Publication: Bulgaria : Improving the Quality and Relevance of Education for All
Date
2009-09
ISSN
Published
2009-09
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
Bulgaria has recently introduced
sweeping reforms of its secondary education system to
promote more autonomy and accountability of schools for
better learning outcomes. Positive results are already
showing but more remains to be done to reap the full
benefits of the reforms. Per-student-financing and delegated
budgets have led to a wave of school closures that had
become essential in the wake of a dramatic decline in
student numbers. As opposed to the previous centralized
system, school-based management with a considerable degree
of decision-making power of the school principal has set the
stage for schools to better adjust to local needs and
opportunities for a better education. External student
assessments are now routinely conducted, which have
substantially improved the evidence base for education
policy-making. However, concerns remain as to the
accountability of schools to the local community. While
principals are accountable to the municipal authorities for
the use of financial resources, parents have little formal
ways of holding principals accountable for learning
outcomes. The reform was launched in the face of dramatic
challenges in terms of unsatisfactory learning outcomes,
early school leaving and considerable inequities in the
education system. Moreover, Bulgaria s vocational education
and training system remains un-reformed, and there are
concerns with regard to the quality and relevance, with few
formal communication channels to the labor market. The
higher education system, meanwhile, is characterized by low
participation relative to other new EU Member States, and
the system of occupationally-oriented colleges, an important
part of higher education across the EU, remains
underdeveloped relative to academically-oriented
universities. The economic crisis and associated fiscal
pressures should not lead to cuts in the education budget.
Promoting accountability for learning outcomes and results
is the key policy direction for both secondary and tertiary
education. Teachers are the key determinant of the quality
of education.
Citation
“World Bank. 2009. Bulgaria : Improving the Quality and Relevance of Education for All. © Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/341f906c-022f-50ad-b6e4-c7c74e31d43f License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”