the romanian school is obligatory for 10 years. children also have the opportunity to be part of a voluntary pre-school at an early age 3–6 years. after school, students can voluntarily take the entrance exam to high school, which has a range of practical and theoretical lines. there are over 40 higher educational institutions, including five universities and five technical colleges. tuition is free and is a hot political commitment even at the university. the country's minorities have the opportunity to receive instruction in their native language. since 1989, education has been reformed. but it has been slow and the standard of education varies greatly in different parts of the country, education has improved the standard of urban compared to rural areas where quality can be very low. romania participates fully in the eu's education program.