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Eurydice

EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice
Conditions of service for teachers working in early childhood and school education

Bulgaria

9.Teachers and Education Staff

9.2Conditions of service for teachers working in early childhood and school education

Last update: 27 November 2023

Planning policy

Vacants teacher spots are announced by headmasters at labor offices, Regional Education Inspectorates and Labour Offices.

Selection procedures for teachers are decentralized. Schools bears responsibility for them through a process known as ‘open recruitment’. This approach allows teachers to choose education institutions where they can find fulfillment.

Entry to the profession

The position of ‘teacher’ or ‘educator’ requires a completed higher education degree in a major approved by the Classifier of higher education.

The positions of teachers and educators are held by employment relation contracts with the headmaster of the respective kindergarten, school or service unit.

Teachers’ career development system has been introduced which includes four positions: “Teacher”, “Senior Teacher” and “Head Teacher”.

When there is more than 1 applicant for the position of “Head Teacher”, or “Head Educator” meeting the requirements, the Headmaster of the school must conduct a selection procedure according to fixed criteria.

Induction

Students, who are taught for acquiring a level of higher education in a professional field or the positions of the pedagogic specialists and persons, who have acquired a level of higher education and are trained for acquiring professional qualification of Teacher, who independently participate in the educational process under the field of a teacher-instructor shall be students-teachers. Teachers who completed higher education and professional qualification of Teacher are intially give the role of “Teachers”. In the execution of their obligations students-teachers and teachers are helped by the “Senior Teacher” and under his direction they improve their practical competence and adapt themselves to the education process.

Professional status

Teachers in the Republic of Bulgaria are employed in compliance with the general labor legislation. The types of contracts are as follows:

  • for an indefinite period of time, which is the option more protective of the workplace
  • for a definite period of time - this can also include test periods and/or civil labor contracts for assigning a certain volume of work of sporadic essence.

The employment contracts with the pedagogic specialties shall be signed and terminated by the Director of the kindergarten, school or support centre for personal development and with the pedagogic specialists in the Bulgarian schools abroad – by the Minister of Education and Science.

Upon appointment, teachers sign a job description (in addition to their labor contrat) to get better familiariazed with their rights and obligations as well as with the Code of Ethics for work with children.

Replacement Мeasures

In case of absence of a teacher from school for various reasons, he is replaced by another teacher from the same school or a deputy is appointed until his return. The substitute teacher is due additional payment, and when a deputy is appointed, he is provided with payment under a civil contract on an hourly basis for the actual hour taken. If the teacher is absent for a longer period of time, the director may appoint a deputy on a monthly contract.

A good practice in recent years is the National Program "No Vacant Hour", which is implemented by the Ministry of Education and Science together with school principals. It is related to the financing of the classes of substitute teachers, who have to take the classes of an absent teacher until a more lasting solution to the problem is found.

Salaries

The gross salary of the staff in the state and municipal educational institutions consists of:

1. basic salary;

2. additional labor remunerations;

3. other labor remunerations.

The basic monthly salary for the pedagogical staff is remuneration for the fulfillment of the norm of teaching work and other labor duties inherent in the position, in accordance with the duration of the working hours agreed in the individual employment contract.

The individual basic monthly salaries of the pedagogical staff with normal working hours are agreed in amounts not lower than those specified in Ordinance № 4 of April 20, 2017 for standardization and remuneration of labor. When determining the basic salaries of principals, the number of children and students, as well as the type of institution they manage, must be taken into account.

Minimum basic salary from 01.01.2021

  • Director of school, kindergarten: BGN 1,535.
  • Assistant Director: BGN 1,420.
  • head teacher, head tutor: BGN 1,350.
  • senior teacher, senior tutor: BGN 1,300.
  • teacher, tutor, speech therapist, psychologist, pedagogical advisor, accompanist, choreographer, sports coach, hearing and speech rehabilitator, head of ICT: BGN 1260.

The introduction of differentiated pay for teachers' work on the basis of basic criteria common to the whole country is an incentive for his own professional development on a three-point scale: teacher, senior teacher, head teacher.

The monthly gross salary of staff in the public education system may include the following additional remuneration:

  1. for taking on school hours above the minimum norm obligatory teaching work, if they are not taken into account when determining the basic salary;, provided they have not been included in determining the basic salary; 
  2. for professional-qualification degrees - the additional remuneration for the acquired professional qualification degree is permanent; 
  3. for teaching subjects in a foreign language except of the subject "foreign language";
  4. to a class teacher – for consulting parents and students and keeping the school documentation of the respective class. The additional remuneration is paid to the class teachers for the respective activities, which are carried out 45 minutes outside the weekly schedule of classes according to a schedule approved by the principal. Remuneration is paid only during the classes;
  5. for free food – applies only to non-pedagogical personnel at kindergarten and personnel at school canteens and kitchens; 
  6. for achievements; 
  7. for checking external assessment and Olympiads students’ papers; 
  8. for examining a student in part-time training, extramural, individual or independent education;
  9. for conducting a state examination in theory and practice for acquiring a degree of professional qualification in the profession / specialty;
  10.  for mentoring – to  support a newly appointed teacher for up to one year. 

The gross salary of staff in the national education system can include the following additional remuneration, if determined in the internal salary rules and/or a collective agreement:

1. for work under specific working conditions of the staff in the special schools, the centers for special educational support and the schools at the places of imprisonment. The additional remuneration is paid only for the actual time worked during which the person has worked under specific working conditions;

2. for official holidays or for the beginning of the school year - up to three times a year;

3. for work with children and students with special educational needs - of the pedagogical specialists in the kindergartens and the schools, conducting integrated education and upbringing;

4. for participation in teams for joint work of the institutions for coverage and retention in the educational system of children and students of compulsory pre-school and school age;

5. for conducting additional training of students who have not mastered the competencies set in the curriculum, or of children who do not speak Bulgarian;

6. for conducting additional training of students to compensate for the lack of interaction of the teacher with students who study asynchronously from a distance in an electronic environment;

7. for conducting additional training of students who have been absent from school for more than ten school days due to illness;

8. for consultations on subjects of students, who have passed in independent form of education.

With national programs or a collective agreement, with the internal salary rules of wages and/or individual employment contract may be set and other additional remuneration.

 When there is a basis for payment of additional remuneration for educational and scientific degree "doctor" or scientific degree "Doctor of Science", related to the work performed, and additional remuneration, the person receives the most favorable additional remuneration.

The types of additional remuneration of the pedagogical and non-pedagogical staff, with the exception of the directors of kindergartens, schools or service units, as well as the mechanisms for determining their amount are agreed in a collective labor agreement and / or included in the internal rules for the kindergarten, the school or service unit salary.

Assessment

Basis for career development of pedagogic specialists shall be the teacher’s length of service, the received qualification credits, the acquired professional qualification degree, as well as the results form their attestation. The bigger number of qualification credits and the higher professional qualification degree shall be ground for quicker career development of the pedagogic specialists, notwithstanding of the teacher’s length of service. The conditions and procedure for occupying teacher’s positions senior teacher and chief teacher as well as for quicker career development of the pedagogic specialists shall be determined by the state educational standard for the status and development of teachers, Directors and the other pedagogic specialists.

Attestation shall be a process of assessment of compliance of teachers, Directors and other pedagogic specialists activity with their professional profile with the requirements for performance of the position, as well as with the strategy for development of the kindergarten, school or support centre for personal development, and for the directors – their direction competence. Attestation is carried out every 4 years by an attestation commission, appointed by the employer, in coordination with the pedagogic council, where in its composition shall obligatory be included as follows:

  1. representatives of the employer, of the financing body in the cases, where it is different from the employer, of the pedagogic council, of the regional educational office, as well as a parent of the public council – in attestation of the Directors;
  2. representatives of the employer, of the Regional educational office and of the pedagogic council – in attestation of teachers and the other pedagogic specialists.

In the commission composition may also be included other members, determined by the state educational standard for the status and professional development of teachers, Directors and other pedagogic specialists.

The assessment from the attestation, apart from the career development may also serve for direction of raising the qualification and encouragement of the attested pedagogic specialist. In case of received lowest assessment from the attestation, the employer with the attestation commission shall:

  1. make analysis of the reasons, caused the lowest assessment;
  2. draw up a plan for methodical and organization assistance of the teacher, Director or other pedagogic specialist, received the lowest assessment;
  3. appoint a mentor/s, who shall carry out methodical and organization support;
  4. produce to the Regional educational office within 1 month term from the attestation documents for provision of methodical support.

In this cases a repeated attestation of the person shall be carried out one year after undertaking the measures and if again the lowest assessment has been received, the person shall be dismissed from the position.

The assessment from the attestation is reflected in the attestation card. The attestation commission determines the final assessment of the attestation process on the following scale:

  1. "exceptional performance" with a final result of 45 to 50 points - is set when competencies exceeding those defined in the professional profile are shown at the same time, all criteria from the areas of professional competence are met, the implementation of the activity significantly contributes to the progress of children and students, to achieve the goals and objectives planned in the strategy for development of the kindergarten or school and to strengthen the authority of the institution, full compliance of the activity with the requirements for the position and the achieved results are above expected, there are additional tasks ;
  2. "exceeds the requirements" with a final result of 40 to 44.99 points - is set when knowledge and skills are established at the same time, which in the predominant part exceed those defined in the professional profile, the criteria from the areas of professional competence are met. criteria higher results have been achieved, there is compliance of the activity with the requirements for the performance of the position and the results contribute to the achievement of the goals and tasks planned in the strategy for development of the kindergarten or school;
  3. "meets the requirements" with a final result of 35 to 39.99 points - is placed when the knowledge and skills shown correspond to the professional profile, the criteria of the areas of professional competence are met, the performance of the activity corresponds to the requirements for the position and the achieved results contribute to the achievement of the goals and tasks set in the strategy for development of the kindergarten or school; if there are unfulfilled tasks, their non-fulfillment is caused by circumstances beyond the person's control;
  4. "partially meets the requirements" with a final score of 30 to 34.99 points - is placed when most of the demonstrated knowledge and skills correspond to the professional profile, and for the rest additional qualification and support is needed during the period of attestation, some criteria from the areas of professional competence are met, the implementation of the activities contributes to a small extent to the achievement of the goals and tasks set in the strategy for development of the kindergarten or school and partially meets the requirements for the position;
  5. "complies to a minimum degree with the requirements" with a final result of 25 to 29.99 points - is set when the displayed knowledge and skills at least correspond to the professional profile and additional qualification and methodological and organizational support is required. -Less than half of the criteria in the areas of professional competence during the attestation period, the performance of the activity at least meets the requirements for performance of the position for reasons depending on the person, the results of the activity do not contribute to achieving the set in the development strategy. kindergarten or school goals and objectives; there is no striving for improvement, motivation for raising the qualification and improving the results of the work.

In case the certified pedagogical specialist does not agree with the final assessment, he / she can submit a written objection to the employer. The employer may confirm the final assessment of the attestation commission or increase it by one degree. The assessment of the employer is final, it is entered in the attestation card with the argumentation and signed by him.

Career development of pedagogic specialists, with the exception of teachers and tutors, shall be carried out by successive acquiring a second and first degree. Their awarding shall be made by the employer. The degrees shall not be kept in case of termination of the employment legal relations.