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1. National strategy

2. Formal education: main policy measures on ELET

3. Addressing ELET through non-formal and informal learning and quality youth work

4. Cross-sector coordination and monitoring of ELET interventions

National strategy

Bulgaria does not have a single standalone national strategy exclusively dedicated to preventing early leaving from education and training (ELET). Instead, policy measures addressing ELET are integrated into broader strategic and legislative frameworks in the fields of education and social inclusion.

One of the main strategic documents is the Strategic Framework for the Development of Education, Training and Learning in the Republic of Bulgaria (2021–2030) (Стратегическа рамка за развитие на образованието, обучението и ученето в Република България (2021-2030), adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2021. The framework outlines national priorities for improving access, participation and quality in education, including reducing early school leaving.

The key objectives related to ELET include:

• ensuring equal access to quality education;

• reducing regional disparities and addressing socio-economic inequalities;

• strengthening mechanisms for early identification of students at risk;

• improving cooperation between educational institutions, social services and local authorities.

The specific measures introduced include:

• expansion of the Mechanism for joint work of institutions on coverage and retention of children and students in the education system (introduced in 2017 by Decision of the Council of Ministers);

• increased use of individual support plans, additional language support for students from minority backgrounds and targeted financial incentives;

• development of dual education pathways and flexible learning opportunities for young people at risk of dropout.

The overall responsibility for the implementation, coordination and monitoring of ELET-related policies lies primarily with the Ministry of Education and Science, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, municipalities and regional education authorities. Implementation is characterised by shared responsibilities across sectors, with inter-institutional teams operating at local level to ensure outreach and follow-up.

Monitoring of progress is conducted through administrative data collection, national education statistics and periodic analytical reports. Evaluations indicate a gradual decline in early school leaving rates in recent years, although challenges persist in rural areas, among Roma communities and in regions with high socio-economic deprivation.

Since its adoption, the strategic framework has been subject to ongoing updates through action plans and programme-based funding instruments, including measures financed under EU structural funds and the Recovery and Resilience Plan. 

Formal education: main policy measures on ELET

Bulgaria implements a range of national policies and programmes aimed at preventing early leaving from education and training (ELET), improving student retention and facilitating re-entry into education. These measures are embedded in broader education and social inclusion frameworks. 

A major systemic measure is the Mechanism for joint work of institutions on coverage and retention of children and students in the education system. The mechanism provides for coordinated outreach activities, home visits and case management involving schools, municipalities, social services and law-enforcement bodies. Inter-institutional teams identify children and young people outside the education system and support their reintegration.

Preventive policies also include:

• compulsory pre-school education from age 4 aimed at strengthening early intervention and improving school readiness;

• targeted additional support for personal development, including individual learning plans, psychological and pedagogical counselling and language support for students whose mother tongue is not Bulgarian;

• financial incentives such as scholarships, free transport, free textbooks and meals for students from disadvantaged backgrounds;

• national programmes supporting full-day schooling, extracurricular activities and student engagement, particularly in lower secondary education;

• digital inclusion measures and remedial learning initiatives introduced after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Second-chance opportunities are provided through evening schools, distance learning forms, individual learning pathways and validation of prior learning, enabling young people who have dropped out to complete lower or upper secondary education.

Policies in VET focus on improving the attractiveness and flexibility of vocational pathways in order to reduce dropout rates. Since 2015, Bulgaria has expanded dual education and training, combining school-based learning with workplace training in cooperation with employers. This approach aims to improve motivation and labour-market relevance.

Key measures include:

• training and methodological support for VET teachers and in-company trainers on mentoring and individual support to students at risk of dropout;

• career guidance and counselling services delivered through schools and regional education centres;

• opportunities for re-entry into education through vocational programmes, including modular training, validation of competences and adult education pathways;

• project-based initiatives funded through EU programmes supporting innovative VET pedagogies and work-based learning.

Policies targeting ELET prevention focus particularly on:

• young people from low socio-economic backgrounds and rural or remote areas;

• Roma youth and other ethnic minority groups;

• children with special educational needs;

• students with migration experience or limited proficiency in Bulgarian;

• young people disengaged during the transition from lower to upper secondary education.

Addressing ELET through non-formal and informal learning and quality youth work

In addition to formal learning mechanisms described above, prevention and reduction of early leaving from education and training (ELET) is supported through a range of non-formal learning and youth work initiatives funded or coordinated by top-level public authorities. These measures aim to increase young people’s motivation to remain in education, improve social inclusion and facilitate re-engagement of early leavers.

Youth centres also organise outreach activities and mobile youth work targeting young people who are not in education, employment or training. Their activities are supported through national funding and EU cohesion policy programmes. They provide non-formal learning opportunities, career guidance and counselling services. These centres offer workshops on life skills, digital competences and employability, contributing to increased motivation for continued participation in education or training.

Educational mediation initiatives, financed through national programmes of the Ministry of Education and Science and EU structural funds, play a key role in preventing dropout and facilitating re-integration. Educational mediators work with families and local communities to encourage school attendance and participation in learning activities. They also support non-formal learning initiatives at community level.

These measures primarily target:

• young people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds;

• youth in rural and remote areas;

• early school leavers and NEETs;

• young people from minority communities.

Bulgaria also implements projects under programmes such as Erasmus+ Youth, the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and the Recovery and Resilience Plan, which promote innovative youth work practices, mentoring schemes and re-engagement pathways combining non-formal learning with vocational orientation. These initiatives contribute to strengthening cooperation between schools, youth organisations and social services and support the development of quality youth work standards.

Cross-sector coordination and monitoring of ELET interventions

Cross-sector coordination in addressing early leaving from education and training (ELET) is supported through legal provisions, inter-institutional mechanisms and programme funding. Preventive and compensatory measures involve cooperation between education authorities, social services, employment institutions, municipalities, youth organisations and other stakeholders. 

A central policy instrument is the Mechanism for joint work of institutions on coverage and retention of children and students in the education system. The mechanism establishes local inter-institutional teams including school representatives, regional education authorities, municipal administrations, social assistance directorates, child-protection services and the police. These teams conduct outreach activities, share administrative data and develop individual support plans for children and young people at risk of dropout.

Coordination is further supported through:

• the Pre-school and School Education Act (Закон за предучилищното и училищното образование) (effective from 1 August 2016, last amendment and supplement 5 August 2025), which provides a legal framework for cooperation between schools and external specialists such as psychologists, speech therapists and social workers;

• national programmes funded by the Ministry of Education and Science promoting educational mediation, full-day schooling and additional support for personal development;

• partnerships with employers and sectoral organisations in the context of dual vocational education and training, aimed at improving school-to-work transitions and reducing dropout risks;

• youth work and outreach initiatives implemented by municipalities and youth centres with support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and EU funding programmes.

Monitoring of ELET-related interventions is carried out through administrative data systems managed by the Ministry of Education and Science, including registers tracking school attendance, enrolment and reintegration outcomes. Regional education authorities and municipalities submit regular reports on the implementation of outreach measures and support services.

Evaluations of specific programmes and projects funded through EU structural funds and national education programmes are also conducted. These assessments focus on indicators such as reintegration rates, participation in support measures and cooperation between stakeholders at local level. However, stakeholders have noted the need for more systematic impact evaluation and improved data integration across sectors.

Cross-sector coordination is also linked to the implementation of the Youth Guarantee in Bulgaria. The national Youth Guarantee framework requires cooperation between the Employment Agency, education institutions, social services and youth organisations to ensure that young people under 25 receive an offer for employment, continued education, apprenticeship or traineeship within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education.

Measures supporting the Youth Guarantee include career guidance services, training programmes and re-engagement pathways combining vocational education and non-formal learning. These interventions contribute to compensating for the consequences of early school leaving and facilitating transitions to education, training or employment.