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Legislation and official policy documents

Bulgaria

15.Legislation and official policy documents

Last update: 27 November 2023
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Law provisions

Legislation and Official Policy Documents

The Act on Amendment to the Pre-school and School Education Act was published on 18 September 2020. It is related with implementation of compulsory pre-school education also for children at age 4. The compulsory pre-school education is carried out in the kindergartens but also it is allowed in the schools. The goals of the suggested changes are:

  • to facilitate access to education by removing the barriers so to support addressing the inequalities;
  • to encourage the inclusion and prevent social inclusion, and subsequently the drop-off school children from vulnerable groups. This is to ensure support for addressing learning difficulties by early needs identification;  
  • to prevent the accumulation of deficits and also to contribute for improving literacy and acquiring skills and attitudes to lifelong learning; 
  • to set opportunity for payment from the state budget of owing fees for kindergarten by parents as funds will be planned in the municipalities budgets;
  • to establish effective control over the school boards’ activities executed by the minister of education and science and the 28 Regional departments of education;

 

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The last amendment of the Higher Education Act was published on 25 February 2020. It is to optimize the institutional network for higher education and to improve the management system of the higher education institutions (HEIs) being transparent and accountable when interact academic autonomy and state and public interests. 

The procedures for institutional accreditation will be facilitated and the procedures for programme accreditation of the professional fields and specialties of the regulated professions will be improved. The European requirements and criteria for quality assurance in the higher education will be met. The evaluation of the professional fields in parallel at all HEIs will allow differentiation of the teaching quality in each HEI.

By specifying the status of individual HEIs as research institutions is expected to be encouraged the commitment of the young lecturers in the development of the institution and also to be stimulated the research and transforming the HEIs into research centers. 

The Act amendments aim to improve the relationship between the higher education and economy and its needs by exemption of paying fees students in the state universities that follow programmes in professional areas and protected specialties with expected highest lack level on the labout market.    

By regulating the possibility HEIs to sign contracts with state and municipal schools for joint activity is expected improvement of the interaction between the systems of higher and school education with ensuring flexible curricula. This could contribute for enhancing the quality of the profile, vocational and specialized preparation in the upper secondary education. This is in response to the dynamic public and economic relationship and the established traditions for cooperation between schools and HEIs. 

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The Vocational Education and Training Act was amended in 2020. The changes concern the admission to vocational education and training, the organization and the content of the exam for acquiring professional qualification, and also concern the state exam for acquiring qualification. 

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RELATED REGULATIONS

Ordinance № 1 of 19.02.2020 on the organization and holding exams for acquiring professional qualification (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 18 of 28.02.2020), issued by the Minister of Education and Science, defines the organization and holding exams for acquiring professional qualification based on Vocational education and Training Act, as well the system for evaluation of the exam results. 

Ordinance № 5/2016 on pre-primary education was updated in October 2020 in compliance with the changes in the Pre-School and School education Act concerning implementation of compulsory pre-school education also for children at age 4. 

Ordinance № 7/2016 on profiled training was updated in October 2020 as this state education standard was supplemented with curriculum-exam requirements about the school-leaving examinations grouped by profile subjects. 

Ordinance № 9/2016 on the institutions in the system of pre-school and school education was updated in October 2020 in compliance with the changes in the Pre-School and School Education Act, concerning the requirements for the documentation for opening, transformation, change and closing of state or municipal institutions within the pre-school and school system and also presenting additional regulations for defining schools as “innovative”.

Ordinance № 10/2016 on the organization of activities in school education was updated in October 2020 in compliance with the changes in the Pre-School and School Education Act, concerning the distant on-line teaching, established in 2020 due to the pandemic. 

Ordinance No. 15 of 22.07.2019 on the status and professional development of teachers, school heads and other pedagogical specialists (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 61 of 02.08.2019), issued by the Minister of Education and Science, defines the state education standard for the status and professional development of teachers, school heads and other pedagogical specialists within the pre-school and school system. There are set prerequisites for enhancing the recognition and social status of the pedagogical specialists, building of system for continuous qualification, for professional improvement and career development. This Ordinance repeals Ordinance No. 12/2016.

Ordinance No. 23 of 27.08.2020 on defining state universities rectors’ remuneration rate set in their contracts for governance signed with the Minister of Education and Science (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 78 of 04.09.2020) issued by the Minister of Education and Science, defines establishments of rules that are valid for all state universities and based on them to be defined the remuneration rate of their rectors. As additional stimulus is adopted mechanism for this bonus that depends on their performance to reach the goals, tasks and indicators set in the contract.

Ordinance No. 24 of 10.09.2020 on physical environment and information and library provision to the kindergartens, schools and Centers for personal development support (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 84 of 29.09.2020), issued by the Minister of Education and Science and the Minister of Health care, defines the state education standard for physical environment and information and library provision together with the minimum and obligatory rules and norms that the architectural and work environment should meet, necessary for the effective study process at the kindergartens, schools and  Centers for personal development support.

 

 

 

Constitution

The Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, promulgated, State Gazette, issue 56 of 13th July 1991, last amended State Gazette issue 100 of 18th December 2015, sets out the major principles of free development of education (Article 23) and the right of every Bulgarian citizen to education (Article 53).

Pre-School and School Education Act

The pre-school and School Education Act (promulgated in State Gazette No. 79 of 13 October 2015, in force since 01.08.2016, amended and supplemented, SG No. 99 of December 12, 2017) regulates public relations related to the provision of the right to pre-school and school education as well as the structure, functions, organization, management and financing of the system of pre-school and school education.This law applies to school vocational education and training, unless otherwise regulated by the Vocational Education and Training Act.

The law regulates the state educational standards in the system of pre-school and school education, which are a set of mandatory requirements for the results in the system of pre-school and school education, as well as the conditions and processes for their achievement.

The law defines the institutions in the pre-school and school education system, namely kindergartens, schools, personal development support centers and specialized service units. The law also deals with the validation and recognition of learning outcomes in the pre-school and school education system.

Vocational Eudcation and Trainining Act

The Vocational Education and Training (VET) Act, promulgated, State Gazette issue 68 of 30th July 1999, last amended State Gazette issue 103 of 28th December 2017 defines the purpose and the tasks of the vocational education and training system, its structure and nature, regulates the organisation, institutions, management and financing of the system of vocational education and training, and the social relations in connection with:

  • ensuring the right to vocational education and training of the citizens according to their personal interests and possibilities;
  • meeting the needs for qualified manpower which is competitive on the labour market;
  • providing conditions for functioning and development of the system of vocational education and training based on cooperation between its institutions and the bodies of the executive power and the local independent government and the social partners;
  • validation of professional knowledge, skills and competencies.

The Vocational Education and Training Act regulates the general requirements for the organization of the vocational education and training system and determines the conditions and procedures for acquiring vocational qualification. Pursuant to this law, vocational education ensures the acquisition of secondary education and vocational training and may also be carried out through work-based learning (dual education system).

The Law regulates the completion, certification and recognition of vocational education and training as well as the content of vocational education and training. The Law regulates the vocational education and vocational training of pupils in special educational needs and / or chronic diseases, pupils from homes for children without parental care and deviant behavior.

The VET Act regulates both vocational training in the formal education system and vocational education and training outside this system, ie non-formal vocational training and adult education, in the workplace, regardless of whether it is provided by state institutions or non-governmental organizations. The amendments to the Law of 2014 introduce a system for validation of non-formal and informal learning, dual training and training in protected professions related to the development of the economy at regional level, as well as regulate the terms and conditions for accumulation and transfer of credits in vocational education and vocational training.

Higher Education Act

The Higher Education (HE) Act, promulgated, State Gazette issue 112 of 27th December 1995, last supplemented, State Gazette issue 98 of 9th December 2016, regulates the constitution, functions, management and financing of higher education in the Republic of Bulgaria. It defines the objective of higher education, namely to train specialists of high qualifications above the secondary school level and to develop science and culture. It states that the higher secular education is independent of ideologies, religions and political doctrines, and shall be provided in keeping with universal human values and national traditions.

No privileges or restrictions shall be allowed in higher learning in connection with age, race, nationality, ethnic origin, gender, social background, political convictions or religious denomination, except for the cases expressly stated in a particular higher school's Rules of operations on grounds relating to certain peculiarities of the training process and the future profession. This act defines the functions of the state in the management of higher education, the types of higher schools, and their opening, transformation and closing. It introduces the principle of academic autonomy within the Bulgarian higher education system.

The HE act regulates the structure and organisation of studies at higher schools, the procedures on awarding honorary titles, the organisation of research at higher schools, the admission of students, doctoral candidates and specialising trainees, the accreditation of higher education institutions, the issues related to property and financing.

Development of Academic Staff in the Republic of Bulgaria Act

The Development of Academic Staff in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, promulgated, State Gazette issue 38 of 21st May 2010, last amended, State Gazette issue 68 of 2nd August 2013 regulates the social relations connected to academic degrees and academic posts in the Republic of Bulgaria. It defines the principles on which academic degrees shall be conferred and academic posts held, as follows:

  • the autonomy of the higher education institutions, as well as decentralisation of the procedures related thereto which this Act regulates;
  • free choice of academic development and impartial assessment thereof; ensuring that the quality of education and scientific research is in the public interest;
  • international recognition, as well as exchange of experts and information in carrying out procedures, with a view to creating an integrated educational and research area.

The Act regulates the conferral of the higher education and academic degree of Doctor of Philosophy and of the academic degree of Doctor of Science.

Student and Doctoral-Candidate Loans Act

The Student and Doctoral-Candidate Loans Act, promulgated, State Gazette issue 69 of 5th August 2008, last amended, State Gazette issue 107 of 24th December 2014, regulates the terms and procedure for extending loans to students and doctoral candidates with state financial support. Its purpose is to improve the conditions for access to higher education. This Act is founded on the following principles:

  • participation of students and doctoral candidates in the financing of their instruction;
  • encouraging the competition between the higher schools for providing higher-quality higher education;
  • guaranteeing persons equal access to higher education irrespective of their social status;
  • cooperation between the State and the banks in connection with the extending of loans to students and doctoral candidates.

According to the Act, eligibility to apply for a loan shall be limited to students and doctoral candidates, who are Bulgarian citizens, citizens of another Member State of the European Union, of another state of the European Economic Area or of the Swiss Confederation, who at the time of submission of the request for conclusion of a loan contract meet simultaneously the following requirements:

  • have not reached the age of 35 years;
  • are studying full-time for acquisition of an educational and qualification degree of “Bachelor” (Bachelor or “Professional Bachelor in..”) or “Master” or of an educational and scientific degree of “Doctor” at a state or private higher education institution or scientific organization established and functioning in accordance with the provision of Article 47 (1) of the Higher Education Act. have not acquired the same educational and qualification or educational and academic degree;
  • have not been suspended and have not interrupted their instruction, with the exception of the cases provided for in this Act; This Act defines the institutions in the student and doctoral-candidate loans scheme, the state financial support, and regulates the issues related to loan extension, absorption and repayment.

Scientific Research Promotion Ac

The Scientific Research Promotion Act, promulgated, State Gazette issue 92 of 17th October 2003, last amended, State Gazette issue 58 of 18 July 2017, settles the principles and mechanisms of implementing the state policy of encouragement of scientific research in the Republic of Bulgaria. This Act states that the scientific research is a national priority and has a strategic importance for the development of the country. The Act underlines that the scientific research shall be based on the principles of ethics, transparency, publicity, accessibility and applicability. The encouragement of scientific research activities shall comprise financial incentives for scientific research, the creation of conditions for using the scientific potential resources and their development in compliance with the country's priority trends of development, the creation of conditions for protection and for marketing of scientific products, and assistance for their dissemination in all spheres of the public life.

The purpose of this Act is to create conditions for improving the organisation of financing scientific research by the State with a view to achieving:

  • new scientific achievements and their implementation for raising the quality of life in the country;
  • new possibilities of scientific development as a source for raising the efficiency of the economy;
  • increased public importance of scientific research;
  • national and/or international independent expert assessment and monitoring of scientific research and results thereof;
  • development of the human resources by increasing the role of scientific research in education in the higher education institutions;
  • increase of the total volume of the resources and investments in the sphere of scientific research;
  • targeting public resources to strategically important scientific spheres determined by the National Strategy for Scientific Research;
  • accelerated international and interdisciplinary cooperation.

The Labour Code (promulgated, State Gazette issue 26 of 1st April 1986, last amended State Gazette issue 102 of 22 December 2017), among the other regulations sets out all the ways in which the people in employment can receive vocational training. According to this Act, continuing vocational training may only be pursued with the agreement of both employer and employee.

Employment Promotion Act

The Employment Promotion Act (promulgated, State Gazette issue 112 of 29th December 2001, last amended and supplemented, State Gazette issue 103 of 28th December 2017), sets out the options for the funding of continuing education and training by employers, the recruitment of new staff and the creation of training placements.

Skilled Crafts Act

The Skilled Crafts Act (promulgated, State Gazette issue 42 of 27th April 2001, last amended State Gazette issue 79 of 13th October 2015), provides for the conditions and procedure for the exercise of a craft. It defines the craftsmanship organisation, and regulates the craft training.

Not-for-Profit Legal Entities Act 

Not-for-Profit Legal Entities Act (promulgated, State Gazette issue 81 of 6th October 2000, last amended State Gazette issue 103 of 27th December 2016) allows provision of adult education also by foundations and voluntary associations which pursue social or private aims, provided that they are not profit-making (NGOs).

Cultural Centers Act

The Cultural Centers Act (promulgated, SG 89 of 22 October 1996, amended SG 102 from December 22, 2017 97 of December 10, 2010) imposes a partial responsibility on local authorities to maintain a cultural centre. This act regulates the organization, the management, the activity, the property, the financing, the maintenance and the termination of cultural centres, which are traditional self-governing Bulgarian cultural and educational associations in the settlements which also fulfill state cultural and educational tasks. Pursuing this act cultural centres performs activities related to providing access to information, incl. arrangement and maintenance of libraries, reading rooms, photographic, audiovisual, film and video, as well as creation and maintenance of electronic information networks; development and support of amateur artistic creativity; organization of schools, circuses, courses, clubs, movie and video shows, celebrations, concerts celebrations and youth activities; collecting and disseminating knowledge about the native language; creation and preservation of museum collections according to the Cultural Heritage Act; provision of computer and internet services, etc.

Recognition of Professional Qualifications Act

The Recognition of Professional Qualifications Act (promulgates, State Gazette issue 13 of 8th February 2008, last amended State Gazette issue 85 of 24th October 2017) regulates the conditions and the procedure on recognition of professional qualifications acquired in other member states of the EU and in third countries, aimed to access and exercising regulated professions in the Republic of Bulgaria, as well as the terms and conditions for partial access to the exercise of a regulated profession and the recognition of internship for the pursuit of the profession in another Member State. This law transposes Directive 2005/36/EC on recognition of professional qualifications in the Bulgarian legislation.

Ordinances

Ordinance No. 5 of 03.06.2016 on pre-primary education (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 46 of 17.06.2016, effective since 01.08.2016) issued by the Minister of Education and Science, defines the state educational standard for pre-school education as well as the organization of pre-school education activities, the requirements for the implementation of a program system and the mechanism of interaction between participants in the pre-school education process.

Ordinance No. 5 of 30.11.2015 on general education (promulgated, State Gazette issue 95 of 08.12.2015, effective since 08.12.2015), issued by the Minister of Education and Science, sets the state educational standard for the general education, as well as the curriculum structure of the general education subjects, the structure of the annual thematic distribution and the requirements for the integrative and the new additional general education subjects in the innovative schools.

Ordinance No. 8 of 11.08.2016 on the information and documents for the system of pre-school and school education (promulgated, State Gazette issue 66 of 23.08.2016, effective since 23.08.2016, last amended and supplemented, issue 75 of 15.09.2017, effective since 15.09.2017) issued by the Minister of Education and Science sets the state educational standard for information and documents on the system of pre-school and school education.

Ordinance No. 6 of 11.08.2016 on the adoption of the Bulgarian literary language (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 67 of 26.08.2016, effective since 01.09.2016), issued by the Minister of Education and Science, determines the state educational standard for the acquisition of the Bulgarian literary language in the system of pre-school and school education as well as the conditions and the order for the Bulgarian language to be used by children and pupils for whom the Bulgarian is not mother tongue and the study of Bulgarian language by the children of the Bulgarians abroad.

Ordinance No. 7 of 11.08.2016 on profiled training (promulgated in the State Gazette No. 67 of 26.08.2016, effective since 26.08.2016), issued by the Minister of Education and Science, sets the state educational standard for profiling, as well as the curriculum structure of the training subjects and the structure of the annual thematic distribution.

Ordinance No. 9 of 19.08.2016 on the institutions in the system of pre-school and school education (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 68 of 30.08.2016, effective since 30.08.2016, last amended and supplemented, issue 78 of 29.09.2017) issued by the Minister of Education and Science determines the state educational standard for institutions in the system of pre-school and school education.

Ordinance No. 10 of 01.09.2016 on organization of activities in school education (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 73 of 16.09.2016, effective since 01.09.2016, last amended and supplemented, 77 of 26.09.2017), issued by the Minister of Education and Science, sets the state educational standard for the organization of the activities in the school education.

Ordinance No. 11 of 01.09.2016 on evaluation of students’ learning outcomes (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 74 of 20.09.2016, effective since 20.09.2016, amended and supplemented, issue 78 of 29.09.2017), issued by the Minister of Education and Science, determines the state educational standard for evaluation of the learning outcomes of the students under Art. 22, para. 2, item 9 of the Preschool and School Education Act.

Ordinance No. 12 of 01.09.2016 on the status and professional development of teachers, school headmasters and other pedagogical specialists (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 75 of 27.09.2016, effective since 27.09.2016), issued by the Minister of Education, defines the state educational standard on the status and professional development of teachers, school headmasters and other pedagogical specialists in the pre-school and school education system.

Ordinance No. 13 of 21.09.2016 on the Civic, Health, Environmental and Intercultural Education (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 80 of 11.10.2016, effective since 11.10.2016), issued by the Minister of Education and Science , defines the state educational standard for civic, health, environmental and intercultural education.

Ordinance on the State Requirements for Acquiring the Professional Qualification of a Teacher (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 89 of 11.11.2016, effective since 2017/2018 academic year, adopted by Decree of the Council of Ministers No 289 of 07.11.2016) defines the state requirements for acquiring a professional qualification of a teacher.

Ordinance No. 16 of 08.12.2016 on Quality Management in the Institutions (promulgated, State Gazette No. 100 of 16.12.2016), issued by the Minister of Education and Science, sets the state educational standard for quality management in kindergartens and schools from pre-school and school education.

Ordinance No. 15 of 08.12.2016 on Inspection of Kindergartens and Schools (promulgated, State Gazette issue 100 of 16.12.2016), issued by the Minister of Education and Science, sets the state educational standard for the inspection of kindergartens and schools.

Ordinance on inclusive education (promulgated, State Gazette issue 86 of 27.10.2017, effective since 27.10.2017) adopted by Council of Ministers’ Decree No 232 of 20.10.2017 defines the state educational standard for inclusive education. The Ordinance regulates the public relations related to provision of inclusive education for children and students in the system of pre-school and school education as well as the activities of the institutions in this system to provide support for the personal development of children and students.

Ordinance No. 3 of 06.04.2017 on the conditions and procedure for admission and training of persons seeking or having received international protection (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 32 of 21.04.2017, effective since 21.04.2017), issued by the Minister of Education and Science, determines the conditions and the order for the admission and training of persons seeking or having obtained international protection when they do not have a document for a completed class, stage or level of education.

Ordinance No. 2 of 8.09.2015 on the Quality Assurance of Vocational Education and Training (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 70 of 11.09.2015, effective since 11.09.2015) issued by the Minister of Education and Science regulates the conditions and the order for development of an internal system for quality assurance of the vocational education and training in the institutions under art. 9, para. 1 of the Vocational Education and Training Act.

Ordinance No. 1 of 8.09.2015 on the conditions and procedure for carrying out training through work (dual training), promulgated, State Gazette issue 70 of 11th September, 2015, issued by the Minister of Education and Science regulating the conditions and the order for carrying out the training through work (dual training) organized and carried out in accordance with the Law on Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Labor Code (LC).

Ordinance No. 2 of 13.11.2014 on the conditions and procedure for validation of professional knowledge, skills and competences (promulgated, State Gazette issue 96 of 21.11.2014, effective since 01.01.2015), issued by the Minister of Education and Science, determines the conditions and the order for validation of professional knowledge, skills and competences acquired through non-formal or informal learning.

Ordinance on the state requirements for acquisition of higher education at the degrees of a Bachelor', 'a Master', 'and a Specialist in..', adopted by Council of Ministers’ Decree № 162 of 23rd July 2002, promulgated, State Gazette, issue 76 of 6th August 2002, effective since 6th August 2002, last supplemented, State Gazette issue 79 of 5th September 2003 defines the state requirements on acquisition of higher education at the educational and qualification degrees of a Bachelor, a Master, and Specialist in.. (..a given field). By changes in the Higher Education Act, which were made in 2007 the degree “Specialist in..” was replaced by a Professional Bachelor in.. (..a given field).

Ordinance on the state requirements on the content of the main documents issued by the higher education institutions, adopted by Council of Ministers’ Decree № 215 of 12th August 2004 (promulgated, State Gazette, issue 75 of 27th August 2004, effective since 27th August 2004, last amended and supplemented, issue 39 of 26th May 2009 defines the state requirements to the content of the main documents issued by the higher education institutions, as follows:

  • Diploma for educational and qualification degree of a Bachelor’s, a Professional Bachelor’s, and a Master’s degree awarded, and a diploma supplement;
  • European diploma supplement;
  • Vocational qualification certificate;
  • Certificate for recognition of a specialty in the field of health after higher education completed;
  • Certificate for successfully passed course in specialized and language training in Bulgarian language for foreigners – students, post-graduated students, and doctoral candidates;
  • Certificate for a professional qualification degree awarded;
  • Certificate for a professional specialization in Education;
  • Certificate for extra-training or extra-specialization.

Ordinance № 21 of 30.09.2004 on implementation of a system for credit transfer and accumulation in the higher education institutions, issued by the Minister of Education and Science, promulgated, State Gazette, issue 89 of 12 October 2004, effective since 12 October 2004 defines the conditions and the procedure for applying a credit transfer and accumulation system by the higher education institutions.

Ordinance on the state requirements for the organization of distance learning in higher education institutions, adopted by Council of Ministers’ Decree № 292 of 2nd November 2004, promulgated, State Gazette, issue 99 of 9th November 2004 regulates the state requirements for the organization of distance learning in higher education institutions on the Republic of Bulgaria.