Survey: 68 percent of Romanians believe homeschooling should

According to a study by MKOR Consulting, 68 percent of Romanians believe homeschooling should be regulated. This is the first study to be conducted on the topic in Romania.

According to Razvan Durlan, most respondents live in urban areas, namely in Bucharest (48 percent), followed by other cities (47 percent) and the rural areas (5 percent). Similarly, most parents whose children are integrated in the homeschooling system live in Bucharest (40 percent) and the rest in other cities (52 percent).

Among respondents, 105 out of 1710 have chosen homeschooling for their children. According to MKOR Consulting Marketing& PR Manager Razvan Durlan, the percentages do not reflect the share of children educated in the homeschooling system recorded at a national level.

Most respondents said the costs of homeschooling is an important argument for those who are not considering homeschooling for their children. Specifically, 18 percent of those who heard about homeschooling do not consider this method of education for their children, and the high costs are among the primary reasons for it. Other reasons include: lack of opportunities for socializing (97 percent), the parents’ incapacity to educate their children (47 percent) and the fact that the system is not regulared (29 percent).

Those who considered or are considering homeschooling for their children based their choice on the benefits provided by this type of education, such as “the children’s freedom to learn what they like, at their own pace, without the pressure of having to do homework and the unhealthy competition in the classic education system,” Durlan said.

When asked whether homeschooling was a viable option in Romania, 68 percent of respondents gave a positive answer, while 13 percent said it was not. Among the latter group, 27 percent said they were not open to novelty, 26 percent said they did not have the availability and the necessary financial resources, and the lack of regulation of homeschooling.

According to Durlan, the purpose of the survey was to explore the perceptions and intentions regarding homeschooling. The majority of respondents, namely 91 percent, are women.