KEY MESSAGES AND ACTIONS AGAINS COVID-19 IN THE BULGARIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

The spread of COVID-19 was declared a pandemic early 2020 by the WHO. Although there are unspecified facts, it is already clear that the protection of kindergartens and school is particularly important. Institutionally organized precautions are needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among children, students and teachers. This need is also recognized by the responsible state institutions and it is expressed in a series of mandatory measure for all schools (including private schools). At the same time, schools were challenged to digitize and transform their traditional face-to-face form of learning.In June 2020, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published its report on the impact of COVID-19 on education systems worldwide focuses on a selection of indicators from Education at a Glance, selected for their particular relevance in the current context. Their analysis enables the understanding of countries‟ response and potential impact from the COVID-19 containment measures. In this article, the authors analyze the response of institutions of the Bulgarian educational system during the pandemic in the context of the digital transformation of the educational process. The subject of the study are more 100 orders and letters issued by Ministry of Health and Ministry of Science and Education of Republic of Bulgaria issued in the period from 13.03.2020 to 30.11. 2020, determining the institutional response to the crisis in the Bulgarian educational system.The concerning the Bulgarian education system are qualified in the following categories:1. Orders that changes dates for student competitions and Olympiads, National External Assessments and State Examination, including order for changing the dates for procedures under Article 45, paragraph 1 of Ordinance no 10 of 2017.2. Orders related to the organization for transition from face-to-face to distance learning in electronic environment (DLEE), including orders related to the amendment of existing regulations with new articles concerning the distance learning process.3. Orders concerning the wearing of personal protective equipment4. Orders concerning the non-conduct of organized student events, teacher qualifications, exchange trips, as well as cancellation of exams and acceptance of documents under Ordinance no 5 of September the 3, 1999 on the procedure for establishing proficiency in the Bulgarian language in acquisition of the Bulgarian citizenship by naturalization.5. The normative acts in connection with the approval of additional expenses/transfers for 2020 for the purchase laptops for the needs of the schools and for determining the conditions and order for distribution and provision of the funds to the state and municipal schools, as well as transformation of target budgetary funds to compensate for cost related to anti-epidemic measures taken by schools.The article analyzes the institutional response during pandemic in the Bulgarian educational system in the context of these categories and the digital transformation of the educational process, drawing main conclusion from each of them.