Bulgarian government funds free transport for Ukrainian pupils who have temporary protection

Bulgaria’s Cabinet approved on October 3 a sum of 385 750 leva to provide free transportation to school for children and pupils from Ukraine who have temporary protection in the country, the government information service said.

The funds will cover their transportation from their accommodation to educational institutions for the entire new school year – from September 15 2025 to June 30 2026.

In the second term of the 2024-2025 school year, 1592 children with temporary protection were studying in preschool education groups in kindergartens and schools, and 5325 pupils in schools, the statement said.

Three and a half years after the start of the war in Ukraine, the number of Ukrainian children and pupils who wish to be enrolled in the Bulgarian education system is increasing, it said.

The main difficulty in their access to education is related to the fact that a large part of families with temporary protection have settled in resorts on the Black Sea coast, where there is a shortage of places in educational institutions.

For this reason, some of the children attend more distant schools and kindergartens, to which there is no public transport.

To ensure their access to education, the government decided to provide additional funds for organising transportation to and from schools.

The funds are provided to municipalities in the districts of Varna, Bourgas and Dobrich, the government information service said.

(Photo: John Nyberg/ sxc.hu)