site.bta330,000 Children Supported under Education Ministry Projects for Equal Access to Education in Six Years

More than 330,000 children have been supported under Education and Science Ministry projects for equal access to education and skills formation in the last six years, Minister Galin Tzokov said at the opening of a forum in Plovdiv. The forum heard out reports on the results of the latest programming period of Operational Programme Science and Education for Smart Growth, the Education Ministry said on Friday.

Equal access to quality education is one of the important indicators of successful and quality education systems, said Tzokov, adding that education needs to shift from the acquisition of knowledge to the formation and building of skills and competencies.

Tzokov discussed successful inclusive education projects. He said the education of children in kindergartens and those with special educational needs are among his Ministry's main priorities. They were the focus of the projects for inclusive pre-school and school education, thanks to which 84,000 children from vulnerable groups or living in poverty were helped with training, financial incentives and psychological support to adapt and integrate in kindergarten, and 12,000 children and students with special educational needs, chronic illnesses and special gifts gained access to education.

Participating in the forum were Deputy Education and Science Ministers Natalia Miteva and Marieta Georgieva, Plovdiv Mayor Kostadin Dimitrov, school principals and students, among others.