Immediately after the ceremonial opening of the school year, irregularities in the Bulgarian school became the reason for a political declaration by “Vazrajdane” from the parliamentary rostrum.
“From the parliamentary group of “Vazrajdane“ we are raising a question that affects trust in the Bulgarian school: what are the rules for entering the most desirable high schools, are these rules fair?”, said Angel Yanchev from the parliamentary rostrum.
He added that from “Vazrajdane“ insist that the Ministry of Education and Science restore the mandatory national list for referral of students with illnesses and check this year's admission for health reasons. The reason is the official data of the ministry itself, obtained after three consecutive acts of parliamentary control.
“In the 2025-2026 school year, 205 students were referred for admission of students with chronic illnesses in this order. For the upcoming 2026-2027 year, they are 311. The increase is by 106 students, or by nearly 52 percent. In Sofia, the number jumps from 44 to 95. An increase of nearly 116 percent. More than a double increase in referred students with chronic illnesses in one year! During the previous six school years, the total number for the country ranged between 159 and 218. It is now 311. This is the highest value in the seven-year report provided. This growth requires explanation. Children with chronic illnesses and disabilities have the right to quality education, including in the best high schools. When health poses real obstacles to them, the state is obliged to help. But any deviation from the general competitive order must be justified and subject to control. Otherwise, even completely reasonable decisions are questioned. How does this procedure work? A commission at the Regional Education Department directs the student based on documents. The severity of the illness, the resulting limitations, the grades from the first term in the subjects that form the grade, and the stated wishes are taken into account. The result of the national external assessment does not participate in this direction. It is particularly important that the directed students occupy places from the approved state admission plan. These are not additional places above it. After their enrollment, the available places for the general ranking decrease. For the family whose child has remained below the line, this is a very specific issue. Parents expect to know why some of the places are allocated without the participation of the exam result and how the need for this exception is verified. In just six capital schools, 25 students have been referred in this order: six to the First English High School, five to the National Science and Mathematics High School, five to the 31st School, four to the Second English High School, three to the 91st German High School and two to the Sofia Mathematics High School. Nine more have been referred to the language high schools “Plovdiv“ and “Ivan Vazov“ in Plovdiv.”, said Angel Yanchev and specified that these are data only for the ten schools that enrolled the largest number of students with chronic diseases.
The People's Representative from “Vazrazhdane” reported that the diagnoses for some of the schools are scoliosis, bronchial and allergic asthma, diabetes and epilepsy as grounds for referral to language, mathematical and natural science profiles. Some diagnoses are euphemisms for myopia or indigestion. He also specified that a diagnosis can have a different course.
“In its responses, the Ministry of Education and Science also considers hypotheses in which the disease “minimally affects or does not affect the child's functional capabilities for learning“. That is why clear medical criteria are needed. The assessment cannot end with the finding that the child has a chronic illness. What has changed? On June 20, 2025, Article 97 of Ordinance No. 10 was repealed. It provided that referrals should be made according to lists approved by the Minister of Health and coordinated with the Minister of Education and Science. Now the commissions of the Regional Education Departments work without applying lists of diseases. The general criteria in the ordinance remain, but the mandatory lists have been removed. And in the first campaign, conducted entirely after this change, the referrals increased by more than half”, Angel Yanchev further specified.
According to him, these numbers show abuses and added that he had to request information from the Ministry of Education three times until he received this information. To overcome this injustice, which has degenerated into a legalized violation, Yanchev proposes:
“Restore the mechanism of Article 97 of the MES regulation on the organization of activities: a mandatory national list approved by the Minister of Health. This list must be up-to-date, medically justified and take into account the severity and functional limitations, and not just the name of the disease.
- MES, together with the competent health authorities, should check this year's referrals. The medical grounds and motives for the choice of school and profile should be checked. In case of violations, officials should be held accountable.
We understand that MES has commissioned an analysis of the regulations. We insist that the Minister announce a specific schedule for the check and changes so that they can be discussed in the Education and Science Committee in the coming months.
After the first solemn school day, we must show children to be honest and believe that their efforts are meaningful. We have no right to leave doubt about the fairness of the system at the same time.
„Vazrazhdane“ insists on support for children who need it, and on fair admission. The state is obliged to guarantee both. After wishing a successful school year, next week we must show that fairness in school also applies to the adults who set the rules.