The Hristo Botev secondary school in the Bulgarian town of Vratza is one of the leading schools in the region. Having preserved its old traditions, the school is a winner of a number of awards. Renowned Bulgarians such as sculptor Andrey Nikolov, painter Ivan Funev, writers Asen Bosev and Mladen Isaev, academician Ivan Tsenov, composer Dimitar Nenov, and many others were students in the schools. The versatile policy of the school has enabled it to include 18 classes of different humanitarian and mathematical profiles. A total of 1080 children currently study in the school. According to school headmaster, Viktor Krustev, experienced teachers provide the students with excellent education.
“We are one of the few schools in the country, in which doctors of science are teachers,” he explains. “This is very important for the education process. The students these days have demands and teachers must raise their qualification. Headmasters must give teachers opportunities to raise their capacity.”
In order to be up to date with the new methods in education, the Hristo Botev School takes part in different projects. According to headmaster Viktor Krustev, the projects are very helpful to Bulgarian schools.
The projects are under the Komensky European programme and the structural funds of the EU.
“Our school has 19 approved projects for the past year, as six of them are under the Komensky Programme, Viktor Krustev explains. “ The programme should not be underestimated, as it gives great opportunities for sharing of experience between different countries. Traveling abroad gives children the opportunity to see how students in other countries live and study. In times of crisis it is important to work on projects under different programmes.”
Among the successful projects of the school are: “Sport and Balanced Diet”, “Our town and the young people – European comparison”, “World Heritage under UNESCO protection”, “Together against Violence and Conflicts”, etc. Thanks to these projects the students have participated in environmental campaigns and have shared experience with students from different countries. As a result of the project for cultural exchange, the Spanish town of Castelldefel celebrates the traditional Bulgarian holiday of Baba Marta on March 1st. “Traveling abroad helps children see how important personal freedom is for the development of people,” Viktor Krustev adds.
“I think students need to have more freedom at school these days,” Mr. Krustev says. “Their personalities must be respected. More respect towards the Bulgarian teacher is also necessary. Good teachers are those who continue to develop due to their free spirit and independence. I am happy that keeping to this principle in our schools has yielded great results. 92% of our students go to universities after they finish their education here,” the headmaster of the Hristo Botev School in the Bulgarian town of Vratza concludes.
English: Alexander Markov
