For the first time in history, the school year begins in an emergency epidemic. This year, the first school day will pass with increased security measures. There will be official celebrations only for children from first, fifth and eighth grade. The rest gather in classrooms or offices.

Hours before the start, the rules look like this: students must wear masks in the common areas of schools, but not in classrooms. They will have to move along different paths in the corridors. In some schools, students will have to sit one at a time, enter from different entrances and will not study in a classroom system. Masks or helmets will be mandatory for teachers.

The Ministry of Education announced that if necessary, they can respond within 24 hours and move to distance learning.

According to official data from the Ministry of Education and Science, this year the number of students in the country is a little over 717,000. Today, about 59,000 first-graders will hear the first school bell.

The 32nd school in Sofia was awaiting the return of the students with trepidation. They will also have celebrations for only the three classes that will cross the school threshold for the first time. The celebrations will be held separately, as the school yard is small.

"The learning process starts today and as one thing starts, so it will end. I sincerely hope that our students will refute the widespread opinion that Bulgarians are not disciplined as a nation. The measures that children must follow are for distance and disinfection. Children and teachers will have to wear masks, "explained principal Nelly Kostova.