April 24 (BTA) - A total of 217,900 children have been admitted to kindergarten in Bulgaria for the 2019/2020 school year, which is 0.4 per cent fewer than for 2018/2019, according to data from the National Statistical Institute.

A total of 25,800 adolescents finished their secondary education at comprehensive schools in 2019, and 21,600 at vocational schools. Some 220,200 have been enrolled for various levels of higher education for the 2019/2020 academic year. As at December 31, 2019, there were 6,440 doctoral candidates, 558 of them foreigners.

As at December 1, 2019, Bulgaria had 1,840 operational stand-alone kindergartens managed by a headmaster. They were attended by 217,900 kids, including 112,600 boys (51.7 per cent). The number of kindergarten-goers decreased by 0.4 per cent compared with the previous year. The kindergarten coverage rate for 2019/2020 is 78.7 per cent, going up by 0.3 percentage points compared with 2018/2019. There are an average of 118 kids in every kindergarten; in urban settlements, the number is 153, and in rural settlements, 61. The average group of kids in a kindergarten comprises 23 children (25 in urban settlements and 19 in rural settlements).

Bulgaria's kindergartens employ a total teaching staff of 20,100 during the current school year, or 1.3 per cent more than in the previous year. The total number includes 18,800 teachers (93.8 per cent of the teaching staff).

The country has 106 licensed privately run kindergartens, 5 more than in the previous school year. They are attended by 4,982 children (2.3 per cent of all kindergarten-goers).

As at October 1, 2019, classes were being held at 1,963 comprehensive schools, including 133 elementary-level schools, 1,162 primary schools, 70 consolidated schools, 114 high schools and 484 secondary schools. Comprehensive schools have increased by 8 compared with the previous school year. A total of 572,500 students have been enrolled at comprehensive schools for 2019/2020, including 82,500 students in rural areas.

The average class size in a comprehensive day-school is 21 students.

There were 15,800 early leavers from comprehensive schools in 2018/2019. Seven thousand of them (44.4 per cent) moved abroad, 6,400 (40.7 per cent) dropped out of school for family reasons, and 1,600 (10.2 per cent) dropped out because they did not want to study any more.

About 58,800 children finished primary education in comprehensive schools in 2019, and 25,800 finished secondary education.

The share of comprehensive school students of first to fourth grade who study foreign languages is 83.6 per cent. Most of them (92.4 per cent) study English.

In the 2019/2020 school year, comprehensive schools employ 53,100 teachers, including principals and deputy principals with teaching responsibilities. Women account for 85.6 per cent of teachers.

As at October 1, 2019, Bulgaria has 86 privately-run comprehensive schools, including 7 elementary-level schools, 30 primary schools, 21 high schools and 28 secondary schools. They enroll a total of 10,907 students, accounting for 1.9 per cent of all comprehensive school students.

Vocational education in 2019/2020 is being provided in 21 art schools, 25 sport schools, 358 vocational high schools and 23 vocational colleges where admission comes after seventh grade. Such schools enroll a total of 135,100 students.

At the university level, there are 226,600 students studying towards any of four degrees in the 2019/2020 academic year: professional bachelor, bachelor, master, or doctor. This implies a decrease by 1.2 per cent compared with 2018/2019. Among all university and specialized higher-school students, there are 195,700 Bulgarian citizens, accounting for 92.3 per cent of the total. Their number decreased by 3,700 (1.9 per cent) in a year. There are 16,300 foreign students, increasing by 5.5 per cent compared with the past academic year and 43 per cent compared with 2015/2016.

Bulgaria has 6,440 doctoral candidates as at December 31, 2019, decreasing by 27 people (0.4 per cent) compared with December 31, 2018. RY/VE

/СН/