The National Network for Children (NNC) sent an open letter to the Minister of Education and Science, and to the Chair and members of the Education and Science Committee, to express its serious concern about the way in which amendments to the Pre-school and School Education Act (PSEA) were discussed and pushed through – including the proposal to introduce a new compulsory subject, Values and Religion.
On 29 July 2025, during a meeting of the Education and Science Committee, we witnessed a lack of genuine dialogue and democratic procedure. More than 800 opinions and over 2,100 pages of comments from civil society organisations, experts, students, and parents were ignored. The changes are being advanced without an impact assessment, without sufficient public transparency, and without accountability to the public.
Particularly troubling is that even the positions of youth organisations – such as the National Student Parliament and the Sofia Student Council – were not taken into account. This directly violates Bulgaria’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which requires that children participate in decision-making on matters that affect them.
The NNC emphasises that the authentic participation of children and young people is not decorative, but an essential element of any democratic and sustainable policy. We will exercise our right under the Access to Public Information Act to determine whether, and how many, consultations with young people have been carried out by the Ministry of Education and Science.
The proposal for a compulsory Values and Religion subject raises well-founded concerns. Religious affiliation is a deeply personal matter, already addressed through optional subjects such as Religion – Orthodoxy, Morality, and others. Imposing compulsory religious education without clear public consensus is unacceptable and runs counter to fundamental principles enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Meanwhile, systemic problems in the education system – such as violence in schools, lack of support for teachers and psychologists, and the absence of effective prevention and supervision – remain unaddressed. Instead of focusing on solving these issues, institutions appear to prefer engaging in ideological battles at the expense of children.
The National Network for Children calls for:
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Suspension of the procedures for adopting the controversial PSEA amendments;
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Establishment of a genuine, balanced, and expert working group with the participation of students, parents, teachers, and civil society organisations;
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Conduct of meaningful public consultations that ensure the inclusion of diverse perspectives.
Systemic problems in education – violence, lack of teacher support, low investment in child development, shortage of supervision for psychologists – continue to be neglected, while ideological battles are fought on the backs of children.
Civic opinion is not the enemy – it is the foundation of democracy. We insist that every dissenting voice be heard with respect, not dismissed due to political or ideological differences.
Read the full text of the open letter HERE.
