Ombudsman Maya Manolova Suggests Compulsory and Free Pre-Primary Education

A compulsory and free pre-primary education should be introduced for 4- and 5-year-old children, Ombudswoman Maya Manolova said during a discussion on ethnic integration in Asenovgrad.

She estimated the associated costs at nearly BGN 19 million.

Every seventh student aged 15-18 does not attend school. The investments in Roma integration should focus precisely on education, she stressed, adding that over 21,000 children dropped out of school in 2015/2016.

The next challenge is to provide a free lunch for children in schools.

The efforts should focus on supporting desegregation, including children in all forms of pre-primary education, reducing school dropout rate and involving Roma youth in different forms of vocational, secondary and tertiary education.

In the words of Deputy PM Valery Simeonov, the government has taken steps to set up groups from different institutions to work towards the integration of all children into the system of education and putting in place measures with regard to parents who do not ensure their children’s school attendance. 

Source: DarikNews

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!