For generations the first day of school has brought excitement to every Bulgarian home, President Rumen Radev said at the ceremony giving the start to the new school year at the First English-language Secondary School in Sofia, the Bulgarian news agency BTA reports.

PM Rosen Zhelyazkov attended the ceremony marking the start of the school year at the Elin Pelin school No. 83 in Pancharevo. “More and more young people have been entering our system of education. More than 20% of school teachers now are under the age of 35, and that is the best testimonial that the profession is attractive,” the Bulgarian prime minister said.

“I have urged teachers to cooperate with parents as much as possible, because we have one shared and very important mission – to make the children capable, knowledgeable and good people,” said Minister of Education Krasimir Valchev on the first day of school at the Academician Mihail Arnaudov school No. 119 in Sofia.

The number of first graders this year is 57,000, and the total number of pupils – 716,000. They will attend more than 2,300 schools with almost 74,000 teachers. The new school year started on 1 September at 405 Bulgarian schools abroad – in 43 countries on 6 continents.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov
Translated and posted by Milena Daynova
Photo: BTA, Council of Ministers press service, Radio Vidin, BNR