site.btaParliament Passes Conclusively Entire New Pre-School and School Education Act

Parliament Passes Conclusively Entire New Pre-School and School Education Act

Sofia, September 30 (BTA) - Parliament аdopted conclusively the entire new Pre-school and School Education Act on Wednesday. The budget allocations for pre-school and school education should not be smaller in amount and GDP percentage than those in the preceding year.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party wanted to peg the expenditures to the latest EU average GDP percentage for education spending. The Patriotic Front and Ataka suggested that allocations should reach 5 per cent of GDP by 2018. Both proposals were voted down.

Under the voted provisions, the budget allocations will be distributed based on the number of children and students and the state per child subsidy set by the government.

Parents who fail to put their children in a school face a fine of 50 to 150 leva. The same fine is provided for parents who fail to make sure their children attend classes.

A fine of 5,000 to 10,000 leva is envisaged for organizations which provide day-care or educational services to children aged three to seven without holding the requisite licence.

Transportation will be provided for children in compulsory pre-school education and students in population centres with no kindergartens and schools. The budget will set aside allocations in support of equal access and personal development.

The budget allocations for children and students in private kindergartens and schools will be set by the budgets of municipalities in which they are seated, the number of students and the state subsidy. Private kindergartens and schools will have to present regular financial reports. Control over spending will be implemented by he municipal administration and the regional education authority.

Another provision in the new law says that a driving licence may be issued only to a person who has completed 10th grade. The change was proposed by GERB MPs.

The effective legislation allowes a person who has only been to 8th grade, to have a driving licence.

The new law takes effect on August 1, 2016 - except for the chapter on financing and assets which will become effective on January 1, 2017, as well as the driving licence provision (to be effective from 2022).

Addressing the legislature, Education Minister Todor Tanev called this "a historic act". "The law of 1991 was extremely outdated. It pre-dated Internet and the opening of the borders. It was meant for a different time with a different phylosophy." In his words, the new law starts liberalization, adaptation and freedom for teachers, parents and students.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party held a special news briefing in the Parliament building to reiterate their objections to the new legislation warning that it will aggravate social inequalities and worsen the quality of public education. MP Yanaki Stoilov said that the Socialists had critical attitude to the key provisions of the bill and find that it fails to address the pressing problems of the Bulgarian education.

MP Mariana Boyadjieva said that a significant part of the provisions were passed without consensus or majority - on a mere 70, 80 or 90 votes in the 240-seat legislature.