In short: the “class fund” has no legal basis. The framework regulation on the organisation and functioning of pre-university education units (ROFUIP) removed every provision that allowed money to be collected from parents, and involving unit staff or children in collecting and managing such funds is prohibited and constitutes a disciplinary offence. The only legal route for contributions is the parents’ association, on a voluntary basis.

Every September, the same discussion appears in the WhatsApp groups of kindergarten classes across Cluj. Here is the legal framework, so you know exactly where you stand.

What the law says about collecting money

Two anchors:

1. State education is free. The principle is constitutional, which means a parent’s refusal to contribute is well-founded, not an act of bad faith.

2. ROFUIP removed any basis for a “fund”. The framework regulation approved in 2022 (Education Ministry Order no. 4,183/2022, applicable from 1 September 2022) explicitly provided for the elimination of any provision or reference that made it possible to collect money from parents. The regulation has since been updated — the version in force was approved by Education Ministry Order no. 5,726/2024, as subsequently amended (Order no. 6,055/2025) — but the line remains the same.

The direct consequence: the teacher, the head of unit and any employee cannot collect or manage money from parents. This is not a matter of goodwill or “that’s how we do it here” — it is a disciplinary offence.

So what is the “class fund”?

In practice, the class fund is an informal arrangement between parents, not a unit fee. Everything that matters follows from this:

  • It is strictly voluntary. Nobody can impose it.
  • It cannot be a condition for anything. A child cannot be excluded from activities, performances or gifts because their parents did not contribute.
  • It cannot be managed by unit staff.
  • It has no legal basis as a “fee”. There is no obligation to pay.

The sums discussed vary widely. What you need to remember is that none of them is owed.

How contributions can legally be made

If parents genuinely want to contribute to equipping the group, the correct route is the parents’ association:

  • The association is a separate legal entity from the education unit, with statutes, a bank account and accounting.
  • Contributions are voluntary and go to the association, not to the teacher.
  • The association can fund purchases for the group and must report how the money was spent.
  • Unit staff are not involved in collecting or managing it.

The money-free alternative, often more effective: volunteering and in-kind donations (materials, books, toys) made directly to the unit, with a donation record.

There are also real tax levers that have nothing to do with the class fund — see our guides on the nursery and kindergarten tax deduction and nursery vouchers.

What to do if you are asked for money

A calm route, in order:

1. Ask who is actually asking. A parent representative for the group, or a unit employee? If it is staff, the situation is clearly outside the regulation.

2. Ask for details in writing. For what exactly, how much, who administers it, how it is accounted for. A legitimate request through a parents’ association handles these questions without difficulty.

3. Say no, if you want to. You need no justification. Since the contribution is voluntary, refusing cannot have consequences for your child.

4. Report it if pressure appears. If an employee is collecting money, or if refusal rebounds on your child, you can file a written complaint with the head of unit, with a registration number, then with the Cluj County School Inspectorate. For the step-by-step complaint procedure, see also our guide on what to do when a problem arises at kindergarten.

Private kindergartens are different

At private units, the relationship is contractual. There you pay what you signed for — but anything not in the contract is worth challenging. Additional sums requested during the year must have a contractual basis.

For clarity before enrolling:

At state nurseries in Cluj-Napoca, the monthly fee mainly covers meals, and exemptions exist for some situations — see nursery fee exemptions and reductions.

Frequently asked questions

Is the kindergarten class fund legal? Not as a fee. ROFUIP removed every provision allowing money to be collected from parents, and involving unit staff in collecting or managing such funds is prohibited and constitutes a disciplinary offence. A voluntary contribution between parents, through a parents’ association, is the only legal form.

Can I refuse to pay the class fund? Yes, without justification. The contribution is voluntary, and refusing cannot have consequences for your child.

Can the teacher collect the money? No. Education unit staff cannot collect or manage funds from parents.

Can my child be excluded from a performance if I didn’t contribute? No. Making participation in activities conditional on a voluntary contribution has no legal basis.

How can materials for the group be bought then? Through the parents’ association, with voluntary contributions and transparent reporting, or through in-kind donations made directly to the unit, with a donation record.

Where do I complain if I am pressed for money? In writing to the head of unit, with a registration number, then to the Cluj County School Inspectorate.

Sources

Conclusion

The class fund is not a fee but an arrangement between parents — voluntary, unconditional and without unit staff involvement. If you want to contribute, do it through the parents’ association, with clear reporting. If you don’t, you are fully entitled to refuse, and your child cannot be disadvantaged.

If you are still choosing between a state and a private unit in Cluj-Napoca, compare them on the piticluj.ro interactive map. See also our data sources.