Staff Shortages Put More Than 2,200 Nursery Places in Sofia at Risk of Closure

Over 2,200 nursery places in Sofia are at risk of closure if nurses of retirement age stop working. Under current legislation, each nursery group must have at least two nurses; if there is a shortage, one may be replaced by a teacher appointed to the role of nurse. This requirement has made the positions difficult to fill. The question remains: how can existing nursery groups continue to operate while waiting for new kindergartens to be built?

At Sofia’s 8th Kindergarten, there are three nursery groups attended by 69 children. There is currently no shortage of nurses, but the critical issue is their age. The youngest is 62, and the oldest is 80. Antonia Doneva, a nurse who has devoted her life to children, is 70 years old. Although officially retired, she continues to work.

Antonia Doneva – Nurse: “Children who need nursery care are getting younger, while the nurses are getting older, but somehow we complement each other. It would be sad for me to stay at home, but one day I will want to rest – there is a limit. You cannot stay here your entire life, but children will always be in my heart.”

Velichka Popova – Director, 8th Kindergarten “Prof. Dr Elka Petrova”: “At some point, if these women decide to stop working, I don’t think we will be able to find younger replacements.”

Currently, every nursery group is required to have two nurses. In the event of a shortage, a teacher may be appointed as a second nurse, but in the position of nurse.

Desislava Zhelyazkova – Deputy Mayor for Education, Sofia Municipality: “This makes the role unattractive, as people do not accrue seniority in the profession. If only nurses over 70 leave the system, more than 2,000 children in Sofia could be left without nursery care. We are constantly closing nursery groups due to a lack of staff. This year, even fewer nursery places will be available in the general allocation – this is a real threat.”

Kindergarten directors are questioning whether children in nursery groups need to be cared for by nurses, and the Sofia Municipality is calling for regulatory changes.

Desislava Zhelyazkova: “Nursery care should move from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Education and be delivered primarily by pedagogical specialists. The nurses currently working in nurseries have a role in school and kindergarten medical offices.”

Velichka Popova: “Anyone with a degree in early childhood education could manage. Periodic first aid training is provided for all staff.”

At present, Sofia’s kindergartens are short of 300 nurses.