Ministry of Education wants to make religion classes mandatory

The Ministry of Education and Science will offer religion classes in the mandatory curriculum, focusing on ethical, moral, cultural and historical competencies, Education Minister Krasimir Valchev told the Union of Bulgarian Teachers. "The introduction of mandatory religion classes does not mean that classes will start with a prayer," said CITUB President Plamen Dimitrov. The subject is planned to be called "Virtues and Religions." Chair of the Union of Bulgarian Teachers, Yanka Takeva,said that according to the results of a recent sociological survey, the highest value for today's students is material well-being. Therefore, the union supports the idea of ​​the Ministry of Education.

"The school will educate students to know certain religious and moral values, as well as the cultural contribution of religion in the formation of our society and state, not force children to follow a certain religion," Desislava Panayotova from the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church said.