- 2015Approved/Agreed
- 2016Implementation
- 2017Implementation
- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
Background
The Pre-school and School Education Act (PSEA) outlines the major changes in the philosophy and goals of education in Bulgaria and defines school education as being competence-oriented. Civic competences are among the key competences that students should develop in the process of general and vocational education.
Description
The 2015 Pre-school and School Education Act (PSEA) emphasises the important role of key competences for active citizenship and for successful integration into the labour market. It outlines an integrated approach to key competences in general education and vocational education and training (VET) curricula. The state education standards include vocational units, based on learning outcomes, for communication in a foreign language, ICT and entrepreneurship (integrated in 2017), as well as for health, safety, environment protection, and teamwork. A VET learner's performance in key competences is monitored by the State matriculation exams (Bulgarian language and literature, which is compulsory, and one additional exam selected by the learner). Practical tasks display learners' teamwork skills, their ability to communicate within a team and to organise their work environment, and to assess their own progress.
Implementation continued with no changes.
From the beginning of the academic year 2020/21, civic education was introduced into Bulgarian secondary schools as an independent subject. It became part of the general education of students, studied in grades XI and XII. Many years of effort by a wide range of stakeholders to introduce such a subject paid off. The public discussion that preceded the introduction of civic education, as well as the serious work of developing the State standard and curriculum for civic education in schools and the creation of textbooks and teacher training, mobilised many experts and institutions and led to the accumulation of significant experience.
In 2021, the Strategic framework for the development of education, training and learning in the Republic of Bulgaria (2021-30) was adopted by the Council of Ministers. This document outlines the general framework that the education ministry intends to follow in education, training and learning until 2030.
The strategy includes nine priority areas:
- early childhood development;
- competences and talents;
- motivated and creative teachers;
- cohesive school communities and continuous work with parents;
- effective inclusion, sustainable participation and education integration;
- education innovation, digital transformation and sustainable development; realisation of the professions of the present and the future;
- lifelong learning;
- efficient governance, management and networking.
Each of the priorities was accompanied by specific goals and performance indicators.
The framework placed vocational education and training (VET) high on the agenda and focused especially on innovation in VET, its digital transformation and relation to the green economy, emphasising VET’s role for the twin transition.
In particular, the objectives of priority two: competences and talents, focused on active citizenship and skills for living and working in the 21st century:
- training, focused on the development of key competences;
- education and development of learners’ attitudes and behaviour based on ethical values;;
- respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights;
- development of competences for intercultural dialogue and active citizenship, children, and youth participation.
In Priority six, digital skills and competences were described as priorities for education and the priority focusses on education for sustainable development. In this context, education policies are envisaged to develop civic, financial, health, environmental and physical culture, an understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity and democratic culture and digital citizenship.
In Priority eight, lifelong learning, creating attractive and flexible opportunities for the acquisition of basic skills, new competences and qualifications in the formal or non-formal education system were assigned as the most important themes of the priority.
In 2021, the national programme Building a school STEM environment, was coordinated and implemented by the education ministry. The programme aimed to create school centres - an integrated set of specially created and equipped learning spaces with a focus on the study and application of competences in the field of natural sciences- in State and municipal schools throughout Bulgaria.
In 2022 the national programme Building a school STEM environment was discontinued, because the Bulgarian Recovery and Resilience plan contains a more concrete set of actions for further developing STEM education. due to the foreseen support for school STEM cabinets under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (support measures due in 2023).
In 2022, the programme Education 2021-27 was adopted as one of the main instruments for the realisation of the priority 1 Education and Skills of the National Development Programme BULGARIA 2030. The programme reaffirmed the focus on the competence-based approach in education. Based on the identified needs, the programme concentrated its efforts- among other areas- on improving the quality of education by modernising the educational content and applying the competency model.
In particular, the programme envisages the affirmation of intercultural education through culture, science and sports, as one of the dimensions of civic education. This includes:
- diversifying the forms and means for effective implementation of intercultural education;
- organising and conducting the learning process in additional (not just in the classroom) environments e.g., external activities in museums, art galleries, cultural institutions, etc.
- conducting information campaigns aimed at preventing discrimination based on race, ethnic origin and religious affiliation.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Education and Science
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
- School leaders
Entities providing VET
- Companies
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
- VET providers (all kinds)
Other stakeholders
- Social partners (employer organisations and trade unions)
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers both to formal mechanisms of stakeholder engagement in VET governance and to informal cooperation among stakeholders, which motivate shared responsibility for quality VET. Formal engagement is usually based on legally established institutional procedures that clearly define the role and responsibilities for relevant stakeholders in designing, implementing and improving VET. It also refers to establishing and increasing the degree of autonomy of VET providers for agile and flexible VET provision.
In terms of informal cooperation, the sub-category covers targeted actions by different stakeholders to promote or implement VET. This cooperation often leads to creating sustainable partnerships and making commitments for targeted actions, in line with the national context and regulation, e.g. national alliances for apprenticeships, pacts for youth or partnerships between schools and employers. It can also include initiatives and projects run by the social partners or sectoral organisations or networks of voluntary experts and executives, retired or on sabbatical, to support their peers in the fields of VET and apprenticeships, as part of the EAfA.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
This thematic sub-category refers to acquisition of key competences and basic skills for all, from an early age and throughout their life, including those acquired as part of qualifications and curricula. Key competences include knowledge, skills and attitudes needed by all for personal fulfilment and development, employability and lifelong learning, social inclusion, active citizenship and sustainable awareness. Key competences include literacy; multilingual; science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM); digital; personal, social and learning to learn; active citizenship, entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression (Council of the European Union, 2018).
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to initiatives that promote VET and lifelong learning implemented at any level and by any stakeholder. It also covers measures to ensure and broaden access to information about VET to various target groups, including targeted information and promotional campaigns (e.g. for parents, adult learners, vulnerable groups). Among others, it includes national skill competitions and fairs organised to attract learners to VET.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
Osnabrück Declaration
- European Education and Training Area and international VET