Ombudsman Supports Education Bill but Calls for Better Protection of Children with Special Needs.

Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva has submitted an opinion to the Speaker of Bulgaria's 52nd National Assembly, Mihaela Dotsova, and the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Science, Dimitar Zdravkov, regarding the proposed amendments to the Preschool and School Education Act. In her position, Delcheva expressed general support for the legislative changes while making specific recommendations to improve the draft and ensure stronger protection for children and students with special educational needs (SEN).

She emphasized that her recommendations are based both on the numerous complaints and reports submitted to the institution by parents, relatives, teachers, and school principals, as well as on the practical experience gained from handling individual cases.

The ombudsman supports the core principle of inclusive education, under which all children should learn together whenever and wherever possible, regardless of their individual challenges. She noted that an analysis of the cases received by the institution clearly shows that parents of children with disabilities and special educational needs strongly value their inclusion in the education system and access to quality education.

According to Delcheva, inclusive education plays a key role in building a society free from discrimination, stereotypes, and stigma. It encourages the participation of all children in the educational process and therefore requires consistent public support, adequate resources, and targeted investment.

In her opinion, the ombudsman also noted that parents often describe their children's education and access to preschool groups as a daily struggle marked by systemic problems, a formal approach, insufficient training for educational professionals working with children with special educational needs, and a lack of understanding of their specific needs.

She added that the institution also receives reports from school principals and teachers who face significant difficulties in providing the necessary support. According to Delcheva, there are also public calls for children with SEN to be separated into special classes or schools, reflecting the complex environment in which inclusive education continues to develop.