Bulgarian Education‘s Pressing Issues Revealed in National Survey
A comprehensive national survey conducted by Alpha Research agency on behalf of Glas Foundation has shed light on the most pressing issues in Bulgarian education, revealing that ‘gender ideology’ is not the main concern, but rather a combination of poor discipline, aggression, lack of student interest, drug-related issues, and other challenges.
The survey, involving 1,000 adults across the country, has been part of a multiyear tracking of Bulgarian citizens’ attitudes towards the LGBTI community, including acceptance, understanding of their needs and challenges, as well as changes in laws and societal trends.
The study findings indicate that parliamentary changes to the law on school education havepolarized the public. "The results show that the bulk of residents believe in guaranteeing the rights of differently oriented people in healthcare (86%), legal equality (67%), and property rights (66%). However, there’s notable disparity regarding the guarantee of personality respect and protection in educational institutions, with around half of respondents supporting it (49%)."
The study confirms that Bulgarians’ personal experiences with LGBTI people influence their acceptance, with those having direct contact being more tolerant. Alpha Research and Glas Foundation attribute this shift to the increased openness of LGBTI individuals towards colleagues, friends, and family. However, they acknowledge that there’s still much progress to be made.
The role of social media has been highlighted as a contributing factor to societal division, with organized networks behind divisive messages, potentially backed by Russian financing. These networks aim to change public discourse by downplaying women’s rights, domestic violence protection, and LGBTI visibility. Despite this, Bulgarians recognize something amiss, as evidenced by the survey findings.
Glas Foundation’s activist, Simeon Vasilev, concludes that political attempts to divide society on this issue lack traction, and a shift in attitudes, albeit slow, has begun and is irreversible. Keep up with the latest news at Google News Showcase to stay informed about this and other critical issues.
