site.bta2024/2025 School Year Is First with Free Textbooks for All Students in Bulgaria

The new school year will be the first when all students in Bulgaria will get free textbooks. "Comprehensive preparations have been made and the 2024/2025 school year will be the first with free textbooks for all students," the Education and Science Ministry said in late August in a report on the work done by the caretaker government between April and August.

There are 509 approved textbooks and study kits in general education subjects. A total of BGN 122 million is available for reference books, textbooks and study kits, which are provided free of charge for children aged between 3 and 6 and for students from 1st to 12th grade.  

Answering BTA's question about the free textbooks on Thursday, the Ministry's press office said the Council of Ministers allocated over BGN 93 million on February 22 for the purchase of textbooks, e-readable textbooks, study kits and learning aids for children and students between 1st and 12th grade in municipal kindergartens and schools. The Education and Science Ministry provides funding for the rest of the schools from its own budget.

The Preschool and School Education Act was amended to provide free textbooks and study kits in general education subjects and in religion, mother tongue and choreography for all students from 1st to 12th grade from the 2024/2025 school year.

The Education Ministry explained that the textbooks from 2nd to 12th grade can be used for three years. After that, new textbooks are purchased. During the three-year period, additional funds for textbooks and e-readable textbooks are made available for each school year if the number of students increases from the previous school year.

The September 10 deadline for delivery of reference books, textbooks and study kits to state, municipal and private kindergartens and schools, including textbooks for pupils studying in the European Schools, will be met, the Ministry said.