site.btaReligion Classes Not Meant to Indoctrinate Students but to Educate Them, Head of Bulgarian Orthodox Church Says

The Holy Synod has been consistent in calling for including religion in the regular curriculum of Bulgarian schools "because it is a very important subject", Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil said in an interview on Bulgarian National Television Wednesday. He added that this subject "is not meant to indoctrinate children, but to educate them because faith is something personal".

A discussion on the potential reintroduction of religious education in Bulgarian schools was held at Sofia's National Palace of Culture on April 24. Organized by the Ministry of Education and Science, it featured attendees ranging from the Minister of Education and Science Krasimir Valchev and Patriarch Daniil to Grand Mufti Mustafa Hadzhi, MPs, university rectors, teachers and parents, as well as NGO representatives. There Valchev emphasized that the curriculum would not be compulsory but would aim to teach students about their own history, identity, and moral values, similar to educational models in several European countries such as Norway, Denmark, Spain, Slovakia and Germany. This will not be a compulsory class in catechesis, but will be a compulsory class in goodness, Valchev told journalists at the discussion. The subject of religion will not be compulsory. Rather, the children will be able to choose between options, with a curriculum with a focus on the formation of values and virtues, one combining humanistic, philosophical, cultural, ethical education with knowledge about religions, he added.

The idea of introducing religion in the school curriculum has drawn strong criticism and a protest has been scheduled for May 8. The event's hosts says in a Facebook post that putting religion on the curriculum would be "a step backwards". "We are not protesting against faith, but against turning the public school into an instrument of ideological preaching. We are protesting against the replacement of knowledge with dogma and against the attempt to raise obedient citizens rather than free minds."

Asked why there are people who are opposed to having religion in the curriculum, Patriarch Daniil said he does not think any parent would want their child not to be a good, caring and honest person. Nor would there be one who would not be proud with any achievement, show of empathy or compassion or helping someone in need. He blames the opposition to religion classes on "a false idea about the church in general". He explained that parents who do not want their children to study religion in general or a particular religion will be able instead to enroll their children in schools' ethics programme. 

The head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church also commented on the shortage of qualified staff and funding. "Currently, such [religion] teachers cannot make a living with this subject alone, but demand and future graduates will surely fill the gap in a couple of years, he said.