site.btaFour Projects Implemented in Smolyan Region under 2021-2027 Education Programme, Says Regional Education Department Head

Four projects are being implemented in Smolyan Region under the 2021-2027 Education Programme, Regional Education Department Head Nikola Zapryanov said during a local conference as part of BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project. The conference took place at the BTA National Press Club here on Tuesday.

He pointed out that schools in the region are also working on 18 national programmes and on projects funded by the Erasmus + programme, adding that the latest project under the programme includes a visit to the Rhodope town by teachers and students from Malta, Sweden, Portugal, Poland and Turkiye.

Smolyan Region continues to be one of the regions with the best educational indicators, Zapryanov emphasized, recalling that it is in the top places in national assessments in any format. The region has six vocational and two specialized high schools, 14 secondary and 31 primary schools, two schools focused on culture and one municipal sports school. He also stated that there is no student who does not have access to education and that there is a 97% coverage of children in preschool and school education in the region.

The region also follows the national trend of focusing on vocational education, Zapryanov said, as it must become leading in order to provide business with the necessary personnel. He noted that there is an increase in the popularity of new specialties in vocational education such as Internet Application Organizer, E-commerce Organizer and Mechatronics, adding that professions related to programming are extremely widespread. Zapryanov concluded that STEM centres have also already been built in Smolyan Region under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. 

BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project aims to raise public awareness and foster open dialogue about cohesion policy, local achievements, and the implementation of the EU's policy priorities. The project kicked off with a conference in Veliki Preslav in November 2024. Until September 2025, BTA will host discussions at its press clubs in the following cities: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kazanlak, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Razgrad, Ruse, Samokov, Svishtov, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Troyan, Targovishte, Haskovo, Shumen, and Yambol. Cross-border conferences will be held in Belgrade, Bosilegrad, Bucharest, Edirne, Skopje, and Thessaloniki. The project builds on the Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future projects, implemented by BTA in 2023 and 2024, respectively.