.

According to the 2025 Education and Training Monitor report published by the European Commission, Romania faces significant deficiencies in STEM education, despite a high participation rate of students in these fields, close to the European average. Young Romanians lack sufficient basic knowledge, especially in mathematics and science, and the teaching process focuses too much on theory and too little on practical activities. Although 36% of students in vocational education and training (VET) and 30.9% of university students are enrolled in STEM fields, the number of graduates is low, with only 19 graduates for every 1,000 young people aged between 20 and 29 years.

The report highlights the need to improve teacher training, which does not benefit from adequate training in modern teaching methods. Additionally, the shortage of teachers in the VET field is deepening, especially in STEM. In July 2024, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, proposed a strategic plan to encourage more girls and women to pursue careers in STEM and to increase the number of secondary level VET diplomas.