Financing the Romanian education system, 1990-2004

Abstract

The underfinancing of the educational system, although acknowledged by the collectivity as being a social problem, never went beyond the stage of latent problem. The dramatic collapse of the economy in 1990-1992 and later in 1997-1999, marked all the aspects of the social life, the educational system included. The critical situation of the public finances caused a drastic reduction of the social expenditure and consequently money from the education was transferred to other sectors. The article identifies the relation of causality between the phenomenon of underfinancing of the educational system and the unbalancing of the international stand of the public finances of Romania, on the one hand, and the strategy of transition to the market economy, on the other hand. The requirements to adopt the European patterns will claim a revaluation of the state-society relationship, which will increase the role of the state as promoter of the social policies. Thus, the underfinancing of the education, integrant part of the social system, will benefit of the positive effects of a reformulated response of the state towards the society.