site.btaMobile Phone Use by Schoolchildren to Be Banned in Schools from November - Education Minister

Minister of Education and Science Krasimir Valchev told reporters here on Monday that his Ministry has tabled more than 20 amendments to the Pre-school and School Education Act for the National Assembly to consider. He shared his expectations that following the adoption of the amendments, a ban on the use of mobile phones by schoolchildren in schools will come into effect as early as November.

The Minister attended the official opening of the renovated building of the College of Tourism at Burgas State University Prof. Dr. Assen Zlatarov.

Valchev reported that the mathematics exams after seventh and tenth grade will require knowledge of basic concepts from the natural sciences. He specified: "This will continue to be a mathematics exam insofar as it will consist entirely of mathematical problems, but some of them will require the application of knowledge from the natural sciences. Nothing more than what is in the curriculum. They will not be required to know formulas and memorize concepts but only to solve practical problems."

Earlier Monday, Valchev had a meeting with the staff of the Burgas Regional Department of Education, with representatives from the departments in Yambol and Sliven to discuss the expected results and necessary changes in education.

Valchev reported that he will insist on increasing the salaries of employees in regional departments, because in recent years their salaries have lagged behind those of teachers. He said: "Regional administrations are the most important structures in the system, because they see what is happening on the ground, and on the other hand, they have to implement the policies that we set from above."