site.btaEducation Minister Stresses Importance of Focusing on Preschoolers

Bulgaria’s Education and Science Minister Krasimir Valchev Thursday stressed the crucial importance of focusing on preschool children, especially those from vulnerable groups, before the new school year begins. Looking at educational outcomes after fourth and seventh grades, it is clear that schools with children who do not speak Bulgarian stand out for their lower performance, he said. "Poor results in Bulgarian language and literature are mainly concentrated in these schools, kindergartens, and settlements, and to a large extent depend on whether children have attended kindergarten," the Minister added. 

Valchev spoke during a meeting of the coordination unit responsible for implementing a mechanism for the joint work of institutions on the coverage, inclusion and prevention of dropping out of the educational system of children and pupils in compulsory preschool and school age. The event, held at the Council of Ministers, was also attended by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev, deputy ministers, regional governors, heads of agencies, and representatives of the National Association of the Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, among others. 

"For the mechanism to work effectively at the preschool level, it is crucial that mayors are engaged, as they are the employers of kindergarten directors. The work done by educational mediators is also important," Valchev said. 

Valchev noted that for the first time last year, Eurostat reported that Bulgaria’s rate of early school leavers - defined as individuals aged 18 to 24 who have completed at most lower secondary education - is below the European Union average. He attributed this improvement to the dropout prevention mechanism. However, he emphasized the need to maintain these efforts, as the rate of 9.3% reported by Eurostat still means around 5,000 children drop out from every school cohort before graduating. "The goal of any education system is for all children to complete grade 12, which is considered educational maturity," Valchev said.

The Minister identified the increase in the average years of schooling among children from Roma communities as a positive development. While previously many dropped out after eighth grade, the average dropout point has shifted to the tenth grade, he said, adding that this change is partly due to the opportunity of obtaining a driver’s license but also because of evolving attitudes toward education. 

With roughly 100,000 people retiring and only 60,000 young people entering the workforce annually, the country faces a shortfall of 40,000 workers each year. While the education system cannot produce more children, it can reduce dropout rates, the Minister said.

He stressed the importance of engaging the Ministries of Interior and Labor and Social Policy. "In recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic and amid frequent government changes, we have seen the mechanism weaken. It was more effective where regional governors were more actively involved,” Valchev said. He emphasized the crucial role regional governors play, as heads of Regional Departments of Education often lack the institutional authority to coordinate other local agencies. Similarly, the mechanism works better where municipalities and mayors are engaged.

Over the years, compulsory preschool education has been introduced first for six-year-olds, then five-year-olds, and four years ago for four-year-olds. Research shows that early enrollment in kindergarten significantly improves educational outcomes, especially for children from families where Bulgarian is not spoken and where educational responsibility may be lacking. These children perform better, advance further, and are better prepared for first grade, Valchev said.