September 21 (BTA) - The Education Ministry on Tuesday
presented its priorities during the new term of the caretaker
government. The priorities are of equal importance and they will
 be developed simultaneously.

"The successful start of the school year with in-person classes
should continue, and all measures to minimize the risk of an
epidemic wave should be taken to take care of the health of
students and teachers," said caretaker Education Minister
Nikolai Denkov at a news conference on Tuesday.

Deputy Education Minister Maria Gaidarova will be in charge of
this priority.

In the next months preparations should begin for the
implementation of
the new European programmes and projects for education and
science. Under the National Plan for Recovery and Resilience and
 the Education Programmes a total of 3.3 billion leva will be
made available.

In order for this money to be used effectively, there is a lot
of preliminary work. An information campaign should be carried
out among potential beneficiaries: high schools, universities
and research organizations.

"This will take months of work. We'll begin and the next regular
 government will likely finish it in the spring of 2022," said
Minister Denkov.

He said that activities under this priority will be administered
 by the new Deputy Education Minister Vanya Stoyneva,

In the implementation of these priorities, previous
Deputy Education Minister in charge of higher education Genka
Petrova and her successor Deputy Education Minister Konstatin
Hadzhiivanov will participate actively.


Minister Denkov announced data about the share of quarantined
students and teachers. According to the latest data of September
 20 -.71 per cent of teachers and 0.44 per cent of students are
under quarantine.

Denkov recalled that by September 15 quarantined teachers were a
 little over 0.6 per cent and students under quarantine were
below 0.31 per cent.

"There is a gradual increase which is expected and we should
watch for any drastic changes. Then we will have to close down
classes or schools to avoid an explosion in cases,"said the
Minister.

Denkov said that currently some 32 per cent of teachers have
received at least one vaccine dose. RY/PP

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