A total of 11,458 children have been placed in kindergartens, nurseries and preschool groups in the capital. The first ranking for this year took place today in the Sofia Municipality in the presence of parents, non-governmental organizations, representatives of the municipality and journalists, BNT reported.
Desislava Zhelyazkova, director of the "Education" Directorate in the Sofia Municipality, announced that this means that 3200 places are available for the next rankings. 9720 are not accepted children. They were fighting for a total of 14,693 places, Zhelyazkova pointed out. She added that 5163 children were accepted in nurseries where the shortage is greatest. The total number of children applying is 23,679.
Zhelyazkova said that last year a full audit of the application system for kindergartens of the Sofia Municipality was carried out and there are guarantees that things are happening in a fair and protected manner. There is a shortage again, but we will overcome it, she pointed out. Zhelyazkova explained that this year fewer places in the nurseries have been announced.
We have a huge shortage of nurses to work in the groups. Despite the efforts of the Sofia Municipality, there is a 20% shortage of nurses, which means that the vacancies are for a total of 100, but with the opening of new kindergartens, the shortage will increase, Zhelyazkova emphasized.
She informed that by the end of the year three new kindergartens and expansions of eight other kindergartens will be opened. This is over 1,300 more places in kindergartens.
By 4:00 p.m. on May 23, registration will take place after the first ranking. The system closes at 5:00 p.m. on May 23 and the second ranking will take place immediately after. The third ranking is on June 6, the Sofia Municipality announced.