Fewer and fewer Bulgarians living abroad send their children to Sunday schools where Bulgarian language and culture are taught, said Veneta Nenkova, founder of the Bulgarian school ''Asen and Iliya Peykovi'' in Rome, in an interview with the BNR’s correspondent in Veliko Tarnovo Zdravka Maslyankova. At the Veliko Tarnovo University, representatives of Bulgarian schools abroad are discussing the realities and challenges of the teacher-student interaction.

Only 10% of Bulgarians think that their children should know Bulgarian. We have to convince parents of the importance of keeping their children connected to Bulgaria”,said Veneta Nenkova.“There are Bulgarian families who do not speak Bulgarian at home which creates problems in educating the children”, added Valentina Nikolova, director of the Bulgarian Sunday school “Rodoljubie” in Naples.

The shortage of teachers is another challenge facing Bulgarian schools abroad. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to find qualified teachers abroad. We want to involve young people with more energy”, said Gergana Hristova, director of the Peyo Yavorov Sunday School in Milan.

Published and translated by Kostadin Atanasov

Photo: Zdravka Maslyankova