Students are overloaded with information, and testing encourages memorization instead of understanding. This was stated by historian and former Minister of Education and Science Prof. Sergey Ignatov on bTV. According to him, the change must start with assessment, by providing children with more time for practical activities.
„If we change the way of testing, we will change the way of teaching. Here, it is all a very simple formula“, he pointed out.
Ignatov emphasized that the curriculum must be tailored to the psychological development of children. In his words, it is necessary to highlight the basic knowledge, and additional information to remain in the background. Students must not only learn facts, but also understand why they are being taught and how to use them.
As an example, he gave the Cambridge system, in which, according to him, the emphasis is on understanding processes, rather than on accumulating a large amount of information.
Prof. Ignatov stated that artificial intelligence cannot replace the teacher, because its role goes far beyond communicating facts. He also emphasized the need for teachers to be trained to work with new technologies.
On the topic of social networks, the historian declared himself in favor of limiting access to dangerous content. According to him, a complete ban can be circumvented, and the family remains the main factor in upbringing. School efforts also face aggression and non-compliance with the rules that children see outside the classroom.
On the occasion of Reunification Day, Ignatov described the event as a “gigantic“ act in Bulgarian history and emphasized the role of the Bulgarian spirit in its success.
He said that his interest in the past was born in his childhood near the fortress “Baba Vida“ and the ancient city of Ratsiaria. According to him, Bulgaria has an exceptional historical wealth, but is still learning to realize and present its tourist value.