Private education in Bulgaria sets new standards for quality
He who studies will succeed: the old Bulgarian saying remains relevant in the 21st century as well. It the conditions of dynamically changing labour market, of dying and emerging industries and professions, it is increasingly important to provide our children with proper education that will prepare them for life. We, adults, too, should constantly strive to maintain our level of knowledge – today the idea for continuous learning and constant improvement of qualification is not an empty slogan, but a necessity.
This dynamic environment asks for dynamic education – in Bulgaria it can be find in private educational institutions. The established names among them have the ambition to maintain a high level of educational service. They actively search for and apply in their work the latest innovations. They work in accordance with established international standards while covering the requirements of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education. To always stay relevant is a part of the DNA of private educational institutions.
The opportunities for good education are present as early as nursery and kindergarten. The good establishments in this field know how to alternate between games and learning. They offer a variety of additional activities and take care to develop their students' creative talents.
This philosophy is present in private schools, too. Their curriculum includes active learning of foreign language, introduction to computer technologies, a variety of sports and arts classes. The teachers take particular care to pay attention to every child, to recognise their talents and to develop them, to encourage critical thinking and responsible behaviour of a future citizen of the world. The best private schools also offer multicultural environment.
The American English Academy (AEA) is recognized as one of the most reputable international schools in Bulgaria, educating more than 200 students from 30 different nationalities. Located in the beautiful outskirts of Sofia (Lozen area, 1 Orlova Krusha St, office@aeasofia.com, www.aeasofia.com), in its new state-of-the-art building, the school provides international education to students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. English is the language of instruction and the school curriculum follows the US Common Core Educational Standards adopted throughout the world. AEA is committed to encouraging its students to think creatively, reason critically, communicate effectively and to develop the mindset of global citizens. AEA helps students reach their full potential and prepare themselves for continued education, career and life in the dynamic and challenging world of tomorrow. For the specific educational requirements of its local Bulgarian students, the school offers an optional Dual Language Program, in accordance with the national educational standards and recognized by the Ministry of Education.
The choice of a future profession and university is a key step for every young person. In it a number of factors should be considered: what are the natural interests of the future university graduate, what are the perspectives of development in the desired professions, how a balance between academical knowledge and its application in practice can be achieved, what are the chances for future development in an international environment. Good private universities are the place where all of these questions find an answer.
Connection between the academia and the real needs of the business: it is just one of the advantages of education at the International Business School Bulgaria (Botevgrad, 14 Gurko St, Distance Learning Center: Sofia, 7 Vincent van Gogh St, www.ibsedu.bg). The IBSB offers baccalaureate, master and PhD programmes as well as options for pre-qualification, including distance learning. The educational environment meets the world standards while the educational concept focuses on global business problems of management, economy, tourism. The IBSB successfully fulfils its aim to transform theory in practice with a contemporary portfolio of integrated educational modules. For their part, the university's online programmes help already established professionals to change their qualification or update their competences. This makes studying at IBSB an optimal solution for everyone who wants to be a leader and to be always relevant to the constantly changing business environment and labour market not only in Bulgaria, but all over the world.
The private education system, however, provides a wider range of opportunities – with specialised educational centres where foreign languages and new skills are taught to children and adults.
Additional education brings value to what have been learned in school, provides an opportunity for acquiring new knowledge in a different direction, and helps for the improvement of professional qualification. For more than 12 years Step By Step Educational Centre (Sofia, Branch Gotse Delchev: 20 Slavovitsa St, block 14, phone: 0898 417 187; Branch Strelbishte: Sofia, 37 Tulcha St, phone: 0898 417 188; Branch Shishman: Sofia, 11В Slavyanska, phone: 0877 417 189; www.stepbystep-edu.com) successfully provides quality education to children and adults. The special English and German language programmes are in accordance with the latest educational methods. They prepare for the Cambridge University and Goethe Institut certification exams, while the individual and conversational courses help one to master the language. To students, Step By Step offers additional programmes such as mathematics and arts, computer animation and graphics, Bulgarian language, literature and mathematics for 5th, 6th and 7th grade, and preparation for application for high school and university. The youngest ones can also use Step By Step's study room that also has programmes for the vacations.