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Digitalization in Romanian schools is at a minimum level of 20% of its full potential and teachers are beginners in using computers and the Internet compared to other European countries, according to a study by software producer CIEL Romania.
The main reasons for the lack of investment in technology and digitalization in education are the outdated mentality and the lack of interest of the government, even though we have the necessary resources, the analysis adds.
Thus, 46% of entrepreneurs believe that the level of equipment is minimal, which is visible to with the naked eye, and 26% even believe that the level in Romania is the worst in Europe. Only 25.8% of respondents consider that the level of facilities is moderate and that schools have essential but not sufficient facilities.
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As for equipping schools with IT infrastructure and digitalization, more than 20% of entrepreneurs think that Internet connection and better computers are needed in all state schools, including those in rural areas. Nearly 35% of entrepreneurs say there is a need for more than basic facilities, such as computers for IT/ICT classes, digital platforms (digital catalogue accessible to parents), digital skills curriculum from primary school onwards.
At the same time, more than 34% of them believe that there is a need not only for digital education but also for advanced physical facilities in schools – for example, smart windows that open when the oxygen level in the classroom drops – and 10% believe that traditional teaching should be replaced in high schools and colleges by digital teaching and learning (digital blackboards, digital books, homework done online and presented digitally, digital library).
“Romania has all the necessary ingredients to be a model for Europe when it comes to digitalization in schools, but the education system is left to continuously degrade. Paradoxically, although our country is doing very well in IT, we are the Silicon Valley of Europe and we are famous for our IT workforce and for the high speed Internet, yet we are last in digitalizing the education system. It is sad to see that even the pandemic has not accelerated this digitalization process. This is the second school year that starts under the auspices of the health crisis, there is again talk of online schooling, and the situation has not improved at all since autumn 2020”, says Roxana Epure, managing partner CIEL Romania.
When could schools be expected to reach a decent level of digitalization
Forced by the pandemic, schools in Romania could reach a decent level of digitalization (internet access, new computers, creation of education platforms) relatively soon, say 7.1% of entrepreneurs, while 19.4% believe this will happen at a natural pace in the next 5 years. However, most entrepreneurs are pessimistic about this and believe that this level will only be reached when Romania is obliged by the EU (36.1%) and that the time horizon is uncertain and there is no interest because it can be done (37.4%).
Although the local IT sector is booming and Romania has among the best internet speeds in the world, schools in Romania have benefited from few technological and digital facilities and are not ready for online schooling. More than 23% of Romanian entrepreneurs believe that this is because there is carelessness and disinterest on the part of the government, 22.6% of respondents believe that teachers are not prepared and do not have the openness to learn digital skills, while 36.8% of entrepreneurs are convinced that the reason is the outdated mentality at both government and academic levels, with academics certain that classical teaching/learning methods are better than modern ones. On the other hand, 17.4% of respondents believe that this is a false perception and that only the private IT sector is growing, with Romania lagging behind in IT overall.
Teachers’ level of digital skills close to zero
The level of digital skills of teachers in the pandemic is close to zero, say 20% of Romanian entrepreneurs, claiming that they don’t even know how to connect to live streaming platforms used for online schooling. Also, 55.5% of respondents say that teachers have beginner digital skills and have only basic skills in using a laptop and the internet. Only 23.2% of respondents believe that teachers’ level of digital skills is average and only 1.3% consider these skills advanced.
The lack of digitalized education and technological facilities in schools has major effects: 43.9% of entrepreneurs say that students are not prepared for future changes, developments and the labor market, 27.1% of respondents say that the work of teachers and students is hampered, and 16.1% of entrepreneurs believe that students are not developing the digital skills needed today.
Of the participants in the CIEL Romania survey, 28% work in commerce, 23% in financial and accounting services, 19% in IT, 10% in the medical and pharmaceutical industry, 8% in construction. Some 15.5% have a turnover between 1 and 5 million euros, 7.7% exceed this threshold and 76.8% of the entrepreneurs surveyed have a turnover below 1 million euros.
Edited for English