New school and academic year started in Bulgaria

Today is the opening day of the new school year in Bulgaria for 730 000 pupils. Fist-graders this year are 63 000.

Vice-President Margarita Popova, government ministers and mayors take part in the school opening ceremonies across the country. As of this year all 5-year olds will be covered by the school system. Education Ministry sources maintain that through this new initiative entitled learning through playing kids would not be starting school at 5 but would be prepared for school. The syllabus content is not changing, but only the financing of school activities. The new state budget would provide BGN 80-100 million more for education, Minister of Education and Science Sergey Ignatov said in an interview for the BNR.

Adapted from Bulgarian National Radio