site.btaOperational Programme "Science and Education for Smart Growth 2014-2020" Has a Budget of Lv 1.37 Bln

Operational Programme "Science and Education for Smart Growth 2014-2020" Has a Budget of Lv 1.37 Bln

Sofia, January 29 (BTA) - Operational Programme "Science and
Education for Smart Growth 2014-2020" has a budget of 1.37
billion leva, which will be co-financed with EU aid and national
budget money, Deputy Education and Science Minister Nikolai
Denkov said during a presentation of the programme on Thursday.

The first axis of the programme, "Scientific Research and
Technological Development," is using a budget of 560 million
leva throughout the whole programming period, and the second
axis, "Education and Lifelong Learning," is using 504.6 million
leva, Denkov said. The third axis, "Educational Environment for
Active Social Inclusion," can count on 252 million leva. Another
54.7 million leva is earmarked for technical assistance.

The programme, which is one of seven EU-supported Bulgarian
operational programmes for the 2014-2020 period, requires
Bulgaria to reckon with several EU goals, Denkov said. One goal
is that by 2020 the ratio of science and research spending to
GDP should become 3 per cent on average in the EU, and in
Bulgaria it should be 1.5 per cent, half of it financed with
public money and the other half with private funding. In 2013,
science and research spending in Bulgaria was a mere 0.64 per
cent of GDP, the Deputy Minister said.

Another goal is to reduce the school drop-out rate. The average
share of early school leavers in the EU should be reduced to 10
per cent by 2020, and in Bulgaria to 11 per cent. The current
ratio in the country is 12.5 per cent.

Still another goal concerns higher education. By 2020, the share
of persons aged 30 to 34 who have higher education should
increase to 40 per cent on average in the EU and 36 per cent in
Bulgaria.

Operational Programme "Science and Education for Smart Growth
2014-2020" will support, among other activities, teacher
education in universities, Denkov went on to say. It will
provide money for internships and practical training of teachers
and for their domestic and international mobility.

Bulgarian schools can apply for funding under the programme if
they want to improve access to education for children with
special learning needs, or promote the inclusion of Roma
children or refugee kids. Denkov said it came as a shock to him
that only 0.5 per cent of Roma make it into university.

Schools can seek financial aid to buy furniture, equipment,
information technology systems and interactive teaching aids.

Money will also be available for in-service training of
teachers. A special package is planned for vocational schools.
Universities can use aid to build regional research centres
linked to the economy.

Applicants can include schools, kindergartens, universities,
scientific organizations, and municipal governments.