"Educated Romania" and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan

Adjusting the budget of Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) from 42 billion euros to 29.2 billion euros has also involved changing the allocations for the Educated Romania project, which will get 3.7 billion euros, or 12% of the PNRR, according to a joint statement of Minister of Investment and Projects Cristian Ghinea and Minister of Education Sorin Mihai Cimpeanu.

"The ruling coalition considers education a priority area for the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and it is the reason why the agreed option now allocates for the Educated Romania over 12% of the 29.2 billion euros. Adjusting the PNRR budget from 42 billion euros to 29.2 billion euros also meant an adjustment of the allocations for the Educated Romania project. PNRR has an allocation for education well above the European average," the two ministers underline in a Facebook post.

They mention that the budget of the Educated Romania, which is now being negotiated on with the European Commission, is 3.7 billion euros, a budget that includes 314 million euros for the equipping of 10,000 school laboratories; the largest programme to reduce school dropouts (530 million euros); refurbishing university campuses (300 million euros); campuses and reform of dual education (402 million euros).

"It is a massive effort to finance education under PNRR; we are working together to finalise negotiations with the European Commission and the Educated Romania component remains one of the PNRR champions," the ministers point out.

Ghinea announced a week ago that the ruling coalition agreed to earmark 29 billion euros for PNRR. Romania will submit its National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) on May 31.