site.btaForum in Sofia Discusses Ways to Help Children with Special Educational Needs

Since the 2016/2017 school year, the number of children with special educational needs (SEN) has increased by 5,317, MP Yordanka Fandakova said on Tuesday during a forum dedicated to new challenges and good models in the field of inclusive education for students with special educational needs. The forum was initiated by Fandakova, a member of the parliamentary committee on education and science.

In 2016/2017, there were 14,054 children with special needs and for the 2024/2025 school year there are 19,371, Fandakova said, citing data from the Ministry of Education and Science. The number of children with emotional behavioural disorders this year is 1,907, an increase of 1,416 compared to 2016, according to data from the Ministry of Education. The total number of children with SEN this school year in grades 1 to 4 is 7,769, in grades 5 to 7 is 6,645 and in the 8-10 grade stage - 3,350, Fandakova added.

The law on school and pre-school education regulates inclusive education and ten years have already passed since its adoption, Fandakova pointed out, adding that it is necessary to take stock of the challenges and results.

The participants in the discussion will talk about issues affecting the education system, but this goal requires coordinating the efforts of the social and health systems and probably next month a broader discussion will be organized, Fandakova added.

When the law was adopted, it was modern and fair because of the introduction of the philosophy of inclusive education, said Greta Gancheva, director of the Inclusive Education Directorate at the Ministry of Education and Science. “We must uphold this philosophy because the most important thing is to be consistent in our efforts to make schools more equitable and progressive to meet the diversity of students' needs,” she said.

“We focus not on diagnoses, but on ensuring that every child finds his or her rightful place in the education process. The challenge is to provide specialists in smaller localities,” she said.

The forum is attended by Minister of Education and Science Krasimir Valchev, MPs, guests, representatives of several schools.