Bulgaria launches joint initiative against school aggression

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Interior are launching a joint effort to combat aggression and violence among students. The “Violence is Powerlessness” program, which was previously tested in six Sofia schools, will be expanded nationwide with the goal of reaching at least 100,000 students in the upcoming school year.

To support this initiative, the Ministry of Education will establish 28 working groups consisting of coordinators, psychologists, and pedagogical counselors. Minister of Education Georgi Valchev noted that existing programs are currently fragmented and will be consolidated into a single, targeted program to increase efficiency.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of Interior is working to draft a new law to replace the current legislation regarding antisocial behavior by minors, which dates back to the 1950s. Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev stated that the goal is to present a modern legal framework within weeks to improve prevention and control. The ministries aim to intervene early to prevent aggressive behavior from escalating into criminal activity.