site.btaMassive Checks of Correctional Boarding Schools Launched on Ombudsman's Alert

Massive Checks of Correctional Boarding Schools Launched on Ombudsman's Alert

Sofia, January 18 (BTA) - The Supreme Administrative Prosecution Office (SAPC) has ordered massive joint checks of the correctional boarding schools countrywide, the Prosecution Office said in a press release on Monday.

The SAPO has received an alert from National Ombudsman Maya Manolova about irregularities at the correctional boarding schools in the Village of Rakitovo near Pazardjik (South Central Bulgaria) and the Village of Zavet near Razgrad (Northeastern Bulgaria) and at the social boarding schools in the Village of Podem near Pleven (North Central Bulgaria).

Correctional boarding schools are reform schools for juvenile delinquents, and social boarding schools are educational establishments for indigent, neglected or deviant children aged 7 to 18.

The irregularities concern the correctional intervention applied, subjecting the children accommodated at the boarding schools to physical and mental violence, degrading treatment, and use of educational methods impairing the children's dignity. Similar irregularities were also detected during a comprehensive check conducted in 2014 at the two types of boarding schools throughout the national territory, the press release said. Despite the action taken then by the competent authorities, the irregularities recur and the problems detected have not been addressed.

The joint checks have been assigned to the district prosecution offices in Sliven, Yambol, Silistra, Razgrad, Pleven, Gabrovo and Pazardjik, to the Chair of the State Agency for Child Protection, to the ministers of education and science, health, finance, etc.