Bulgarian Eduction Minister, Sergey Ignatov, vows to insist on receiving an additional BGN 110 M from budget 2011 for education so the system can function, at least, near to normal.

Ignatov spoke Tuesday, during a round table dedicated to the World Professional Teachers Day, saying there is a real battle going on now to not allow the eduction budget to remain at 3.3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as it is currently projected.

The Minister explained he is asking for another BGN 50 M for middle and high schools and BGN 60 M for universities and colleges, and voiced hope he would be successful in carrying out this request to positive outcome.

Ignatov further informed teachers' salaries would not go down next year, as agreed with their labor unions, and that in some schools, the wages might even go up.

"School is not just teachers teaching classes. It is a complex of many activities, which, if well organized, could find funding and financial support.

Meanwhile, also on Tuesday, students, educators and employees of all Arts Colleges in Bulgaria – the Theater and Film Academy, the Visual Arts Academy, and the Musical Academies in Sofia and Plovdiv, distributed an open letter to Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, demanding adequate subsidies.

Regarding the other request, of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences for BGN 110 M, Ignatov stated the Academy would receive about BGN 60 M, adding in times of such hardship and financial crisis this was the best that could be done.

"The crisis scales down many ambitions, but the society needs change and this is why schools and colleges must receive financial support as a priority," the Minister pointed out.

Ignatov further assured that regardless of funding the cabinet is projecting for education, no university or college would be deprived for the sake of some other.

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