site.btaDeputy Minister Miteva: Bulgarian Education Should Teach More Skills, besides Knowledge

It is very important to orient our whole education system towards skills, not just knowledge, said caretaker Deputy Minister of Education and Science Natalia Miteva in the discussion on innovation and education on the last day of the Green Transition Forum 4.0.

Miteva pointed out that skill development has been one of the biggest gaps in the Bulgarian education system over the years. This is also the reason why businesses complain that young people, although they have an incredible drive and many interests related to contemporary issues, may not be well enough prepared for what awaits them, as the education system lags behind in its overall paradigm right from primary grades to higher education, she said.

The deputy minister pointed out that the Ministry of Education has identified a serious problem with the so-called digital well-being of young people, which concerns the overall digital experience in the online environment. In this regard, she gave the example of doubled number of cybercrimes and attacks against young people from 2022 to 2023, including sexual abuse on the internet. Bulgaria also has one of the highest levels of time spent in front of screens for entertainment rather than learning among OECD countries, Miteva added.