Receives a Certificate of Quality from ARACIP
By Virginia Nistor, director and educator
The Răsărit Kindergarten in Bucharest, Romania is known and chosen by parents, children, volunteers, ecologists, student practitioners and educators due to some defining aspects: the model and role of the teachers, the gentle adaptation at the pace of each child, the neohumanist values with each subvalence they promote, the lactovegetarian menu, the activities that nourish emotion, and the generous yard, beautifully decorated with natural materials for holistic learning that awakens and stimulates all the children’s senses.
After a team effort, carried out over several years, with completion in April 2026, Grădinița Răsărit passed with flying colors and real appreciation the periodic evaluation of Aracip = Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Pre-university Education. The periodic evaluation takes place 5 years after obtaining accreditation and is carried out by professional committees that objectively evaluate the school units in our country.
The beginnings and hard teamwork
It was not easy at all. Many times we felt that we could not do it anymore and were falling into an abyss of helplessness, but the support of the entire community and the pure smiles of the children gave us the strength to move forward. The colossal work efforts of the entire team spanned the five years since the kindergarten was accredited. It is difficult to summarize the process until the actual inspection and the day of the periodic evaluation.
A lot of work was done on the documentation side, with each commission being very well organized and structured. Thousands of documents were scanned, and just as many documents were uploaded to the platform so that they could be analyzed in detail by the expert commission.
The requirements were clear from the beginning: the mirror of the documents should reflect reality.
We waited with a lot of emotion, stress and a heavy heart for the decisive day, but until then, the months, weeks, days, hours and seconds were dedicated to the kindergarten and everything it entails. Everything else took a back seat.
Our mission was clear from the beginning, even if emotions, insomnia and negative thoughts managed to creep into the subconscious – we must carry forward the values of moral-civic education and at least keep our standing, if we cannot improve the work of our predecessors. People sacrificed their lives for the ideal of education, we must respect their efforts and at least keep the flowers clean in the garden, if we cannot plant others. These were the thoughts that gave me the strength to continue on this path, initially difficult, but also challenging for a director at the beginning of the journey.
The long-awaited day has arrived
It is a crucial moment for the kindergarten, which confirms that quality standards in education are respected and appreciated at the highest level. Following the periodic evaluation, Grădinița Răsărit is an institution accredited by experts of the Ministry of Education and Research, which confirms the high quality of our services.
This success occurred only thanks to our united, involved team, which was shoulder to shoulder for the periodic evaluation process.
We are deeply grateful to the teachers for their dedication. They have all our admiration for the extraordinary work they do every day. Work that goes beyond the kindergarten gate every time. The team of teachers is very close-knit, stable and professional, and in key moments it was body and soul for the kindergarten project.
They created a very beautiful and safe balance: Madhavii and Sorina with their expertise in neohumanist education, their loyalty and stability, offered from the beginning together with Alina and Ana who came with new energy, fresh air, seriousness and perseverance to triumph as a team.
All of this was guided with great tact and total devotion by our courageous leader, Didi Ananda Madhupurna, who was close to us every second. We are very grateful to have such a gentle, warm and dedicated light in her presence. It is an honor for us Romanians to receive the brilliance of her teachings.
Of course, all these successes and joys would not have happened without the undeniable merits of Didi Ananda Devapriya, who believed in, grew and consolidated this project of Neohumanist education in Romanian lands.
The success was also due to the community of parents who added a valuable brick to the kindergarten. They got involved and helped so much. The kindergarten and especially the yard, bear the imprint of the parents’ work and involvement.
To the children, who impressed the evaluation expert committee with the detailed explanations provided about the projects they are carrying out. The evaluation committee was very surprised by how beautifully and comprehensively the children explained their recycling projects. This success was also shared with the sector inspector who had the role of observer at this inspection.
Each person had a very important contribution to our project and we are very grateful to them for all the help they provided.
We were truly delighted by the experts’ report, which highlighted the strengths of Neohumanist education and its special role globally. The evaluation committee also conveyed to us that this kindergarten has something very special.
Unique Outdoor Education
Returning to the star of the kindergarten – the yard– I would like to mention that in the Răsărit Kindergarten, the children from the “Ladybugs”, “Bees” and “Butterflies” groups are the eternal friends of Mother Nature. Through the small but meaningful gestures they make, they show their universal love for the world from the blade of grass to the birds, snails, earthworms, seeds, seedlings, flowers, trees, soil, etc. They love to look at plants in all their shapes and colors, to explore them naturally, to feel their scent, to listen to the sound of water, to dance thanks to the wind, to hug trees or give a kiss to flowers, to play spontaneously with their hands in compost, creating different games that they take to another imaginative level, expressing pure joy, in a word, to feel and connect with the endless splendor and richness of nature.
In the connections that children establish with Mother Nature, it is essential that they are carefully guided so that they share their gift with the entire universe and all life forms that belong to it. Guiding us by the principle: “I have a gift, the world needs my gift and I am ready to share it,” children form the basis of awareness of the satisfaction that comes from actively contributing to the environment and because of this they grow intrinsically.
The kindergarten yard is the perfect setting for children to learn using all their senses. It has:
- Compost bins – where children visually learn the cycle of life, understand the value of waste and actively participate in protecting the environment by reducing household waste;
- Tree house – children explore, test their physical endurance and create role-playing games, imagining the whole world;
- Sensory garden – sensory integration facilitates the learning process;
- Boxes with aromatic herbs (rosemary, basil, sage, lemongrass…) and vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, etc.) – children learn about plants, vegetables and nature through direct interaction, developing their curiosity and responsibility towards the environment;
- Grapevine – children are involved in observing and seeing the vine from bud to grape, as well as the changes in all seasons;
- Flower garden – children plant, water and care for flowers, cultivating their care for beauty and nature;
- Sand and stones – children create games to stimulate creativity from natural elements;
- Lawn – children actively participate in cleaning it of sticks and pebbles. It is a space that they explore with their bare feet, offering them calm, relaxation and connection with the earth.
The result of outdoor education with neohumanist inspiration and real care for nature is reflected in the ideas that children are left with, forming the basis of a healthy psychology that, once cultivated, continues to sprout, grow, flourish, and bear fruit throughout life.
Being authentic and presenting our activities to the evaluation committee, the outdoor space being so welcoming, warm and open, I think was a big plus, and that uniqueness was given by the neohumanist influences, so present in the outdoor space, which are reflected in every corner.