site.btaEducation Minister Tsokov: Funds Allocated for Higher Education Exceed BGN 1 Bln for First Time

With the budget for 2024, for the first time the funds allocated by the State for Bulgarian public higher education institutions exceeded BGN 1 billion, caretaker Minister of Education and Science Galin Tsokov was quoted by his Ministry as saying during the opening of a meeting of the Council of Rectors at the University of Veliko Tarnovo ''St. Kiril and Methodius''.

The Ministry of Education noted that BGN 807 million of the 2024 state budget were allocated for higher education institutions, including the subsidy for the maintenance of education of BGN 666 million.

"During the year, additional funds were provided three times to increase staff salaries and scholarships for PhD students", Tsokov said, adding that these additional funds totaled BGN 234 million, bringing the total resources made available to public universities to over BGN 1.041 billion. Along with this, BGN 200 million has been provided for the renovation of student accommodations.

Tsokov congratulated the Rectors for their visionary leadership of the higher education institutions of Bulgaria in the face of so many challenges. ''I am sure that together we will continue to look for all opportunities to be even more successful for the sake of young people and to give them reasons to stay and grow in Bulgaria,'' the Minister said.