Spiru Haret’s Educational Reform: A standard for today

„The educational system of a country must accurately reflect the needs, aspirations and national character
of the people that lives in it.” - SPIRU HARET

Mathemathician Spiru C. Haret (born 15 February 1851 – died 17 December 1912)

Minister of Education (multiple mandates between 1897 and 1910)
31 March 1897 – 11 April 1899, 14 February 1901 – 22 December 1904 and 12 March 1907 – 29 December 1910. In
1904-1907 (between his 2nd and 3rd term) he was vicepresident of the Romanian Academy.

BIOGRAPHY
- Born in a family with Armenian origins, he graduated „Saint Sava” High School and the Faculty of
Sciences in Bucharest.
- He was helped by Titu Maiorescu, as Minister of Education, to obtain a scholarship in Paris, where he
studied maths and physics.
- After obtaining his PhD, he refused the proposal to teach at Grenoble University, choosing to return to
Romania.
- He was elected member of the Romanian Academy.
- General inspector of schools (1883) and general secretary at the Ministry of Education (1885-88).

THE HARETIAN SPIRIT

- Haret’s reform can be seen as patriotic, being inspired by his experience in more advanced countries: „As
school looks today will the country look tomorrow”.
- Haret identified three purposes of the national system of education: 1. form good citizens; 2. provide the
basic knowledge to the youth; 3. provide the basics for all careers which are necessary for the full and
harmonious life of the state.

secondary and higher education (1898), vocational education (1899) and private schools (1904)
He:
* supported the development of primary studies and the same curriculum in urban and rural areas
* extended the secondary studies (gymnasium and high school) from 7 to 8 years and introduced the 3
sections: sciences, foreign languages and classical studies.
* introduced the examen to pass from the primary to the secondary school.
* supported the development of education in the rural environment, under the motto „a primary
school for every village”. He created over 1200 rural schools and founded the „Albina” weekly magazine
(1897).
* developed the practical nature of education
* supported extracurricular activities: he encouraged the festivities from 10 May (the National Day
of Romania) to 24 January (Unity Day). In 1898, he introduced the annual competitions of oina, held on 10
May.
* separated physical education from military instruction. Haret can actually be considered the
organizer of school gymnastics in Romania.
* provided a proper technical equipment in schools (eg. geographical maps in all classes).
* inspired the national feeling of pupils. Approved a list of public and historical monuments, inspired
poets such as Al. Vlahuţă and G. Coşbuc to write.
* replaced the baccalaureate with a general exam to graduate high school, more practical.
* he created pedagogical schools near every university and the Pedagogical Library (1903)

As for the universitary education, he introduced the examen at the end of every universitary year;
created the Universitary Senate, including the Rector, a dean and a representative from every faculty.

În 1909 he introduced the law for kindergartens (2 June 1909). The first kindergarten in Romania was
opened on 1 December 1897, and in 1909 over 168 kindergartens had been created.

He reorgnized and supported the vocational and technical education, with 4 sectors: agriculture,
forestry, crafts and trade. The obligated the big workshops of the country to help and support these schools.

At the 1899 census, only 22% of the country’s population was literate. After Spiru Haret’s terms, the
1912 census showed that nearly 40% people were literate (1.986.982 people from 5.047.342).
Statue in Bucharest (near our faculty), a crater on the moon.