The Prime Minister Academician Denkov and representatives of embassies opened the 2023/2024 academic year in schools from the “Every student will be a winner” Network of the “Amalipe” Center

September 15 was one of the most important days not only for first-graders, but also for all schools from the “Every student will excel” network. They not only opened the New academic year, but were also visited by the Prime Minister Academician Nikolay Denkov, diplomats from the Embassies of the USA, Great Britain, Austria and UNICEF, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Culture, regional governors, mayors, etc. Once again, they demonstrated their support for the activities of the schools educating Roma students and for the Amalipe Center.

Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov accepted the invitation of the Amalipe Center and rang the first school bell at Vasil Levski Elementary School, Karadjovo village, leading a little girl by the hand on her first day of school. The opening was also attended by the regional governor of the city of Plovdiv, Dr. Iliya Zyumbilev, the chairman of the Amalipe Center Deyan Kolev and the program director of the Amalipe Center Teodora Krumova, as well as Sara Perin – executive director of the Trust for a Social Achievement. The mayor of the municipality of Sadovo, Dimitar Zdravkov, thanked academician Denkov for coming especially to a small rural school that teaches Roma, Turkish and Bulgarian students. This is an important sign of attention to educational integration and the work of teachers in this type of educational institutions. He also thanked the Amalipe Center for working with the Karadjovo school and many other schools in the region since 2004. The celebration was also attended by 96-year-old Vasil Pamukov, the oldest teacher in the village of Karadjovo, who, despite his age, stood up when he heard the anthem and the Bulgarian flag was raised.

“Vasil Levski” Elementary School is one of the first schools that introduced classes on the Folklore of the ethnic groups – Roma folklore as early as 2004, and since 2010 they have joined the newly formed network for intercultural education and dropout prevention of Roma children from the school “Every student will be a winner”. The school is a secondary school with 109 children from three settlements (Karadzhovo, Kochovo and Mominsko) studying in it. For years it has succeeded in attracting and retaining in classrooms all children of primary school age. Moreover, its graduates continue their education in secondary schools, and some of them in universities. One of the most active mediators, who is an example and a role model, works in the school – Boycho Kochev. The principal of the school, Krasimira Blagoeva, is one of the most active principals. With her great energy, radiant smile and love for children, she is well received by all families.

In the early September morning, Shumen Professional High School of Agriculture and Food Technology was waiting for its wonderful students to start the new 2023-2024 school year! The excitement of the new students – 8th graders, could be seen on the wide smiles! Handsome and grown up, the older ones were happy to meet each other again and to be in their favorite school. The teachers made sure that everything was beautiful, festive and solemn and promised that the native school would be a second home for their girls and boys! The celebration began with the anthem and the raising of the flags, followed by welcoming words from Mr. Zhelyazkov, the director of the school, from Mrs. Stanislava Spasova, an expert at the Shumen Municipality and from Mrs. Silvia Stancheva, the educational coordinator at the Amalipe Center. Sinan Kadir – a former high school graduate and first-year student at Shumen University made his appeal to all present. 

The celebration for the opening of the new academic year of the “Neofit Rilski” United School, Samokov was honored by representatives of the British Embassy in Bulgaria – Christopher Kimber, Second Secretary and Head of the Political Team, as well as Vili Angelova, Advisor, Deputy Head of Political Team. About 670 students study there. The school makes efforts to prevent dropouts and to keep the classrooms full of children, including from the poorest Roma families.

The excitement of the first day of school at “Hristo Maksimov” Primary School, Samokov was shared with representatives of the US Embassy, Jeffrey Weinshenker and Evgeni Todorov. The school is one of the inspiring examples of non-segregation. Roma and Bulgarian children are educated there, and the director Antoaneta Nikolova makes a concerted effort to prevent an outflow of students from the majority. During the past academic year, the school did not allow a single student to drop out of the educational process.

Vocational high school for textile and leather products in the city of Sofia opened its doors not only for its excited students, but also for the representatives of the Embassy of Austria in Bulgaria – Mr. Gerald Hauser, consul, but also for Deputy Representative Ramiz Behbudov from UNICEF. About 300 students study in the high school. It is staffed by active and inspiring educational mediators who visit families in the Faculty quarter daily.

Iliya Krachev – regional coordinator of the “Amalipe” Center, attended the opening of the school year at the Professional High School of Chemical and Food Technologies – Pazardzhik. After the official opening of the school year, a meeting with parents was held, organized by the director of the school, Mr. Todor Dzambov. Topics about regular attendance of students and the role of parents in this were discussed. A new president of the parent club was elected and problems with the transportation of students from neighboring villages were discussed and how this problem could be improved and eased in the future. Good practices of interaction between the school – parents – students and the Amalipe representative were also discussed.

The school has some of the most active students in the “Every student will be a winner” network. They are involved every year in the initiatives of “Amalipe”, as well as in the fight against early marriages and the dropping out of students from the educational process.

PGSS “St. Georgi Pobedonosets” in the city of Suvorovo opened its doors for its students, where they will fulfill their dreams and go on the path of professional realization. The celebration on the occasion of the opening of the new school year was attended by students, teachers and official guests: the mayor of Suvorovo municipality Danail Yordanov, Zhanna Vasileva – regional coordinator of the “Amalipe” Center and others. The celebration was opened by the director of the school, Marijana Velikova. She welcomed the students and wished them success. The representative of the “Amalipe” Center Zhanna Vasileva wished the students to fulfill their dreams and go on the path of education boldly. To be persistent, studious and to respect their teachers.

Secondary School “St. Kliment Ohridski”, the town of Suhindol opened its doors to the excited first graders. The holiday was honored by the mayor of Suhindol municipality, engineer Plamen Chernev.

The network “Every student will be a winner” unites over 300 schools from all over the country. It is coordinated by the Amalipe Center with the support of the Trust for a Social Achievement. Primary, basic, unified and secondary schools, as well as vocational high schools, participate in the network. In the past school year, participating schools reduced dropout rates to below 1%, and 173 schools had no dropouts. The percentage of young people who continue to secondary education after completing primary education is also steadily increasing: in 2010, it was only 39%, and now it is close to 95%.

Trust for Social Achievement (TSA) is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to break the vicious cycle of poverty by promoting opportunities that help Bulgaria’s most disadvantaged citizens achieve educational and economic success. TSA supports programs that, with their integrity, potential for growth and transparency, help to improve the well-being of the poorest people in Bulgaria, with a special focus on the Roma.