In sync chief of education and union, they appeal to support the obligatory study of religion
Screenshots are distributed on social networks from communications from the Chief of Regional Education Directorate (RWO) and the chairman of the local structure of the union of Bulgarian teachers with calls school principals and teachers to support a civil petition for the introduction of a compulsory subject « Religion-Christianity-Orthodoxy ». In response to questions from Dnevnik, the head of the Regional Police Directorate Irena Irena Radeva points out that the petition was provided to the directors only for information and that it did not exert pressure on them and their civic positions.
Sandanski Municipality also urges citizens to support the same petition through a Facebook publication, which was later deleted.
The idea of the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) to introduce a compulsory subject « Virtues and Religions » from the first class met pole reactions. Two open letters in the form of petitions are also published online – against and for the proposal.
It is emphasized that upbringing is a process and is a task of family, school, society. And now religion is considered in history, philosophy and literature hours, and there is an opportunity to study the subject as freely elective. So far, the petition has been supported by over 7,400 people.
The subject religion will educate in honesty and tolerance: parents ask who will write the programs
« Its mandatory would be an extremely dangerous step in the modern development of our society as a whole. Last but not least, there is a considerable risk of producing the opposite effect: many young people will be repelled by both the religion and the values, the norms and the behavior that these hours would be focused on, and many of which are undeniable. »
- Orthodoxy
- Islam
- Non -confessional (which does not concern the religion – note) with a focus on ethics and virtues
According to the signs, the introduction of the subject is « a necessary step to restore the spiritual and moral values that underpin Bulgarian identity ». It is added that the school, along with the teaching of the individual disciplines, is a place for the formation of students’ civic and spiritual identity.
Religion as a compulsory subject at school: the problem is who, what and how will he teach
« We support the responsible state thinking of the Minister of Education and Science, Mr. Krasimir Valchev, who correctly sees a powerful and extremely timely means of dealing with the moral crisis, aggression and dependencies among the adolescent generation, » the petition said.
The chief of RW-Varna appeals for support, but it was only for information
| It is precisely for the support of the second petition that the head of the Regional Police Directorate Irena Radeva calls for a message in a viber group with directors in the district. |
« Please organize more people to sign it! NGOs have made fives against it so that they can claim that there are many people against. Dear colleagues, please support the MES policy and personally Minister Valchev, » writes the head of the Regional Police Directorate on Sunday (April 27).
In response to questions from Dnevnik, Radeva writes that a message that is distributed in the public domain was sent to an informal chat group of communication, in which only some directors in the district participate. It is a personal initiative and a pronounced personal opinion, Radeva emphasizes.
The announcement is not an official order or instructions of the Regional Education Management. It was only provided for information without any follow -up expectations
Irena Radeva. Head of the Regional Police Department-Varna
In her reply, Radeva adds that teachers, principals and the whole pedagogical community have complete freedom to form and express their opinion. « The regional education management has never exerted or exert pressure on them in connection with their civic positions, » adds the head of the Regional Police Department-Varna.
« In order to dispel all suggestion attempts, we invite the media, if desired, to turn to representatives of the pedagogical community in the respective area, who may confirm that they have not been put on pressure or encouraged to take a particular position, » Radeva wrote.
And the union of Bulgarian teachers supports the petition
| « Please sign under the open letter in support of the introduction of religion-Christianity-Orthodoxy as a regular subject in Bulgarian schools to support the Ministry of Education and Science, as well as forward the link to all SBU members to your educational institutions to sign until the end of April 2025, » the report said. |
Dnevnik sent written questions to the union of the Bulgarian teachers’ union and to the local structure, but until the editorial end of the text did not receive answers.
| Today, at Facebook, Sandanski Municipality also called on citizens to support the petition for the introduction of the subject, but later the publication was deleted. |
The subject may be a fact from 2026/2027.
The arguments of the Minister of Education Krasimir Valchev are that the education system should make children not only knowledgeable but also good people, and that with the help of the subject will reduce aggression at school. Students will have a choice of programs – with elements of confessional training, but there will also be a program that will only focus on upbringing, and it will have a history of religions.
So far, the ministry has not announced who and how it will prepare the class programs, how the learning process will take place when students in one class have chosen three different programs (Christianity – Orthodoxy, Islam, non -confessional education), are there enough trained teachers to teach the new subject, how pedagogues will be qualified.
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