In Romania, vocational education and training (VET) is provided at upper secondary and post-secondary levels. The first two years of upper secondary education are compulsory for all learners. Enrolment in upper secondary education and training, including VET (grade 9), requires grades from national exams in mathematics and the Romanian language, a lower secondary diploma, and a final mark transcript for all subjects. Some VET schools also have entry exams. To enrol in tertiary education, upper secondary graduates need to pass baccalaureate exams. Initial VET is under the responsibility of the Ministry of National Education. The National Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training Development coordinates the creation of training standards for qualifications validated by sectoral committees (coordinated by the National Authority for Qualifications) and approved by the ministry. Social partners participate in the committees and support VET implementation. Continuing VET development is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Labour and Social Justice. Adult vocational training is offered by authorised private and public providers taking into account the needs of employers and basic skills needs of adults. Investments to support the institutional development of education and training are still few. The main challenges are unequal access to education and training and the high rate of early leaving from it; this particularly affects children in rural areas, from poor communities, and Roma. The 2015-20 Strategy to reduce early school leaving was developed to address these challenges, and a mechanism will be established for early warning and intervention that will help detect young learners at risk of leaving school. Another challenge is to reduce youth unemployment by supporting skills acquisition and securing smooth and sustainable transitions from education and training to the labour market. In November 2018, the labour ministry developed a list of elementary occupations giving unskilled adults access to participation in programmes leading to qualifications at EQF level 1, such as six-month apprenticeship programmes.