The coordination procedures in the Ministry of Education and Culture – a real process of civil participation or a formal act?

An unprecedentedly large number of principals, teachers, mediators and citizens sent opinions on the national education development programs published for public discussion in 2023 – 160 interested persons. They made their proposals to the planned 21 programs, as well as to the missing ones. The large number of opinions request the continuation of the NP “Support for educational mediators…” – 124. What follows from here on?

A year ago, the national programs for the development of education caused significantly fewer comments and proposals – 72. Twice as many citizens commented on the planned NP for 2023 – 160 principals, teachers, etc. The number of comments demanding the continuation of the NP “Support for educational mediators and social workers” and the inclusion of new schools and kindergartens in it is impressive. Comments in this direction from directors of educational institutions, teachers, mediators, citizens. Many proposals for this have also been sent by civil organizations: Amalipe, Teach for Bulgaria, Parents Association, Education without backpacks and a number of others. They include proposals for several programs and the missing NP for educational mediators. The position of UNICEF, the Trust for a Social Achievement, etc. is similar.

Detailed opinions on the proposed programs have been sent by the Union of Employers in the Public Education System, UNICEF, Teach for Bulgaria Foundation and others. They concern both a number of specific programs and overall problems in programming – both for the year 2023 and for the previous years.

The proposals made were summarized and they were answered in extremely quick order – in three days. As expected, the majority of responses are formal – “accepted for information” or “accepted in principle”, as well as “information is accepted for information, the proposal is not accepted” – a total of 67% of the comments.

The fate of the numerous proposals for the continuation of the NP “Support for educational mediators and social workers” is similar. They were answered with half-truth statements that have been used until now by the Ministry of Education and Science, which cannot provide a complete solution. For example, “Support for educational mediators and social workers will continue with funding from other sources. Opportunities are provided through the following financial instruments:

  • with funds from the project “Success for you” from the Education Program 2021-2027 (the fact that the project finances up to 50% of the mediators’ salary is not mentioned);
  • under operation “Equal access to school education in crisis conditions” (REACT – EU) until 31.12.2023 (it is not specified that this applies only to mediators in kindergartens, who will face the same problem at the beginning of 2024);
  • with the funds under Art. 52a of the Ordinance on the financing of institutions in the system of preschool and school education (it is not specified that schools without concentration or with low concentration do not receive such funds, and their amount in schools and elementary schools with a small number of students is too small and cannot cover the pay of even one mediator)
  • as well as under the NP “Supporting municipalities for educational desegregation” (the possibility of hiring mediators under this program is up to 10% of it, i.e. up to BGN 50 thousand and currently only 22 mediators are working under the program)
  • under the “Health and Education for All 2” Program “to the Framework Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation” (the component foreseen there is for the qualification of the mediators, not for their payment. In line with the very controversial attitude of the Ministry of Education and Science towards the mediators from the last weeks is the news that at the insistence of the ministry this component can be refused).

The large number of opinions for the continuation of the NP “Support for educational mediators…” is in accordance with the submitted signature of over 20,000 citizens, the numerous letters sent by the social partners (teacher unions, principals’ unions) and dozens of NGOs in this direction. At this point, the answer of the Ministry of Education and Science is primarily in the half-true statements mentioned above, which cover up the lack of a comprehensive solution.

To this we must add that the often mentioned funds for vulnerable groups that a school/kindergarten receives are intended to cover the following costs for:

  • employees included in the teams for the coverage and detention of children and students,
  • to appoint a social worker,
  • for the appointment of an educational mediator
  • to appoint a teacher’s assistant,
  • to pay for additional lessons in Bulgarian in schools and for additional modules for children who do not speak Bulgarian in kindergartens
  • for staff engaged in measures to support access to education and prevent the risk of dropping out of the education system.

During a discussion in the Committee on Education and Science of the National Assembly, the Minister of Education Sasho Penov also expressed his intention to change the Ordinance on financing, which would provide a special resource for the appointment of mediators and other support staff. At this point, there is no movement on this intention and no answer to the question of where funds will be found for the possible change and to what extent it can happen by the end of June.

Unfortunately, the problem of continued employment of mediators and social workers employed under the national program has NOT yet been resolved. The many signs from across the education system and from civil society about the need for this program are unprecedentedly clear and strong – never before has there been a national program on which there has been such broad consensus and activity. There has certainly not been a national program for which more than 20,000 signatures of citizens were collected and for which there was such great interest during a conciliation procedure.

In a functioning democratic system, all this should lead to a quick solution…

See more:

A petition has gathered more than 20,0000 signatures in support of educational mediators