The average standard of cost per student in secondary education would increase by 24.8 per cent compared to 2007 and financial resources of the programme for the introduction of differential payment of teachers would increase by 236.4 per cent in 2008, egovmonitor.com reported.

Education and healthcare were the sectors to get the greatest increase in the 2008 budget, as envisioned in the draft 2008 National Budget of the Republic of Bulgaria Act, approved by Government. Later on November 1 Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski would hand over the 2008 National Budget draft to Parliament spokesperson Georgi Pirinski.

In the next year as well, education would continue to be a priority for Government. Expenditures would increase by 470 million leva compared to 2007.

The financial insurance of the school year of 679 922 students from municipal schools and of 189 708 students from state professional and special schools would be implemented according to the principle “money follows the student” and a new, more efficient school management on the basis of vicarious budgets.

The budget made provisions to increase the scope of and facilitate equal access to higher education, and also to ensure the education in state-run establishments for higher education of 123,730 students, egovmonitor said.

The subsidy for state-run establishments for higher education would be increased by 25 per cent compared to 2007. The average weighted unified standard for funding the education of a university student would be increased by 20 per cent. The subsidy for research and development activity and creative and artistic activity of an establishment for higher education would increase by 193.8 per cent, according to egovmonitor.