Sofia, December 9 (BTA) - Students will have in-person schooling even if 30 per cent, instead of the current 50 per cent, of a given class agree to in-person attendance with once-a-week testing, or with a covid green pass for vaccination, recovery, presence of antibodies or negative covid test. The new rule goes into force as of December 15, after a decision to this effect on Thursday of the Education and Science Ministry, and the trade unions and employers in the system of education, made at a meeting of the sectoral council for tripartite cooperation, the Education and Science Ministry said in a press release.

So far if in respect of 50 per cent of students consent was absent for testing or a green covid pass, the class remained in online schooling.

The change in the rule is expected to return to school more students who now stay home on account of the refusal of their classmates or their parents for testing for covid once in the week.

Students who do not want to be tested will continue to be schooled online.

No other changes will be made until Christmas of the schooling regulations amid the pandemic, caretaker Education and Science Minister Nikolai Denkov said.

The social partners supported the Ministry's proposal for the 2022 budget of the education system, in which 5 billion leva are earmarked to go towards pre-school and school education. This figure is by 834 million leva more than the one for 2021, which amounted to 4.446 billion leva (3.6 per cent of the GDP). The additional money is for increase of teachers pay in line with the increase of the average monthly wage in Bulgaria, for covering current gaps, and for new activities under key policies.

Furthermore, the Education and Science Ministry wants more money for ensuring mandatory pre-schooling of four-year-olds. More money was proposed for improving school buildings and facilities, for transport costs of students, renovation of school bus fleets, for student grants, and for school meals. LN/ZH//