📜At the beginning of the new school year, UNICEF warns of very little progress in fulfilling the commitment to transform education. A new report presents findings regarding the actions that countries have taken to reduce inequalities and accelerate the mastery of basic skills based on the measures outlined in the “RAPID” framework.
🚸Through the “RAPID” framework, UNICEF calls on governments to:
– Reach and keep every child in school;
– Regularly assess learning achievements;
– Prioritize the teaching of basic knowledge and skills;
– Focus on catching up for those falling behind;
– Emphasize the development of psychosocial support and well-being, so that every child is ready to learn.
Situation in Bulgaria
📌Data from this year’s national external assessment reveal a deterioration in the results of fourth-grade students, further deepening the so-called “educational poverty,” measured by the percentage of children at the end of fourth grade who cannot read and understand simple texts (World Bank, October 2019). Data for seventh-grade students show slight progress in the Bulgarian language and an average score of 35 points in mathematics – just above the threshold of 30 points.
📌While the above data reveal alarming trends for children in school, UNICEF points out the depth of the learning crisis, adding those who do not attend school, stating that almost every second young person in Bulgaria lacks basic reading and math skills (World Skills Clock).
📌Despite the Ministry of Education and Science reporting a 40% reduction in the dropout rate through the Mechanism for the Cooperation of Institutions in Coverage and Inclusion in the Educational System, the latest data from the National Statistical Institute still show that 11.2% of children aged 3-6 and 5.7% of children aged 7-10 do not attend school.
📌The Ministry of Education and Science’s data for 2022, presented at a joint conference with UNICEF, show an increase in almost all types of violence reported in schools, including physical, verbal, and cyberbullying, with over 3300 registered incidents for the past school year.
📌In today’s digital world, almost every second young person in Bulgaria lacks basic digital skills (World Skills Clock).
✅Transforming education begins with ensuring that all children acquire basic skills – literacy, mathematical skills, and social-emotional skills, which form the foundation for learning as a whole. For this purpose, a global coalition has been formed, urging governments and stakeholders to support the Commitment to Action on Basic Education as a first step in this process.
“Schools need resources, support, and training for teachers, as well as updates to the curriculum to be adequate and suitable for students. Additionally, violence and bullying in schools are among the main factors hindering children’s ability to learn and realize their potential. Alongside the Ministry of Education, UNICEF Bulgaria is implementing programs for inclusive and accessible education for every child and for building a safe and positive environment for the entire school community.” – Christina de Bruyn, UNICEF representative in Bulgaria.
Teachers – Heroes for the Mission to Change Education
🖋️UNICEF advocates for actions and investments so that every teacher can be supported and equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills, and every child can learn in a safe and inclusive environment.
🖋️Therefore, UNICEF Bulgaria is launching the campaign with the motto “#TeachersAreStrong.” It will focus on the role of teachers – the main drivers of change in every school. The goal of the campaign is to call for support and gratitude to teachers, empowering them to enable students and build a more inclusive and positive school environment. Public figures participating in UNICEF’s campaign to support teachers include Poli Genova, national ambassador of UNICEF in Bulgaria, Krisia, Slavi from “The Clachers,” Andrea Banda Banda, and others. They will meet with their favorite teachers or record a thankful message for them as a sign of gratitude.
🖋️This year, UNICEF is placing a special emphasis on the role of resource teachers and all specialists working with children with special needs. A special ambassador of gratitude for their efforts is third-grader Michaela from Varna – the face of the “Life with Down Syndrome” Foundation, who sends her thankful message to her favorite teacher: [link to the video].
How UNICEF supports teachers and students in Bulgaria
In the past year, we have supported nearly 2750 professionals – teachers, principals, specialists through various interventions. Some of them include:
💡”Steps Together Towards a School without Violence” program, implemented jointly with the Ministry of Education and Science. In 2022, almost 3000 students from grades 1-12 participated in seminars to develop social-emotional skills (emotion management, interpersonal problem-solving, etc.), and some students received special training as “Peacekeepers” to help their peers. Moreover, over 160 educational specialists were trained to implement restorative approaches in school, and they were also supported with training to prevent professional burnout. Within the program, training sessions aimed at systematically improving interaction with all parents or working with a parent/s in a crisis situation were conducted, with over 500 parents participating in thematic parent meetings and community events.
💡 We have built and launched the first free online platform in Bulgaria for additional support for children with special educational needs, their teachers, and parents – the “Support Me” platform. The platform provides a library of free educational and therapeutic resources to support children with special educational needs (SEN), accessible to all children, parents, teachers, and specialists at www.podkrepime.mon.bg. In the past year, through the platform, we reached and supported 3472 children and 805 specialists.
💡 We created C-Board – a free innovative alternative communication tool for children and adults with speech and language disorders, developed and adapted by UNICEF to the Bulgarian language with typical Bulgarian symbols. The mobile application aided the inclusion and education of 162 non-verbal children, increasing their competence for coping with daily tasks, adaptability, and self-esteem by an average of 15%. UNICEF developed a free interactive online training course and trained 41 national trainers in augmentative alternative communication, as well as 806 specialists to work with these communication aids.
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About UNICEF:
For 77 years, UNICEF has worked in the toughest conditions to reach the most vulnerable children. In over 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to create a better world for all. For more information about UNICEF, visit www.unicef.org.
Translation: Simona Veleva
