Status of Entrepreneurship Education in Bulgaria – REPORT
Research question 1: According to the Eurydice report none of these countries have formally adopted a National Strategy for Entrepreneurship Education, but is there any recent development at this level? If yes, please detail. OVER THE YEARS One of the first examples of entrepreneurship education in Bulgaria was in 1994, when the National High School in Business and Finance developed a project in collaboration with the Austrian government called ECO NET. ECO NET and helped to build the so called Educational Training Firms (ETF) in Bulgaria. The first project was set up in Sofia on behalf of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and KulturKontakt Austria. The BulgarianAustrian Cooperation also provided the impetus for the establishment of the Impulse Centre for training in entrepreneurship. By 1997, the global initiative of Junior Achievement became established in Bulgaria. What started as ten separate pilot classes today runs through more than 21 educational courses and educates over 33,000 students across the country. Junior Achievement Bulgaria is a partner of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria and delivers a number of projects and programmes, which support the implementation of two Lifelong Learning Strategies over the years - 2007-2013 and 2014-2020). Moreover, the activities and initiatives of JA Bulgaria encompass the whole scope of the education system (primary, secondary, tertiary education) in Bulgaria, offering opportunities for teachers, trainers, headmasters and pupils. CURRENT SITUATION In the place of a national definition, Bulgaria refers to the description of the entrepreneurship competence defined in the European Reference Framework for Key Competences in Lifelong Learning. There is no specific national strategy for entrepreneurship education (EE) in Bulgaria. Entrepreneurship education is addressed by the “National Strategy for Lifelong Learning 20142020� calling for integration of entrepreneurship in school education in both curricular and extracurricular forms and supporting programmes that strengthen learners' competitiveness and innovative spirit. The primary objective related to entrepreneurship education is section
3.3.4, “Promoting education and training aligned to the needs of the economy and changes in the labour market”. This is related to building partnerships between business and all sectors of education, training and research, in order to develop better labour market skills as well as promote innovation and enterprise. The main text suggests that this can be achieved through a focus on curricula at all levels, as well as through career guidance policy and practice at all levels; it also suggests the introduction of a learning outcomes validation system. The text highlights the importance of the key competences including entrepreneurship and sense of initiative, as well as the development of soft skills. In addition to the Strategy, there is an Action Plan for its implementation. The EE related actions include: expanding the network of training companies; providing the conditions for motivating pedagogical staff to improve their skills by organizing different entrepreneurship opportunities; training courses for the development of competences in priority areas; training teachers in the development of entrepreneurial competencies; updating curricula and programme in schools. Moreover, as of 2015, November 1, the Council of Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria accepted Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan. The action plan defines 31 concrete measures to encourage entrepreneurial development in the country and is in line with the Entrepreneurship 2020 plan of the European Commission. As of 2016, August 1st a new Law on Pre-school and School Education has entered into force. The main functions of the law can be summarised as follows: -
Regulates the structure, functions, organization, management and financing of the system of pre-school and school education sectors.
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Defines the participants/actors in the educational process and the institutions.
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Points out the need for partnership with municipalities and other stakeholders (NGOs, companies, universities).
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Entrepreneurship and sense of initiative are introduced as one of the key competences defined by the law.
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Entrepreneurship subject is introduced as compulsory in different levels of education.
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Special provisions are outlined regarding the qualification of teachers.
The law and its regulations provide a comprehensive system for the functioning of the school system and regulates the teaching and learning of entrepreneurship education. The new Law on Pre-school and School Education envisages entrepreneurship, creativity and developing a sense of initiative as one of the main goals of the educational system in Bulgaria. Entrepreneurship is included as one of the subjects to be introduced. While the Ministry determines at national level the total number of hours for this area of the curriculum, schools are free to decide how to distribute these hours between a range of subjects. Entrepreneurship education is a central topic in the new law and has been placed as a priority in the 19 educational standards, defined by the Ministry of Education and Science, regulated by ordinances. These standards define the study programmes for each year and subject, as well as the learning outcomes and expected results to be achieved. In addition, the Operational Programme “Science and education for smart growth 2014-2020” has set a specific target of “Providing learning opportunities tailored to the individual needs of children and students, stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship”. According to this target several procedures have been announced. Research question 2: Is Entrepreneurship Education part of the core school curriculum? How it is taught in the different school levels (as a ‘stand-alone’ subject or integrated in other subjects)? If integrated in other subjects, which ones? Are these subjects’ compulsory, elective or extra-curricular? (please detail this information for each age level) BEFORE THE LAW: Building skills for initiative and entrepreneurship is one of the key competences in the Bulgarian education system, and features as a recommendation to be developed through all compulsory subjects in school education. From this general recommendation, specific learning outcomes are defined in two subjects linked to cultural education: “Home Lifestyle and Technologies” (ISCED 1-2) and “Social Sciences and Religion” (ISCED 3). Elements of entrepreneurship education are generally integrated into all subjects at an early stage. At ISCED 2, the “Technologies and Economics” subject includes core content on organisation and economics. At ISCED 3, the “World and Personality” subject includes core content on citizens and the economy, while in “Geography and Economics”, elements of entrepreneurship education are included in all its core content areas. At ISCED 2 (4th year) and ISCED 3 each
school could choose from different branches – called profiles. In “Technological – Entrepreneurship and Business” profile, EE is compulsory and integrated into all subjects in 50 schools in Bulgaria. The implementation covers both theory and practice (through online simulation games and student mini-companies), with support from business and parents, based on Junior Achievement Bulgaria programmes. THE NEW LAW ON PRE-SCHOOL AND SCHOOL EDUCATION: Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship are included as one of the key competences that define the general education in Bulgaria in art.77. According to the new law the education in Bulgaria is divided in different levels and types: -
General education provision is defined in art. 80 (1) as follows: the general education in the primary education course shall be identical for all types of schools and it shall be acquired through the study of the same general educational subjects with the same number of classes for each of them in accordance with the state education standard for the syllabus. The general education encompasses ISCED level 1 (years 1 to 4) and ISCED level 2 (years 5 to 8) and is regulated by the State Standard № 5. The Technology and Entrepreneurship is compulsory subject included in ISCED 1 and 2 (years 1 to 7). Moreover, Technology and Entrepreneurship subject is taught in year 8 and 9 as compulsory subject in specially profiled high schools and classes with intensive learning of foreign languages, incl. in prisons, evening teaching and distance learning.
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Extended education in Bulgaria includes competences, which develop and improve specific skills in the general education. The extended education shall be acquired through the study of the general educational subjects, including as defined in 77 (5) “the subjects in the field of the global, civic, health, and intercultural education, entrepreneurship, personal finances management and programming, the defence of the motherland, civil protection, the protection of the environment, and ….may also be studied in the course of the school education process by extending and supplementing the content integrated in other subjects.” The extended education is financed by the school through its delegated budget and gives the opportunity for all JA Bulgaria programmes to be taught as elective subjects in the schools.
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Additional training includes competences, which correspond to the pupils' interests and support the development of their aptitudes. The subjects, modules and activities in the
additional training is offered by the school, depending on its opportunities, chosen by the pupils, depending on their interests, and laid down in the school syllabus. JA Bulgaria has been offering and offers entrepreneurship education opportunities through its educational programmes in additional education, only as a result of our partnership relation with the schools and the school decides which topics to offer as additional education. -
Profile education includes in-depth competences in a specific profile in accordance with the state education standard for the special profile education. The special profile is a set of profile subjects, two of which are laid down in the state education standard under paragraph 1, and the rest shall be determined by the school in its syllabi, all of them being identical for year 11 and 12 (ISCED 3). Entrepreneurship education is included in ISCED 3 level within the upper-secondary education levels. Compulsory modules are included in the Entrepreneurship subject, which is part of the Entrepreneurship profile in case of classes with and without intensive learning and extended foreign language learning in year 11 and 12 (upper-secondary level, ISCED 3). The Entrepreneurship profile is one of the profiles defined in the law (art. 83 (3)) and in the educational State Standard â„– 7.
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Vocational training includes competences needed for the acquisition of vocational qualifications, as well as for the meeting of the eligibility requirements of the occupation or profession, if any, including regulated professions and occupations. Entrepreneurship subject is included in year 8 as compulsory in the case of vocational education, in specialised high schools, including sport and art schools (ISCED 3).
Research question 3: Is there a national learning framework with indented goals, content and learning outcomes by age group or school level? If yes, who is the responsible body to develop and maintain the learning framework? Was it defined at national, regional or local level? The learning outcomes are included at all levels of curricula and defined by the new law on Pre-school and School education. The state education standards define a set of mandatory requirements for the results and the learning outcomes in the pre-school and school education system, as well as for the conditions and processes of their attainment. The standards also lay the basis of the study programmes for each year according to each subject, including Technology and Entrepreneurship subject. The study programme includes the
syllabus and the expected learning outcomes to be achieved according to each area of competence covered. Moreover, the study programme defines all competences, presented as learning outcomes according to each topic. The standards are adopted by the Minister of Education and Science in cooperation with other ministers as defined in art. 22 (3-10). The National Qualifications Framework is drawn up on the basis of the European Qualifications Framework, approved by the Council of Ministers and specifying the competences as a results of the learning process by levels in accordance with the education phases and degrees. Research question 4: Do teachers receive specific training to teach entrepreneurship education at schools? If yes, please detail. The Ministry of Education and Science strives to provide teacher training to support the development of entrepreneurial skills in students through a national programme, called “Qualification”. These CPD courses aim to change work approaches in schools, strengthen practical activities and introduce the design principle of work in EE. They target primary and general secondary teachers. The Bulgarian central authorities have also developed materials which are provided only to teachers participating in CPD activities on entrepreneurship education and publishes a list of approved textbooks (including on EE) on their web site. Entrepreneurship education is explicitly recognized as cross-curricular objective and is promoted by the Ministry through the national program for qualification of teachers. These CPD opportunities are delivered by concrete state organisations: the Ministry of education and Science, the National institute for Qualification of Teachers, the National Olympiads Centre, the Regional Inspectorates of Education, National Observatory and Planetarium “Nikolay Kopernik” – Varna. In addition to the National Programme, the Law on Pre-School and School Education defines the need for teacher qualification in its Section III: Improvement of the Qualifications of Teachers, Directors and Headmasters and the Other Educationalists (art.221-226). These articles stress on the provisions for the improvement of teachers’ qualifications. The competences attained are recorded in the educationalist's professional portfolio. The professional portfolio is compiled by the teachers themselves and it includes his or her materials, which prove his or her active participation in the implementation of the school’s
policy, his or her professional work, professional improvement and career development, as well as the result achieved in the work with children and pupils. In addition, section V defines the organisation of the establishment and maintenance of an information register of approved training programmes for improving the qualifications of teachers. The register is published on the official website of the Ministry of Education and Science - http://iropk.mon.bg/. Each teacher receives 1 credit for the participation in 1 CPD course, offered in the Register. The qualification credit is the measure of the time, which the educationalist has spent to upgrade his or her qualifications within the framework of programmes of the organizations under Article 222(1). Every 4-year teachers undertake attestation, so they are required to undergo 48 academic hours for 4 years through approved outreach programs at external institutions and 16 hours per year internal training at the school they work in. In this regard, the CPD courses gives them one qualification credit, which is awarded for 16 academic hours of training, out of which at least eight are contact hours. The training programmes for improving the qualifications of teachers can be submitted by the following legal persons: 1. persons registered under the Commerce Act, the Non-Profit Legal Persons Act or the Cooperatives Act; 2. persons established under the laws of another Member State. Research on EE (please list any research that has been done or is planned, its target group, objectives, and main outcomes) 2016/17 GEM National report on entrepreneurship in Bulgaria, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Bulgaria Association, http://gemorg.bg/reports/national-report/2016-17-gembulgaria-annual-report-on-entrepreneurship/ The report aims to provide policy-makers, business leaders and other stakeholders with information that enables them to put into place precise, practical and targeted recommendations. An economy cannot increase the quantity and quality of potential and intentional
entrepreneurs
without
creating
an
enabling environment
in
which
entrepreneurship can flourish. Informed policy decisions, which help to create a healthy entrepreneurial environment will be of benefit to entrepreneurs in all phases of their businesses, be it young start-ups, established or serial entrepreneurs.
According to GEM, the entrepreneurial activity is an output of the interaction of peoplr‘s perception of an opportunity and capacity (motivation and skills) to act upon this opportunity and the distinct conditions of the environment, in which the individual is located. Hence GEM and the current report have three key objectives: 1. to determine the extent to which entrepreneurial activity influences economic growth in Bulgaria; 2. to identify the factors, which encourage or hinder entrepreneurial activity; and 3. to guide the formulation of effective and targeted actions aimed at enhancing the entrepreneurial capacity in Bulgaria. Enhancing financial literacy among young people in Bulgaria, JA Bulgaria and OECD experts1 The research on the level of financial literacy was initiated by Junior Achievement Bulgaria and 200 schools from the whole country were invited to participate. The number of the respondents surveyed is 5239 and is diversified in terms of gender, age, type of school, size of populated location. Respondents are distributed across all 28 administrative districts in Bulgaria. The questions for the three stages of the research are divided into 4 groups— “Money”, “Earning”, “Spending” and “Planning”. In the question booklets for high school and middle school an additional group was included - “Financial products and services”. The knowledge of students is not structured well, complete and deep understanding of the material is not evident, but rather only partial knowledge was demonstrated. While in some of the questions many students demonstrate high financial literacy, a bigger portion of answers depicts a different picture. The weakest performance of students was in the questions connected to the earning of money. They cope best with the process of planning, but at the same time receive allowance in the form of pocket money each day and they don’t have the opportunity to build practical skills in this regard. In high schools, the level of knowledge with basic bank products and services is evident, but students do not show knowledge of more complex instruments. The respondents don’t cope well with the interpretation of financial documents—invoices and simplified payment slip and with the analysis of a graph, as crosschecked with the questions related to financial literacy from the international research of student performance - PISA.
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The research is connected to entrepreneurship education, since financial literacy is part of the entrepreneurship competence as defined in the European Framework for Key Competences.