The Ministry of Education’s 2023–2024 annual report records over 1,200 changes in subjects, tracks, and specializations, reflecting an educational reality where students’ paths are far from stable. The figures highlight the uncertainty adolescents face when making decisions in school and during the first steps of career orientation.
1,134 changes in high school
High schools account for the majority of these movements, with 1,134 changes in subjects and tracks. Data were collected in two periods, at the start of the year and later, since many students realize that the course or track they initially chose does not suit them. Changes involve both orientation groups and core subjects, showing how the pressure of national exams significantly affects students’ choices.
While the report does not specify which subjects are changed most frequently, previous years’ data (2021–2023) show the largest shifts occur in Theoretical, Practical, and Economics/Computer Science tracks. In recent years, declarations of changes in high school have consistently exceeded 950, indicating that this uncertainty is persistent rather than occasional.
Technical schools & Apprenticeship
In Technical Schools, 125 changes in track or specialization were recorded in 2023–2024. Many students initially choose a technical path thinking it fits them but later discover that the specialization requires different skills or that career prospects do not meet their expectations. The transition from theory to the more hands-on demands of Technical Education often proves revealing.
Mobility is even higher in the Apprenticeship System, where 244 specialization changes were recorded among only 205 apprentices. This means many young people abandon their first choice to try a second or even third specialization in the same year.
Apprenticeship programs, which involve real workplace experience, expose students to professional environments that not all can meet or want. This trend has been consistent over the years, demonstrating that choosing a specialization at a young age is often a process of trial, error, and adjustment.
Limited guidance
Overall, the data indicate that the transition from middle school to high school, Technical Education, or Apprenticeship remains one of the most demanding stages of a student’s educational journey. Many decisions are made with limited information, prompting students to reassess their choices within the first months. The more than 1,000 changes in a single year are not just numbers; they reflect the pressure, stress, and ongoing search of young people trying to find the right path in a system that does not always provide clear guidance before critical decisions.