Minister of Education: 2020/2021 school year will start with in-person attendance

The Minister of Education, Krassimir Valchev and the Deputy Mayor of Sofia, Todor Chobanov, on August 27 gave a briefing in connection with the beginning of the new school year and the forthcoming changes in the Law on Preschool and School Education.

"With a great deal of confidence we can predict that the epidemic situation will continue for 10-12 months, throughout the school year. We must find a way for the education system to work," said Education and Science Minister Krassimir Valchev at a briefing.

The situation is still very uncertain, but the ministry is ready with several options for starting the school year, depending on the situation with COVID-19 in the autumn. In general, the school year starts in-person for all schools, said the Minister of Education.

"We have chosen a combination of two strategies. The model is based on switching. Schools will be ready for it. Most likely, one will be needed when the flu epidemics start," the minister said.

The principle of non-interaction between classes in schools and groups in kindergartens is introduced. If there is a sick child, the aim will be to limit the physical contact of the children outside the class or group.

In addition, there will be mandatory and optional safety measures. Wearing protective masks will be mandatory, but not in classrooms, only in common areas. Some schools have already announced that they will work on a schedule in which different classes start classes at different times and thus there will be difference in the breaks. Each school will make its own list of measures. There is no doubt that the year will be difficult, Valchev said.

"If we leave schools closed, we risk having more negative consequences for children than those that could be caused by the pandemic. There is also talk of a generational crisis. The challenge is to protect children's health."

When there is a child with symptoms, it will be separated. Parents will be notified immediately and they will have the responsibility to take the child to a doctor. In case of an infected student or teacher, Regional Health Inspectorate will be notified immediately, he explained.

Our other challenge is to provide maximum compensatory training, said the Minister of Education. One option is for students to stay in daily form of education, the other alternative is to change the form of education to e-learning. We will try to have more consultations in e-learning and work in a virtual environment. An hourly rate of BGN 15 per hour for additional lessons has been accepted.

The third option is distance learning. We will be able to start this form of training by the end of September or the beginning of October.

It is also planned to turn about 20 schools into distance learning centres. They will be able to cover students from more than one area, if necessary. The change of the form of education means interaction with other teachers and change of the school, Valchev specified.

We hope the parents will choose the in-person training, said Valchev.

"Additional funds will be provided for the municipalities for the maintenance of the children after the introduction of the compulsory pre-school education for 4-year-olds. They will be for the purchase of aids, as well as for food for the students," the minister explained.