According to the document, a primary school pupil must not undergo more than two formative and/or summative assessments in any one week. The assessment schedule will be agreed upon by the class teacher in consultation with other teachers working with the class, whilst compliance with the established limit will be monitored by the school administration.
At the same time, the total number of assessments for primary classes has been reduced by more than 100 compared with the number previously stipulated.
Formative assessment takes place during the learning process and enables the teacher to monitor a child’s progress, identify difficulties and provide the necessary support in a timely manner. Summative assessment is carried out at the end of a learning unit or a specific stage of learning and shows the extent to which a pupil has mastered the specified competences.
The Ministry is also abolishing separate termly and annual assessments for all subjects. However, termly and annual average marks will remain and will be calculated on the basis of the results achieved by the pupil during the relevant period.
What marks will be introduced in Year 4
One of the key changes will be the transition in Year 4 to numerical marks ranging from 5 to 10 in a number of subjects. These will be used for assessing Romanian/Russian language and literature, Romanian language and literature for national minorities, Ukrainian, Bulgarian or Gagauz language and literature, a foreign language and mathematics.
The Ministry of Education notes that this system is intended to gradually prepare pupils for the assessment model used in secondary school.
In natural sciences, Romanian history, general history and other subjects in Year 4, grading scales will continue to be used.
In Years 1–3, pupils’ results will be assessed using the grades ‘Very Good’, ‘Good’ and ‘Satisfactory’. A new grade, ‘Excellent’, corresponding to an advanced level of achievement, has been added to these.
The new methodology excludes summative assessments in physical education, technology, art and music. Pupils’ progress in these subjects will be monitored through formative assessment.
Summative assessments will also not be carried out in personal development, moral and spiritual education, or optional subjects.
Poor results will be grounds for support
A separate section of the methodology is devoted to children who do not reach the minimum standard required to obtain the ‘Satisfactory’ grade or a mark of 5.
In such cases, a result below the set threshold will not be entered in the class register. The letter ‘R’ – for ‘Recuperare’ (‘Remedial work’) – will be entered in the ‘Comments’ column, after which the teacher must organise additional lessons tailored to the child’s needs and learning pace.
The Ministry emphasises that recuperation is not a punishment or simply a repeat assessment of knowledge. Its purpose is to provide the pupil with the extra time, explanations and support needed to overcome the difficulties identified.
“Assessment should help the child understand what they have achieved, where they still need support, and what the next step in their learning should be,” said the Ministry’s State Secretary, Valentina Olaru.
The new methodology also provides for a change in the approach to marking work. Pupils will be helped to identify and correct mistakes independently, whilst the teacher’s comments must be clear, constructive and aimed at improving performance. At the same time, mistakes must not be publicly highlighted in front of the class or used in ways that could cause a child anxiety or reduce their motivation.
Assessment criteria must be explained to children in language appropriate to their age – in the format of so-called ‘steps to success’. This will enable pupils to understand in advance what is expected of them and the criteria by which their work will be assessed.
The methodology has been developed on the basis of amendments to the Education Code, which came into force in 2025. Prior to approval, the new approaches were trialled in educational institutions.
The Ministry of Education plans to hold information sessions for specialists responsible for primary education within local education authorities. Schools are also advised to hold meetings of the methodological committees for primary school teachers and to inform parents about the new assessment rules.
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