site.btaEducation Ministry Plans to Increase Number of Psychologists at Schools

"We will look for opportunities to increase the number of psychologists next year. They will be directed primarily to kindergartens and schools where there is a higher number of aggressive behaviour and violence,"said Education Minister Galin Tzokov at a briefing at the Council of Ministers on Thursday. His statement was made after a meeting with Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov, which was also attended by the Ministers of Interior Kalin Stoyanov, Justice Atanas Slavov and Labour and Social Policy Ivanka Shalapatova. Tzokov defined psychologists as a particularly important element in the process of dealing with aggression.

In the minister's words, mentors also play an important role. There will be mentors in over 30 schools. The aim is that next year they will be able to operate on the territory of individual districts and conduct consultations in schools with more serious manifestations of bullying, he said.

A national personal development programme will also be launched from this year, the Minister announced. He said it would fund activities to work with parents. He pointed out that anti-violence measures should also start in families. The minister added that the national programme is expected to be extended to kindergartens besides schools.

Building conflict mediation teams is another measure that will be the focus of the Education Ministry. Tzokov said that instructors and psychologists, together with parents, will seek solutions in conflict situations.

Thursday's meeting followed an instruction of Prime Minister Denkov to ministers to identify within a week non-working mechanisms for tackling violence and map out ways for their improvement.