The “Vasile Alecsandri” National College in Galați is ranked in the top 10 Colleges in Romania and is located in a historic building. The “Law of Public Instruction”, drawn up under the rule of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, stimulated the development of this national school. On 26 August 1867, the Ministry of Public Instruction and Denominations informed the mayor of Galați that a one-room secondary school has been budgeted. That letter stood as the birth certificate of the first humanistic secondary school in Galați, the future “Vasile Alecsandri” College. In his capacity as director, deputy and educational leader of Covurlui County, Ioan Tohăneanu led the construction of a boarding school for rural students (1923-1926), then continued the expansion of the school space by building a new wing of the College building, the auditorium / amphitheatre and the sports ground.

Between 1941 and 1944, the College was converted into a military hospital. Between 1944 and 1948 the College's title was cancelled and it became an 11-grade humanistic College, then until 1961 it operated according to the Soviet model and was called a “Mixed Humanistic Middle School” of 10 and 11 grades. Since 1964, the school has regained its traditional name: “Vasile Alecsandri” Humanistic High School of Galați. It was only after the Revolution of December 1989, through great transformations, restructurings and mutations, that this College entered the circuit of schools affiliated to UNESCO; the works of the National Symposium “Vasile Alecsandri” took place here. On 22 March 1992, the “Vasile Alecsandri” College Foundation was set up in Galați. In 2000, the school changed its name to “Vasile Alecsandri” National College of Galați. In 2017, the Ministry of National Education awarded the College with the Plaque and the “Spiru Haret” Anniversary Diploma for the educational activity and the performances recorded in over 150 years of its existence. Also, that year, the President of Romania awarded the College the “Merit for Education” Order in the rank of Officer.