The national program "Together in Arts and Sports" should not only continue in the coming school years, but also expand.

Now it contains only two modules - sports and arts.

"We continue the change

Kiril Petkov and Asen Vassilev presented their political project "Continuing the change" (PP) wants science and technology activities to be added to them in the future.

The goal can be achieved with the new budget for 2023, in which the necessary funds are foreseen.

This idea received mass support at a meeting in the National Assembly (NA) today with over 80 representatives of metropolitan schools participating in the first mass program for extracurricular activities in secondary education, financed by the state budget, the press center of the PP reported.

At the invitation of Academician Nikolay Denkov

Nikolay Denkov is acting Minister of Education and Science in the office of Ognyan Gerdzhikov.

With the Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Science, principals and teachers, leaders of sports teams and art groups, as well as students involved in them, responded.

"The state must give children and young people the opportunity to develop their talents not only in sports and arts, but also in science and technology," said Academician Denkov.

"The national recovery and sustainability plan envisages building a STEM office in every school.

It is there that additional classes in natural sciences and technology can be organized free of charge for students.

We will invite professors from the higher schools and scientists from the BAS institutes to get involved," Academician Denkov explained the idea.

According to him, this will make it easier and more enjoyable to study subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology, computer science and others, which are generally considered difficult in school.

They can be much more interesting if they are combined with real experiments and connected to the technologies we use every day such as the Internet, mobile phones, GPS navigation, solar collectors.

The participants of today's meeting exchanged first impressions of "Together in Arts and Sports", which started at the beginning of this school year.

First effects and difficulties were discussed, as well as necessary changes in the organization to stimulate even more schools to join the program, since there is money for everyone. 

PP is developing an early childhood strategy together with the non-governmental sector

This year, the regular government with Prime Minister Kiril Petkov for the first time developed and provided funding of BGN 90 million for a national program in secondary education, which stimulates extracurricular activities with sports and arts for all schools in the country.

These activities develop key competences needed not only in the educational process, but also in a social aspect.

Organized in the school, they make it more interesting and increase the motivation of the children to attend it regularly, as a result of which the success rate is improved and the dropout rate is reduced.

Through sports and arts activities, the energy of children and youth is directed in a positive direction, leading to the control of aggression and the reduction of the use of intoxicating substances among students - two serious problems in today's school.

Together in Arts and Sports activities are free for parents.

Thus, the program saves money for families who now pay extra for private schools outside the school.

The creative activities that are implemented in the program develop the students' talents and creative thinking.

Sport builds qualities such as will, persistence, perseverance, responsibility, self-confidence, discipline, teamwork.

Physical activity also has a strong positive impact on children's mental health and helps to develop self-control.

According to data from the Ministry of Education and Science, nearly 50,000 students from municipal, state and private schools participate in "Together in Arts and Sports" this school year.

1,917 groups for art activities in 1,002 schools and 1,897 team sports in 990 schools were established.

Nikolay Denkov

We continue the change

extracurricular activities