Excerpt
SUMMARY: In Romania, 8-year-old Raluca's family does not take economic security or education for granted. WNET's documentary series "Time for School" visits Bucharest to examine how opportunities have changed for young people in the post-communist era.
JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour): But, first, we continue our coverage of the global education crisis with a look at our New York public station WNET's documentary series “Time for School.”
For 12 years, PBS has followed six children from around the world who are simply trying to get a basic education.
Tonight, we meet Raluca from post-communist Romania, whose parents have been working long hours to give her every opportunity in the country’s new free market economy.
RALUCA IFRIMESCU (through interpreter): This is my bed where I sleep. And this is Sylvester, the cat that I sleep with.
This is the drawer where I keep a lot of books. And this is a book that shows you everything about nature: the earth, animals, people. This book shows you everything. You should buy it. And this is from my mom and dad’s wedding. They’re really wonderful people for me.
NARRATOR: Raluca Ifrimescu is 8 years old and lives in Bucharest, Romania, with her parents, Cristi and Mirela.
CRISTI IFRIMESCU, Father of Raluca (through interpreter): What counts is for the child not to lack anything. We struggle for it.
NARRATOR: Though Raluca's family seems to enjoy a comfortable life, economic security is not something they take for granted. Romania is a work in progress. When communism ended in 1989, the country began a transition to capitalism.
Raluca's parents are trying to give her every opportunity to succeed in the new free market economy, and they know the best possible education is essential. Her family can’t afford a baby-sitter, so Raluca commutes 45 minutes to school on her own every day to attend a public school considered one of the finest in Bucharest.
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