Certainly in this school year there will be no fee waiver for students accepted to study by state order. This was announced to the BNR by Krasimir Valchev, former Minister of Education, Chairman of the Committee on Education in the National Assembly and deputy from GERB.
"This is a measure that surprised everyone. It was not previously discussed, it was not in the Strategy for the Development of Higher Education. These fees have decreased as a percentage of income".
Any support for higher education is useful, the problem is how to do it, Valchev pointed out.
"We don't have a problem with access so much as with the structure of demand and the connection to the labor market," he pointed out.
The former Minister of Education believes that the correct approach is a differentiated exemption from fees for the specialties with an expected shortage in the labor market.
"We are obliged to activate all the tools to connect education with the needs of the market".
There are much more meaningful alternatives for spending the funds provided for dropping fees for students accepted by state order, he pointed out.
"These 150 million BGN can be given for scholarships or in connection with implementation in the country. It is also possible to give them when taking the matriculation exam in mathematics.
Instead of discussing how to achieve a greater social effect, we deal with the populism of Asen Vasilev and Denkov.
I hope these funds will still remain for higher education,", he said in the program "Above all".
"A law has been passed to increase remuneration in the sector – may be provided for this purpose".
For an increase in the salaries of university professors, 39 million had to be allocated since the beginning of the year, and then an additional remuneration voted by law.
"These funds have not yet been allocated by the Ministry of Finance. They have to do it. They must obey the law. It's more of a technical delay. They must also be provided based on a formula".
In the next parliament, the issue of student fees will continue to be discussed, Valchev also believes.
Education is a topic on which we have a relative expert, political, professional and civic consensus, he pointed out.
"We must not be tempted to speculate politically on the subject of education.
Most measures require sustained effort. One of our biggest failings is our lack of consistency.