ARIPI – keeping vocational pupils in school
ARIPI keeps vocational-school pupils in education when they are on the point of dropping out. Romania’s early school leaving rate is 16.6%; Dolj County and the South-West Oltenia region are above the national average. The project works with 500 pupils in Craiova along three lines at once — money for transport, meals and accommodation, individual support over at least six months, and remedial teaching in reading, mathematics and science.
Key facts
| SMIS code | 348275 |
| Full title | ARIPI – Real support for inclusive educational pathways |
| Programme | Education and Employment Programme 2021-2027, European Social Fund Plus |
| Priority / SO | P8, vocational education and training · ESO4.6 |
| Our role | lead partner |
| Partner | UCECOM „Spiru Haret” Technological High School, Craiova |
| Grant agreement | no. 19079 of 12 August 2026, Ministry of Investments and European Projects |
| Period | 1 September 2026 – 31 August 2029 (36 months) |
| Total eligible value | RON 6,967,197.74, of which RON 6,907,824.84 non-repayable (99.15%) |
| Budget we manage | RON 3,998,553.40, 100% non-repayable |
| Partner’s budget | RON 2,968,644.34, of which RON 2,909,271.44 non-repayable (98%) |
| Area | Craiova, Dolj County |
Who benefits
500 pupils, identified individually. 180 receive conditional financial support for transport, meals and accommodation, plus personalised support for at least six months each. 215 enter remedial programmes, at least 151 of them in grade 9 — the year when dropping out is most likely. A further 105 lower-secondary pupils (grades 7 and 8) receive career guidance before choosing a secondary school. The project also works with 96 parents and trains 30 teachers through three accredited programmes.
Committed results
Output indicators EECO06 and EECO07 require 500 distinct pupils supported; indicator 5SO14 requires 96 parents or guardians supported; result indicator 5SR09 measures how many participants stay in education or improve their level of education. The project also commits to at least 10 partnerships with lower-secondary schools and 5 with employers.
Relevance for a partner
This is our most recent grant and the one where we hold the lead-partner role, with full financial and reporting responsibility for a consortium. If you are assessing whether we can carry a multi-year project through Romanian ESF+ reimbursement cycles, this is the project to look at.
Contact
Forever for Europe Association (Asociația „Mereu pentru Europa”), 43A Geniștilor Street, Craiova, Dolj County, Romania.
Email: mpe@mpe.ro · Phone: +40 351 176 824, +40 730 250 628 · PIC 946458877 · OID E10108505
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Co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus through the Education and Employment Programme 2021-2027 (Romania).
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