LIGHT OF KNOWLEDGE

Teaching children who are prepared for the tomorrow with all the ups and downs of labor market, changing technologies and professions: modern education, just like modern society, is going through a turbulent period, in which old principles often are hard to apply, and new ones are still in the process of establishment.

The requirements towards modern education are as big as are the ones towards children and young people. Good contemporary education should provide friendly and secure environment where students feel a part of the educational process. The use of modern communication technologies is crucial. The curriculum should cover not only the state educational standards, but also to provide additional and out-of-class activities in a range of sports, arts, computer sciences, and others. The adequate teaching of foreign languages is also important, because modern children grow up in a globalised world and should be ready for it. At each level, modern education should form personalities who don't just memorise and reproduce information, but are curious, open to the world and aware how to push the borders of their own knowledge.

The state educational system in Bulgaria is still trying to bridge the gap in this respect. Happily, Bulgaria compensates with a healthy, stable, and reliable system of private educational institutions that cover from the smallest of children to university students and people who want to upgrade their qualification. Private kindergartens, schools, universities and academies are the avant-garde of modern educational methods, all the while meeting the criteria of the Education Ministry; they often offer internationally recognised diplomas. The conditions in them are excellent. The groups and the classes are not big, and each child enjoys individual attention. The curriculum is after international standards, and classes are frequently multinational, preparing kids for life in a global world. The education is often entirely in a foreign language. The private universities and qualification courses aim to offer education that is not only of quality, but also targeted to the needs of the labor market in order to help their students in their future career.

The success of private schools and universities in Bulgaria can be easily spotted: on the national examinations their students score top results, and their alumni continue in the best local and world educational institutions, and are among the most sought after specialists on the labor market.

ABC KinderCare Centre: Your children deserve it
The boutique educational services, based on the highest academic standards in pre-school education, are a trademark of ABC KinderCare Centre (www.abckinder.org). Established in 2008, the chain of international educational centres in Sofia is for children aged 2 to 6 years. The kids' day is spend into an entirely Anglophone environment, which helps for the quick learning of the language through games and carefully selected activities, in accordance with the ABC's British programme. The programme covers the whole spectrum of educational tasks, appropriate for the age of the children, that help the development of their potential. More than 300 kids have passed through the АВС centres, and many of them continue their education in some of the best schools in the world. АВС stays in touch with them and their families, because the centres do not only educate, they create a strong community of like-minded and positive citizens of the world. In 2016, ABC KinderCare Centre has become a member of COBIS (Council of British International Schools). This is a clear sign for high quality in the frame of the network of international schools, which are members of one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world.

Private kindergarten Hermann Hesse: Dedication and excellent conditions

The Hermann Hesse Private Kindergarten (Sofia, Druzhba, 63 Tirana St, phone: 02 494 0055, 0889 516 363, www.hesse-kindergarten.eu) is a part of the modern and innovative German-speaking community bearing the name of the famed writer. The study of the German language and of the other offered languages is after a method that borrows from different methods – Dr Lozanov's Suggestopedia, Montessori, Helen Doron, Waldorf, – but does not completely mirror any of it. During half of the time, outside the periods of eating, sleeping, physical and other activities, children completely immerse in foreign-language environment and get used to the sound of the language. Through games, stories, dramatisations, original songs and music, the training imitates the natural process of learning the mother tongue. It is multisensory, acquired not only via sound and vision, but also via imagination, movement and feeling, each time coming to life through poetry, art or drama, and specifically selected classical music pieces.

Anglo-American School of Sofia: Top quality and bright prospects

The core values of the Anglo-American School of Sofia (Pancharevo, 1 Siyanie St, phone: 02 923 8810, www.aas-sofia.org) are commitment, respect and excellence, and the mission: to engage, support and prepare each student for today and tomorrow. The premier Pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 international school in the Balkans, the AAS offers a well-rounded and rigorous programme. The school is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School and is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS), as well as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and is a member of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS). The AAS's graduates are accepted to, and attend excellent universities in Bulgaria and around the world, including Cambridge and Harvard. Beyond academics, AAS values and celebrates the arts, athletics and service – offering over 50 extra-curricular activities. Through the hard work of a dedicated community and staff, AAS has earned multiple awards including Best Service Provider by Forbes Bulgaria (2011), and Building of the Year (2006 and 2012). Each year AAS offers full scholarships to talented Bulgarian students.

British Schools in Bulgaria: The best of British education, here

Your child doesn't need to go to the UK to receive the best of Britain's renowned education – the British Schools in Bulgaria (Sofia, 1 Ekaterina Nencheva St, phone: 0700 10 908, www.britishschoolbg.com) provide the same quality and system. The institution offers education from nursery to secondary school, in accordance with the strongest tradition of British education: from the mandatory uniforms, to the diverse and stimulating curriculum to the studying of the English language since the beginning. The British Kindergarten of Sofia is for children aged 3-5, and stresses on personal, social and emotional development; English communication and literacy; problem solving. The British School of Sofia is for students from 5 to 11 years of age, the curriculum encourages them to learn more and be better, and includes subjects ranging from English and Mathematics to Information technologies, plus studying of more foreign languages. The British College of Sofia is for students for up to 17 years old, and prepares them for their A level exams (or the International Baccalaureate IB), the gate to higher education in the UK.  

French lycée Victor Hugo: A French classic

Immersion in the French culture, high success rates and promising future: this is what get the alumni of French lycée Victor Hugo (Sofia, Vitosha, 110 Simeonovsko Shose Blvd, Maxi Complex, www.vhugo.org). The school is a member of the largest and more prestigious network of international schools in the world. From 3 years of age, children follow the French curriculum and gain knowledge thanks to highly qualified teachers. Victor Hugo's students have an excellent success rate in the Baccalaureate exam (100 percent, with nearly 95 percent of "mention"). Most graduates of the high school continue their studies in colleges and the best international universities. Rich learning process at the French lycée Victor Hugo is provided by favourable working and success-oriented school environment: bright and welcoming classrooms, new modern digital equipment, a school library with over 10, 000 volumes, diverse daily physical activities and sports, clubs including languages, sciences, arts, sport (golf, tennis, skiing), after-school supervision, canteen, school transport.

American University in Bulgaria: American quality on Bulgarian soil

Established in 1991, the American University in Bulgaria (Blagoevgrad, 1 Georgi Izmirliev Sq, www.aubg.edu) is an American style liberal arts university offering the same high quality liberal arts education that has been established as one of the best in the world. AUBG is accredited in the US and in Bulgaria and the diploma is recognised worldwide. The university offers 10 primary and one secondary BA programmes, and an Executive MBA programme in Sofia. Students come from 40 countries, and at AUBG they are mentored by highly qualified scholars. The university complements this by the newest teaching and hands on learning methods in a state-of-the-art campus. The university tops the official ranking of Bulgarian universities for 2015 – all five of the academic programmes at AUBG that were listed were ranked among the top in the country. In addition, AUBG graduates are one of the most sought-after specialists, and receive some of the highest incomes in their fields. AUBG alumni are widely recognised for making a difference in the region and the world. The majority of the university's alumni start their career almost immediately after graduation in a variety of economic, social, and political fields, and the NGO sector.

HRC Culinary Academy: Future is yours

Having a stable profession with bright prospect for development is a blessing, and if you are after something that is intellectually challenging, practical and yet artistic, choose the courses of HRC Culinary Academy (Sofia, 9 Petar Beron St, www.hrcacademy.com). On 26 September the best culinary school in Eastern Europe starts a 3-semester programme in Food & Beverages Management that cultivates managerial skills in hospitality. Having an in-depth understanding of restaurant management will help you land at a good position in international hotel chains all over the world. The programme is led by practitioners with long years of experience at some of the best international hotels, and includes a paid internship in the US. It covers topics like restaurant revenue management, industry trends and concepts, introduction to wines, strategic selling, entrepreneurship, event management, finance and cost control, and more.

Vihrovenia: The power of Suggestopedia

Do you experience difficulties studying foreign languages? Are your children troubled in school? Then it is time to see for yourself the power of Suggestopedia. Developed by Professor Georgi Lozanov in the 1970s and recognised by UNESCO, this innovative educational method steps on the deep talent of each person for learning. Established in 2012, Vihrovenia Centre for Classical Suggestopedia (Sofia, 9 Chiprovtsi, phone: +359 879 811 644, www.vihrovenia.bg) helps participants of all ages to learn foreign languages without stress, tension and homework, and students: to get ready for school. The positive effect of Suggestopedia transcends the mastering of educational material and difficult foreign languages. It creates wholesome personalities, teaches children and students the joy of discovering the world, and helps adults to look at their lives with smiles on their faces and to discover their creative talents.