07 novembre 2007
NOW THAT STRIKE IS OVER, BULGARIAN SCHOOLS PLAN TO MAKE UP FOR MISSED CLASSES
After the Unions called for the end of the teachers' strike on Friday November 2, Bulgarian teachers would have to choose by themselves which part of the classes to skip in order to make up for those they missed due to the teachers' strike, Standart daily reported.
Head of the Sofia educational inspectorate Vanya Kastreva said the easier classes would be merged. The non-obligatory writers in the literature programme would not be studied due to the lack of time, teachers commented. The ministry of education and culture would decide which literary works to be removed from the programme, Bulgarian language and literature expert Stanislav Georgiev said.
At the same time teachers will work extra hours to help students catch up on their classes, an initiative teachers from St Kliment Ohridski high school in Varna started.
Last-year secondary school students and last-year high school students will be the ones with the most extra work to do. They have to sit high school and university admission exams and therefore need to go through their classes more quickly.
The length of classes, however, would remain the same, Dnevnik daily reported. A single class would not last more than 45 minutes and there would be no extra classes daily, representatives of the regional educational inspectorates explained on November 5. According to Vanya Kastreva, when determining the class length, the students' capacity to effectively grasp the material should be taken into consideration.
From November 6 on, inspectors will start meetings at schools to draw up plans to make up for missed classes. A week later the Education ministry would sum up their conclusions and would decide how to change the study programmes, Dnevnik daily reported.
Teachers started an effective strike on September 24, demanding 100 per cent increase of salaries. An concept agreement was reached between unions and Education Ministry on October 26, but rejected by teachers on October 29. On November 2, the unions announced the end of the strike as the concept agreement had been included in the concept budget 2008, which had been taken to Parliament a few days before.
http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/now-that-strike-is-over-bulgarian-schools-plan-to-make-up-for-missed-classes/id_25966/catid_66
01 novembre 2007
4.2% of GDP to be allotted for education in 2008
| 9 September 2007 | 14:10 | FOCUS News Agency |
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Sofia. The government is ready to implement as of January 1st 2008 an accelerated increase in teachers’ incomes so that their salaries can equal the average budget sphere payment – BGN 521, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev said at a press conference, quoted by Focus News Agency. |
28 octobre 2007
European Affairs Minister Gergana Grancharova: The Bulgarian school should open its eyes to the opportunities the EU has to offe
| 26 October 2007 | 17:16 | FOCUS News Agency |
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Shumen. Lifelong Learning is EU’s new educational program to be implemented by 2013 that unites the programs Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci, Erasmus and eLearning– such was the topic of conversation of European Affairs Minister Gergana Grancharova with students and school directors in Shumen, northern Bulgaria, the office of the minister informs. The program offers opportunities for qualification not only to students, but to teachers as well. It gives a chance for investments and innovations in education, language training, IT and learning good practices. |
16 septembre 2007
Strike or no strike?
| 16 September 2007 | 08:06 | |
The first school day in the first year of Bulgaria’s EU membership has started with a teachers’ strike. Teachers protest against their low remuneration and disregard for their work. Doubts about whether a national strike was made in Bulgaria arose after the Confederation of Labour Podkrepa presented consolidated data about the strikers. The trade union says that 81% of those employed in the secondary education system, teachers and non-pedagogic staff included in the one-hour warning strike and in protests by 12.30 pm on the first school day, September 15. Later Bulgaria’s Ministry of Education revealed consolidated data collected from the regional education inspections. Thus it turned out that out of 3,014 schools in Bulgaria those on strike are 299 or 9.92%. No schools are on strike in the districts of Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Lovech, Montana, Razgrad and Shumen.
FOCUS News Agency
Teachers from 18 schools and kindergartens in the region of Kyustendil have filed documents to allow going on strike
The Trade Union organizations in 18 schools and kindergartens in the region of Kyustendil have filed the necessary documents for going on a strike, Natasha Pavlova, Chairman of the teachers’ trade union of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria /CITUB/ announced, cited by the correspondent of FOCUS News Agency informed.
Teachers in Bulgaria protest against their low wages and bad working conditions.
Ministry of Education: Only 9.92% of schools went on strike
According to information of the regional inspectorate offices of the Ministry of Education, 299 schools out of a total of 3,014 in Bulgaria, went on strike on the first day in school, 15 September, which represents 9.92%, the press office of the Ministry of Education and Science announced.
There were no schools on strike in the regions of Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Lovech, Montana, Razgrad and Shumen.
Teacher protests mark first day of classes in Bulgaria
Sofia. Thousands of school teachers in Bulgaria staged protests for higher pay on the first day of classes Saturday, national radio reported.
About two-thirds of all school teachers joined the nationwide one-hour strike during the official opening ceremonies, strike leader Stefan Valkov was quoted as saying.
They are demanding a 100 percent pay rise by July 2008. The average monthly salary in the sector is 340 leva (173 euros, 241 dollars), union data shows.
Initially, the unions planned to boycott the official launch of the school year entirely, but many teachers did not want to ruin the first day of classes for their pupils.
Instead, they wore badges saying "Strike" and "Worthy work, worthy pay" and urged parents to support them.
The unions also plan to stage "a day of teacher silence" on September 20, and have threatened to begin a proper strike by cancelling all classes from September 24 if their demands are not met.
The government offered to increase all salaries in the school sector by 10 percent from January 2008 and by another 10 percent next July, but the unions refused to give up their demands for a doubling of their pay. (AFP)
Education minister Valchev: We believe in you, so believe in us
The new school year at the professional high school in economy and management in Pazardzhik has started without any protests, the correspondent of Radio FOCUS – Pazardzhik reported. Bulgarian Minister of Education and Science Daniel Valchev attended the opening. He made an address to the teachers and students at the ceremony with the words: ‘In modern-day society it is getting even more important who knows what, so most of the advanced nations are educated. They keep on expending many efforts and funds on education for the next generations’, he said.
President Parvanov: The state should conduct a more active policy in education
‘Spirituality saved the Bulgarian nation and revived the state. Now is the time for the state to conduct a much more active policy in education’, Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov announced upon opening the school year in coastal Kavarna, a correspondent of Radio FOCUS – Varna reported. The Head of State also announced that new, modern solutions about the social status of the Bulgarian teacher are needed. ‘This is not measured with the income only, but with the public prestige, the quality of education is also important’, Parvanov also announced.
14 septembre 2007
Bulgaria Young Scientists: And the Golden Melon Goes to Stanishev!
Young scientists from across Bulgaria renewed their protests against the miserable state funding by handing out unflattering awards to those in power.
Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev grabbed the biggest award - a ripe melon - for making "the most significant invention for the last twenty years" by building a modern nation without science or education.
Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski was honoured with the Golden Nut award for the most niggardly finance minister ever.
"I graduated nuclear physics in Bordeaux, France, and returned to Bulgaria to live and work here. Believe me, it is not working!", said Hristo Lafchiev.
"I did not come here to rally for higher wages. I came here because Bulgaria's education and science will be soon dead," said Evgeni Popov from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
"It is a pity that those in power are aware of the problems but do nothing because it is easier to rule a backward nation," he added.
The young scientists voiced their support for the teachers' demands for higher wages and said they would join their upcoming strike.
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=85251
10 septembre 2007
Daniel Valchev: Money for education from GDP will increase
| 10 September 2007 | 12:54 | FOCUS News Agency |
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Sofia. Talks among social partners in the field of education continue, the Bulgarian Minister of Education Daniel Valchev said, cited by a FOCUS News Agency reporter. Valchev explained that there was a misunderstanding regarding the average working wages of the teachers in high school. |
09 septembre 2007
4.2% of GDP to be allotted for education in 2008
| 9 September 2007 | 14:10 | FOCUS News Agency |
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Sofia. The government is ready to implement as of January 1st 2008 an accelerated increase in teachers’ incomes so that their salaries can equal the average budget sphere payment – BGN 521, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev said at a press conference, quoted by Focus News Agency. |
Government ready for speeded rise in teachers’ payment as of January 2008
| 9 September 2007 | 13:25 | FOCUS News Agency |
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Sofia. At the end of the government’s term in office it is expected the monthly payments of the best teachers will reach BGN 920, it was announced at a press conference held by PM Sergey Stanishev, Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski and Education Minister Daniel Valchev, Focus News Agency reports. |
Bulgaria PM Asks Teachers for Patience
Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev asked the country's teachers, who are threatening to delay the start of the school year with their strike, for patience until the end of the year.
Stanishev dismissed the demands for doubling teachers' wages as unfeasible, seeing as it would cost in excess of BGN 1 B, which would deprive other important areas of funding.
But the cabinet was ready to bring teacher wages, now averaging a monthly BGN 444, to BGN 560, above the average figure for state employees, starting January, he said.
By introducing a performance-based remuneration scheme, the highest rated teachers in the top ranked schools could earn as much as BGN 920, according to government estimates.
The government has pencilled in 4,2% of gross domestic product for education needs in the draft budget for next year, money that would be used to improve Bulgarian schools, in addition to raising teachers' wages, according to Stanishev.
"We expect to have realistic talks [with the trade unions], not ultimatums," he added.
But the trade unions dismissed Stanishev's words as "empty promises," which would not satisfy the teachers, who were still intent on striking.
"Different cabinets have promised to improve Bulgarian schools for more than a decade, but nobody knows where to start from," said Krum Krumov, head of the teachers' union within the Podkrepa confederation.
He also criticised the proposed performance-based scheme, which had no clear criteria and could go on to create tensions among the teachers themselves.
Earlier this week, the teachers' unions demanded an immediate salaries hike of 20% starting October, and a doubling of their wages over the next year, threatening to delay the start of the school year, which traditionally begins on September 15, until their demands are met.
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=85077
05 septembre 2007
Internet for 1000 Bulgarian Libraries
Foundation “Bill and Melinda Gates” chose Ministry of culture for the implementation of its biggest project for over 1000 Bulgarian libraries, inform from the ministry.
The project “Global libraries” will secure public access to information via Internet in over 1000 Bulgarian libraries with taking into consideration the needs of the citizens in the smallest and most remote towns and villages.
The project “Global libraries” includes tow phases – planning phase, which has already been concluded and realization stage, which will take between 3-5 years.
Representatives of the consultant "Kissinger McLarty Associates", which works on the Global libraries project, are arriving in Bulgaria on 11 September for a meeting with the minister of culture Stefan Danailov.
The project “Global libraries” aims at seriously stimulating of the development of public libraries in Bulgaria and their transformation into main information centers by guaranteeing wide access of the citizens to information and communication technologies.
The first contacts on the project between the ministry of culture and Foundation “Bill and Melinda Gates” date back to May 2006. Partner organisations of the project are the National association of municipalities in Bulgaria, the Union of library and information workers, the State agency for information technologies and the UNDP.