Sofia Municipality has proposed changes to the rules governing admission to nurseries and kindergartens in the Bulgarian capital. The draft amendments have been published for public consultation and are intended to revise both residency requirements and the way points are awarded in admission rankings. Under the current system, permanent address has carried greater weight, a balance the municipality now aims to adjust.

According to the proposal, a permanent or current address of one parent within Sofia Municipality that has remained unchanged for three years or more will bring 8 points. If the address has been changed within the past one to three years, it will carry 5 points, while a change within the last year will be awarded 3 points. The goal is to better reflect long-term residence without disproportionately disadvantaging certain families.

Deputy Mayor for Education Desislava Zhelyazkova said the existing approach has often worked unfairly against parents living in rented housing. Speaking on BNT, she noted that tenants who are unable to change their permanent address due to a landlord’s refusal have effectively been penalized through no fault of their own.

The point system for families in remote areas is also being updated. Children will receive an additional point when applying either to their designated kindergarten or to one located in a neighboring settlement, a measure aimed at easing access for families outside central districts.

Another significant change is the removal of the bonus point previously granted to children who had already attended a nursery. According to the municipality, this practice led to discrimination and blocked places that could otherwise be used, as some children formally occupied spots without actually attending. This amendment is scheduled to take effect next year.

The new rules also clarify procedures for admitting children whose parents are detained and who have no relatives able to care for them. While such provisions already existed, the municipality is removing the working group that reviewed these cases. Zhelyazkova explained that court rulings and official orders already require immediate placement of such children, making the additional review step unnecessary.

Among the longer-term policy directions is a plan to transfer nurseries to the Ministry of Education, alongside the introduction of an integrated early childhood development framework covering children from birth to the age of seven.

The municipality expects the revised admission rules to enter into force ahead of the next major ranking round for nurseries and kindergartens in Sofia.