site.btaNew Programme Provides State-funded Week-long Holiday in Bulgarian Resorts to 30,000 School Children

May 28 (BTA) - Some 30,000 school children from grades 1 to 11 will be able to spend a week-long holiday at Bulgarian resorts free of charge, the Education and Science Ministry said, announcing a new programme called Together Again. The costs of the holidays: transport, accommodation, food, social programme and insurance for the kids and for the teachers that accompany them, will be fully covered by the State. The programme was developed in partnership with the ministries of finance and tourism. The holidays will be taken after the end of the school year.

Applications to take part in the programme will be possible to make after the programme is approved by the caretaker cabinet which is expected to take place at the start of July at the latest.

All 2,258 state and municipal schools will be eligible to take part in the programme. Each school will put forward up to 70 students selected by the teachers who will take part the holiday, with their parents' consent. The applications will be considered on a first come, first served basis until the programme resources have been spent.

The programme is funded with money from the central government budget set aside for support to the tourism sector. RI/ZH//