06.04.2018OPINION OF Amalipe Center concerning the National Education Development Programs - 2018
Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance Amalipe is a non-governmental organization working for the educational integration of the Roma community. We interact with 247 schools throughout the country. The suggestions below are drawn from this joint activity.
We welcome the proposed National Education Development Programs - 2018! The declared policy intention of the Ministry of Education to stop financing school closures is extremely positive. Instead it would support all schools by covering retirement benefits for teachers and optimizing the internal structure of staff. The proposed program is just on time and is very necessary. It will provide the resources needed for the teams on full scope of children, as schools will receive additional resources for working with parents and will be able to attract organizations, community centers and other partners in this effort.
At the same time, the proposed programs can and should be supplemented in the following ways:
1. National Program "Together for Every Child": We propose to increase the budget of Module "Good Practices for Interaction of Educational Institutions with Parents"
The introduction of this module is a very positive intent as well as the envisaged opportunity to delegate activities and resources to experienced organizations. At the same time, the resource for this is too small: only BGN 150,000, ie. support for about 30 schools. Potential interested schools where there is a need to apply the module are more than 30. Therefore, an increase in the budget of the module is required. It should be introduced at schools from all regions that have the desire and necessity to do so;
2. National Qualification Program: Possible beneficiaries to be expanded with "universities and organizations registered under Art. Art. 232 of the LPSE "
The program offers many useful training courses. At the same time, the wide range of potential institutions providing such training is limited to the National Center for the Improvement of Qualifications of Pedagogical Specialists (NCIQPS). The fact that training is also provided by universities and licensed organizations, many of which have accumulated practical experience and high expertise, are omitted. In this way, Qualification NP limits the ability of schools to choose who teaches them, which is a prerequisite for reducing the quality of training.
3. National Program "Providing a Modern Educational Environment": inclusion of the combined schools under Module "Modernization of the System of Vocational Education", activity 1 "Modernization of Material and Technical Base"
According to the proposed program the only beneficiaries will be the vocational high schools. Unified schools, which also offer vocational training, should also be beneficiaries on the program. Up to date, unified schools as a new type of institution regulated by the Pre-school and School Education Law have no material and technical facilities, which puts schools in a rather difficult situation to provide vocational training;
4. National Program "Providing a Modern Educational Environment": Under Module "Provision of School Lockers", the indicator the lowest amount requested by the school for co-financing by the Ministry of Education and Science should be dropped
This indicator will definitely create prerequisites for "small" schools in Bulgaria who do not have sufficient budget funds to be disapproved or to receive insufficient funds, which will make the module ineffective. Our proposal on the module is that the funding should be based on number of pupils, as in Module "Improving the Conditions for Experimental Work in Natural Sciences";
5. The National Program "With Care for Each Student", to provide funds for extra payment to school principals who will organize and manage the implementation of the NP at school level.
Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance Amalipe is a non-governmental organization working for the educational integration of the Roma community. We interact with 247 schools throughout the country. The suggestions below are drawn from this joint activity.
We welcome the proposed National Education Development Programs - 2018! The declared policy intention of the Ministry of Education to stop financing school closures is extremely positive. Instead it would support all schools by covering retirement benefits for teachers and optimizing the internal structure of staff. The proposed program is just on time and is very necessary. It will provide the resources needed for the teams on full scope of children, as schools will receive additional resources for working with parents and will be able to attract organizations, community centers and other partners in this effort.
At the same time, the proposed programs can and should be supplemented in the following ways:
1. National Program "Together for Every Child": We propose to increase the budget of Module "Good Practices for Interaction of Educational Institutions with Parents"
The introduction of this module is a very positive intent as well as the envisaged opportunity to delegate activities and resources to experienced organizations. At the same time, the resource for this is too small: only BGN 150,000, ie. support for about 30 schools. Potential interested schools where there is a need to apply the module are more than 30. Therefore, an increase in the budget of the module is required. It should be introduced at schools from all regions that have the desire and necessity to do so;
2. National Qualification Program: Possible beneficiaries to be expanded with "universities and organizations registered under Art. Art. 232 of the LPSE "
The program offers many useful training courses. At the same time, the wide range of potential institutions providing such training is limited to the National Center for the Improvement of Qualifications of Pedagogical Specialists (NCIQPS). The fact that training is also provided by universities and licensed organizations, many of which have accumulated practical experience and high expertise, are omitted. In this way, Qualification NP limits the ability of schools to choose who teaches them, which is a prerequisite for reducing the quality of training.
3. National Program "Providing a Modern Educational Environment": inclusion of the combined schools under Module "Modernization of the System of Vocational Education", activity 1 "Modernization of Material and Technical Base"
According to the proposed program the only beneficiaries will be the vocational high schools. Unified schools, which also offer vocational training, should also be beneficiaries on the program. Up to date, unified schools as a new type of institution regulated by the Pre-school and School Education Law have no material and technical facilities, which puts schools in a rather difficult situation to provide vocational training;
4. National Program "Providing a Modern Educational Environment": Under Module "Provision of School Lockers", the indicator the lowest amount requested by the school for co-financing by the Ministry of Education and Science should be dropped
This indicator will definitely create prerequisites for "small" schools in Bulgaria who do not have sufficient budget funds to be disapproved or to receive insufficient funds, which will make the module ineffective. Our proposal on the module is that the funding should be based on number of pupils, as in Module "Improving the Conditions for Experimental Work in Natural Sciences";
5. The National Program "With Care for Each Student", to provide funds for extra payment to school principals who will organize and manage the implementation of the NP at school level.
