News

Representatives of active NGOs to be involved in the teams responsible for achieving full scope of students in the educational system was discussed by representatives of organizations from the Roma Integration Network at a meeting with the Minister of Education and Science Krasimir Valchev. The meeting was also attended by Deputy minister Denitsa Sacheva and the Directors of Directorates Sonya Krastanova and Natalia Mihalevska, as well as experts from the Ministry of Education and Science. The Roma Integration Network was represented by Deyan Kolev, Raycho Chaprazov, Ivan Todorov (Amalipe Center), Spaska Petrova (New Road Association - Vratsa), Stela Kostova (Roma Academy for Culture and Education - Sliven), Gancho Iliev (Worls without borders Association- Stara Zagora), Sergi Karakashev (Iskra Roma Foundation - Shumen) and Radostin Manov (Diverse and Equal Association - Sofia).

During the meeting, issues related to the Interinstitutional Mechanism for full coverage of pre-school and school age children were discussed as well as measures to ensure better coverage in kindergartens. Acceleration of the desegregation process in connection with the application of Art. 99, para. 4 of the Preschool and School Education Act and the implementation of the Strategy for Educational Integration was also among the discussed topics. Representatives of NGOs insisted on looking for ways to allocate funds from the 2019 state budget for kindergarten fees for children aged 5 and 6, and supported the idea of changes to the Education Act, which would require compulsory pre-school education starting from four years of age.

Participants in the meeting engaged to held regular meetings to discuss issues and ideas for their solution in order to involve the civil sector in addressing important education issues.