Bulgarian religious education curriculum debate

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s Holy Synod has formally proposed the introduction of ‘Virtues and Religion’ as a mandatory subject in the national school curriculum. The proposal, presented to the Parliamentary Commission on Education and Science, suggests three tracks: Orthodox Christianity, Islam, or a program centered on ethics and civic education. The Church has requested the authority to approve curricula for grades 1 through 12 to ensure theological accuracy and has advocated for the subject to be graded.

As the debate continues, the subject is tentatively planned for the 2027/2028 academic year and is currently intended to be non-graded. While the Church argues the initiative provides necessary religious literacy, critics have raised concerns regarding social cohesion. Opponents, including writer Zahari Karabaliev and representative Aylin Pehlievanova, warned that the curriculum could create divisions between different faiths or between believers and atheists, potentially turning classrooms into arenas for social separation.