Starting from the 2022/23 school year, AI was included in the curriculum for secondary education in Romania. The Minister of Education Order no. 4.049/2022 established the optional subject “Introduction to machine learning” to introduce AI concepts in secondary education. Romania has further expanded participation in the AI-ENTR4YOUTH program, a three-year initiative that includes building applied AI projects through secondary school classrooms, representing a shift toward practical, project-based AI education.
Who it affects: Secondary school students in Romania who elect the optional AI subject; expanded reach through AI-ENTR4YOUTH program participants.
What is notably missing: The subject is optional, not mandatory for all secondary students, limiting reach and equity of access. No binding national curriculum standard for AI literacy exists across all schools. Teacher training requirements and qualifications for delivering the optional subject are not detailed. The curriculum does not explicitly address AI ethics or critical evaluation. Dedicated national funding for program expansion is not specified.