Table 6. Number of Schools in Bulgaria, Selected Years, 1938-70

Level1938/391948/491960/611970/71
Kindergarten 254n.a.6,5708,037
Primary7,2917,872**
Secondary 133 253 * *
Total primary-secondary7,4248,1255,8774,197
Vocational technicaln.a.n.a. 236 132
Secondary vocationaln.a.n.a. 0 190
Technical n.a. n.a. 231 246
Total technical 384 159 467 568
Teacher training 5n.a 18 20
Higher education 12 19 20 26
n.a.—not available.
* In 1960 the primary and secondary levels were unified under one system.

Table 7. Number of Students in Bulgaria, Selected School Years, 1938-70

Level1938/391948/491960/611970/71
Kindergarten 12,859
Primary 955,330 928,934**
Secondary 73,561 129,396 * *
Total primary-secondary1,028,8911,058,3301,212,3831,154,630
Vocational technicaln.a.n.a. 42,123 47,253
Secondary vocationaln.a.n.a. 0 83,038
Technical n.a. n.a. 93,944 152,919
Total technical 46,925 31,826 136,067 283,210
Teacher training 401n.a. 4,203 6,921
Higher education 11,443 29,639 54,965 89,331
n.a.—not available.
* In 1960 the primary and secondary levels were unified under one system.

The next reforms occurred in 1957 and in 1958 and placed a much stronger emphasis on technical-vocational training, while the years of total schooling were again increased. The period of secondary schooling consisted of a five-year program rather than the previous four, thus extending the entire period of education to twelve years. The network of professional schools was expanded significantly, and teacher training was upgraded and given new emphasis. In 1958 there were specialized professional schools with approximately 64,000 students studying various aspects of industry and agriculture. At approximately the same time there were twenty-two pedagogical schools with an enrollment of 8,989 students.

Table 8. Number of Teachers in Bulgaria, Selected School Years, 1938-70

Level1938/391948/491960/611970/71
Kindergarten 286n.a.11,87318,185
Primary24,83034,000**
Secondary 2,874 4,893 * *
Total primary-secondary27,70438,89351,06754,068
Vocational technicaln.a.n.a. 2,835 2,734
Secondary vocationaln.a.n.a. 0 5,720
Technical n.a. n.a. 5,307 9,045
Total technical 2,487 1,109 8,14217,499
Teacher training 50n.a. 251 406
Higher education 588 1,169 3,883 7,125
n.a.—not available.
* In 1960 the primary and secondary levels were unified under one system.

The concept of practical work as an integral part of the curriculum was again emphasized, and the scope of vocational training grew enormously as vocational and technical schools increased threefold. Although all students had to perform certain tasks as part of their basic education, the 1957-58 reforms dictated that graduates of higher technical and agricultural institutions had to perform one year of practical work before graduation. As the concept of polytechnical education became widespread at the secondary level, practical work consumed up to one-third of the total hours of education. Although experimental vocational training was introduced into the curricula of some gymnasiums in this period, other gymnasiums, particularly in the rural areas, required students to spend several hours weekly in formal vocational studies.

In the same 1957-58 period a number of broad, rather than structural, reforms were initiated. Schools for ethnic minorities were established in which, despite the fact that study of the Bulgarian language was compulsory, teaching was performed in the language of the minority group. All schools of general education became officially coeducational, and evening classes for workers were initiated. At the same time, although there already had been some financial assistance, scholarships were presented on a wide scale. In the 1957-58 academic year 46 percent of all students in institutions of higher education received stipends from the government. Although there were few scholarships given to gymnasium students, with the exception of Turkish students who were considered the least educated group, students in professional schools and technical colleges were the recipients of a large number of governmental stipends.