Bulgaria Govt Pushes Controversial Funding of Private Schools

Bulgaria's center-right GERB government's plans for state financing of private education have received a new boost by proposed amendments in the Schools Act revealed Tuesday.

According to the proposals, unveiled by Minister of Education Sergey Ignatov, private kindergartens and schools will start receiving funding from Bulgaria's state budget.

Although further details are to be determined, the Minister of Education said that state funding for private institutions will be "based on an approach comparable with that for public kindergartens and schools."

According to Ministry of Education data, some 0.9% of Bulgaria's pupils go to private institutions of primary learning.

Bulgaria will have to table BGN 10 M for private schools in 2013, if the proposed amendments to the Law on Pre-School and School Education are passed.

Key other reforms mandated by the amendments include a regime under which it will be virtually impossible for pupils through 5th grade to drop out of school due to poor grade.

1st to 3rd graders will no longer receive quantitative marks, but will be graded qualitatively. Pre-school education will be mandatory starting the age of 4.