Bulgaria's education system is antiquated and in dire need of overhaul, particularly when it comes to science, according to Nikola Subotinov, the head of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), speaking on April 30.  

A revamped ministry of education as well as a new system for superior education and a new academy for innovations and technology were required in Bulgaria, said Subotinov. 
 
According to Subotinov, a new ministry is absolutely essential because the current Education Ministry is not as involved with the problems of Bulgarian education as it should be. Subotinov has repeatedly criticised the current ministry and its alleged substandard practices. In particular, he cites the lack of separate programmes for sciences and innovation, inadequate financing and allocation of resources as well as the absence of coherent educational programmes. He also criticised the European Commission for failing to give enough support to operative programmes.
 
Subotinov insists that the current national strategy "is predictable, depleted and concerned only with the quality and development of education and science in several institutions".
 
He demanded complete transparency where financial resources from the "academic research fund" are concerned, noting that this year the aforementioned were boosted with a further 100 million leva. He went on to say that BAS and the University for National and World Agriculture (UNWA) have come up with a joint scheme to work with anti-crisis projects.
 
"For education in 2003 the budget allocated 160 million leva and in 2008– 340 million leva, " said professor Damyan Damyanov, head of the union of scientists in Bulgaria. "This is a positive step forward from the Government, but education still lacks national priority status, which is worrisome," he said.
 
During a forum held on April 30, the creation of a national council of education attached to the President or the Prime Minister was contemplated, through which the priorities of education and sciences will be lobbied and advanced.