site.btaSchools in Haskovo Region Have Opportunity to Improve Quality of Education with European Funds

Schools and educational institutions in Haskovo Region have the possibility to develop and improve their training thanks to the opportunity to invest European funds in education, Silviya Kasabova, Head of the Haskovo Regional Department of Education, said during a local conference here on Wednesday. The event was part of BTA’s Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project.

She emphasized that this allows education to be of higher quality and children and employees in these educational institutions to receive different opportunities, adding that schools in the region have long been working under the education programme. "This programme supports the effective implementation of the competency-based approach to digitalization and transformation of school education, including vocational education and training", Kasabova stated.

"Through the activities that schools and kindergartens manage to implement under various projects that are part of the programme, talented students can be supported," she added, pointing out that the programme also provides support to children in small settlements and segregated areas.

Kasabova noted that that several projects are currently being implemented in educational institutions in Haskovo Region, one of which is aimed at modernization of vocational education and is being implemented in nine vocational high schools and seven secondary schools with vocational classes. “The main goal of this project is to adapt education to the dynamics of the labour market and develop students’ skills for current and future professions,” Kasabova pointed out.

She also presented a second project, which is being implemented in the region at the moment. “Its main goal is to encourage and develop the potential for personal development of students for their permanent inclusion in school education and improve their educational results,” Kasabova said, adding that with the implementation of the activities under the project, additional pedagogical and non-pedagogical specialists were brought forth to educational institutions to provide general and additional support for personal development.

Under a third project, implemented in Haskovo Region, kindergartens had the opportunity to appoint additional pedagogical specialists. "With the financial resources that were provided to them, this gave them great opportunities," Kasabova emphasized. She also said that that since 2020, STEM centres have been built in 11 schools in the region. "Currently, the procedure has begun in 61 schools and the activities are at different stages," she concluded.

BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project aims to raise public awareness and foster open dialogue about cohesion policy, local achievements, and the implementation of the EU's policy priorities. The project kicked off with a conference in Veliki Preslav in November 2024. The schedule of conferences until the end of September 2025 includes events in the following cities: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kazanlak, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Razgrad, Ruse, Samokov, Svishtov, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Troyan, Targovishte, Haskovo, Shumen, and Yambol. Cross-border conferences will be held in Belgrade, Bosilegrad, Bucharest, Edirne, Skopje, and Thessaloniki. The project builds on the Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future projects, implemented by BTA in 2023 and 2024, respectively.