site.btaMinistry of Education and Science Publishes Report on Activity in Past Nine Months

The Ministry of Education and Science published a report on its activity over its nine months in office. The results achieved by the Ministry include an increase in teachers' remuneration, initiating competitions for principals in 276 municipal schools, developing a vision for a standard of quality management in school and pre-school education, and starting a comprehensive change of curricula.

The past nine months marked the beginning of real digitization in education. The Digital Backpack of the Ministry of Education and Science already includes more than 30,000  resources. Bulgaria is also one of the first countries to develop guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in the educational process. The process of building STEM centres in all of the over 2,200 Bulgarian schools has also begun. The National STEM Centre found a permanent location at Sofia Tech Park, stated the report.

Significant investments have also been made in the schools' material base, with 577 classrooms in the field of humanities renovated, 177 new rooms added for extra-curricular activities, 331 schools were equipped with new school libraries or reading corners. The process of renovating sports grounds and gyms in over 500 Bulgarian schools has also been initiated with financing of nearly a quarter of a billion BGN.

The government also created a programme with a budget of BGN 240 million for the construction and expansion of nurseries, kindergartens and schools, under which 33 new buildings began construction, and another 57 will be reconstructed and renovated. Next year's schoolbooks textbooks and study sets will be provided free of charge to all students under the state budget.

Measures aimed at higher education and science were also a major focus. During the past nine months, the Scientific-Research and Innovation Promotion Bill was developed and passed at first reading. The minimum salary for the lowest academic position in state higher education institutions increased by BGN 310 in 2023, and funds were pledged in the 2024 budget for a further increase of BGN 290. Changes were also prepared to the Higher Education Act, which provide for free higher education for all students and doctoral students admitted within the state order quota. A total of BGN 200 million has also been provided for the renovation of student dormitories, and in the coming months a new national programme with a budget of BGN 10 million will focus on the modernization of academic libraries in 33 public higher education institutions.