site.btaUPDATED AI Implementation Framework for Schools to Be Developed

A framework for the implementation of artificial intelligence in school education, outlining the boundaries of its use, will be developed within weeks jointly with experts and social partners, Bulgarian Education and Science Minister Galin Tsokov told journalists here on Thursday.

He does not think that AI can possibly supplant the human teacher. "Along with artificial intelligence, development of children's personality traits, their social and emotional development, is very important in Education 5.0," the Minister added. He argued that the teacher's role has yet to change to a classroom inspirer and leader.

Asked about the idea of teaching Bulgarian language as a foreign language, Tsokov was adamant that his Ministry has an official stand on the subject which he entirely backs and that he will not allow anything like as long as he is minister. He added that he is unfamiliar with the ideas of the working commission and expects it to submit its report after September 11. 

The Minister commented further that the national electronic system for preschool and school education is being upgraded. Its functioning is to be checked shortly and if any issues emerge, they will be addressed, he said.

Regarding the idea to introduce a discipline grade at school, Tsokov noted that this matter, too, should be discussed with experts and social partners. Expressing a personal position, he said he was in favour of a development of a positive educational environment which presupposes greater activity and independence of schoolchildren.

Over the last six years, the number of innovative schools has more than trebled to 548 at present. Two or more innovative projects are implemented in a quarter of these schools, Tsokov said, quoted by his Ministry in a press release. He was addressing the 3rd International Educational Forum "Innovative Educational Environment through the Prism of Emotional Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence. Directions and Challenges" (August 31 - September 1, 2032), organized by Varna Municipality.

"The number of pupils attending innovative schools is rising, too. All this shows that a culture supportive of innovation has established itself in Bulgarian educational institutions," the Minister added. He noted yet another positive trend: ever more projects target children's social-emotional development, which should be in the focus of teachers' overall activity and are an important step towards reducing aggression at school.

Tsokov noted that the setting up of STEM labs at all schools under the Recovery and Resilience Plan and the activities under the Innovation in Action National Programme will upgrade what has been achieved so far. That programme enables schools to exchange innovations through mobility, site visits, demonstrations and observation of innovations. Setting up innovation laboratories, which can involve school principals, university lecturers and business representatives, is planned this year under the programme, the Education Minister pointed out. A more focused pursuit of innovations and their multiplication in the educational system will become possible as a result of all this, he added.
 
The nearly 300 local and foreign participants in the International Educational Forum included Varna Mayor Ivan Portnih, MEP Emil Radev, National Assembly Education and Science Committee Chair Krasimir Valchev, Bulgarian Union of Teachers Chair Yanka Takeva, and Union of Managers in the Public Education System President Diyan Stamatov.