Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe Task Force Education and Youth South Eastern European Education Reform Implementation Initiative Good Practice in Education and Training Development and Reform Working Meeting of Seniors Officials from SEE Bucharest, March 2003 Providing wider access and equal opportunities to quality education and training for all irrespective of gender, national minority belonging. Integration of minority groups and in particular of Roma children. Integration of children with special educational needs. Country: Bulgaria Author: Sofia Dimitrova

Good Practice in Education and Training Development and Reform 1. Priority Area 5 – Widening access to quality education and training and ensuring equal opportunities, taking account of gender equality, for national minorities, and other underrepresented groups. 5 – Widening access to quality education and training and ensuring equal opportunities, taking account of gender equality, for national minorities, and other underrepresented groups.

Good Practice in Education and Training Development and Reform 2. General Objective(s) Doing away with the segregation of minority group children and pupils (especially Roma) by placing them in regular schools together with Bulgarian children and pupils. Doing away with the segregation of minority group children and pupils (especially Roma) by placing them in regular schools together with Bulgarian children and pupils.

Good Practice in Education and Training Development and Reform 3. Specific Objectives To get equal opportunities for further education and training and integration into the society. To get equal opportunities for further education and training and integration into the society.

Good Practice in Education and Training Development and Reform 4. Target Group(s) Minority children Minority children Teachers Teachers Parents Parents Teacher trainers Teacher trainers The community The community

Good Practice in Education and Training Development and Reform 5. Activities Taking away the Roma children from segregated Roma schools to regular schools; Taking away the Roma children from segregated Roma schools to regular schools; Introduction of pre-school year for improving their knowledge in the Bulgarian language Introduction of pre-school year for improving their knowledge in the Bulgarian language

Good Practice in Education and Training Development and Reform 6. Partners Involved Principles of schools and the teaching staff Principles of schools and the teaching staff NGOs NGOs Parents Parents

Good Practice in Education and Training Development and Reform 7. Resources From the budget of the Ministry of Education and Science From the budget of the Ministry of Education and Science

Good Practice in Education and Training Development and Reform 8. Achievements to Date We have started creating the proper conditions for the integration of minority groups children We have started creating the proper conditions for the integration of minority groups children

Good Practice in Education and Training Development and Reform 9. Perspectives To include all the minority children into the regular schools To include all the minority children into the regular schools