40 Ukrainian children learn Bulgarian language for free in Plovdiv

40 Ukrainian children who live in Plovdiv (Southern Bulgaria) learn Bulgarian for free at the Municipal Children's Complex in Plovdiv. Before the start of the new school year, the team of teachers has the ambition to build basic communication skills in the children so that they feel more at ease in class.

The children are divided into two groups according to their level of Bulgarian. Half of them have attended kindergarten or school in Plovdiv and the others will enter the classrooms for the first time on September 15.

BNT: What are you studying?

Polly: Present tense, the verb "to be", words.

Maxim: "Strawberry, watermelon, cabbage, banana, carrot, cherry..."

The beginners are entrusted to an experienced teacher who speaks Ukrainian and Russian.

"The two languages, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Russian , they are from the same group and this helps the children a lot and they do quite well in learning the Bulgarian language. These children should be enrolled in Bulgarian schools in just 15 days, our main task during this time is to make their language proficiency such that when they go to school they will be ready for a normal communication," said Stoimen Budev, a Bulgarian language teacher.

Alexandra went to kindergarten and will now be a first grader at Chernorizets Hrabar Secondary School.

Irina Petrova - parent: "I want her to learn Bulgarian better so that it will be easier for her at school. I found out about these courses in a group "Ukrainians in Plovdiv" and submitted a survey. It was very easy, after the survey I received a notification that my child could attend."

The programme is an initiative of the UNHCR and is coordinated with the Ministry of Education.

"This is the second time this is happening in the Municipal Children's Complex. In 2022, we organised courses on our initiative and there were a lot of people willing to enroll. Every child can participate in our extracurricular activities during the school year," said Ozden Muradova, Director of Municipal Children's Complex in Plovdiv.

Until the beginning of the school year, 60 lessons are planned. If the children are willing, they can continue their education in the complex in the future.