site.btaHigh School Students in Gotse Delchev Work in Own Gardens, Grow Fruit and Vegetables

Students from a vocational high school for farming in Gotse Delchev work in their own flower gardens and grow fruit and vegetables in a municipal greenhouse, said the Education Ministry on Tuesday. Students work two or three days a week in the greenhouse and sell any produce, fresh or canned, they can.

They prune trees and hedges, plant flowers and maintain the green areas. The director of the municipal greening enterprise, Emilia Trakhanarova, is happy that young people have joined in, as in two years time they will be ready for the labor market, and some may decide to stay working in the municipal landscaping company. 

The high school has been operating in the dual education system of working while learning, for five years now and participates in the Support of the Dual Education System Project under the Operational Programme Science and Education for Smart Growth, co-financed by the European Union.

The students also grow fruit in their own high school farm, which are then sold in the high school store every afternoon. The store takes customer orders online.

"The dual form teaches us discipline, teamwork, we learn in a real environment and thus gain both experience and knowledge at the same time," said Nataliya Dzangova from the 11th grade. What she likes most is that she can work and study at the same time.

The school headmaster, Angel Zhivkov, is proud that the high school has over 530 students now, while only six years ago there were 100 students. He said that they have always taken into account what personnel the region needs, and have begun establishing partnerships with five agricultural companies. Some students already have employment contracts, Zhivkov said.