12th Forum on Minority issues 28-29 November 2019 Room XX Romania attaches a great importance to the education in and of the mother tongue since education is a vital area in preserving and developing one’s identity. Romania is fully committed to this aim and ensures a high level of protection for the 20 minority languages spoken on its territory. At the same time, a good proficiency of the state language as a social cohesion and integration factor need to be ensured, having in mind that the education policies have to keep a right balance and must not be detrimental to the regional or minority languages recognized by the respective State. The right to education in the mother tongue is constitutionally guaranteed and applied in practice through several regulations of which the most important is the Law on National Education (no. 1/2001 as subsequently amended). This Law has a special chapter on the education of persons belonging to national minorities. They have the right to study in their mother tongue at all levels and forms of education. Romanian Ministry of National Education is constantly working on ensuring quality education, while promoting the democratic citizenship and the respect of fundamental values. According to the Romanian legislation, pupils belonging to national minorities may study all disciplines in their mother tongue, except for the Romanian language and literature. If they are enrolled within educational units where Romanian or other minority language is the medium of instruction they may study the following disciplines in the mother tongue: the language and literature, the History and the traditions of the respective minority and musical education. The cultural diversity is reflected in school curricula and in all school textbooks edited for the pupils studying at pre-university level. The social education curricula include intercultural education studies (secondary education, VI grades). Starting with the last school year the highest number of textbooks for pupils studying in the minority languages has been published. The Romanian Ministry of National Education is currently implementing an important teacher training programme, of more than 40 million EURO, which involves teachers and trainers from the schools which are offering education in minority languages. A secretary of state dedicated to ensuring educational rights of persons belonging to national minorities active within the Ministry of Education. Moreover there is a General Directorate within the Ministry of Education which is responsible for the education in minority languages. There is a continuous dialogue of these relevant authorities with the organizations of persons belonging to national minorities regarding educational policies.