BULGARIAN EDUCATION IN TIMES OF TURBULENCE

Abstract

The Book Review presents Georgi Yakimov‘s book Bulgarian Education (1934–1939). Reforms, Nationalism, State-Civic Education, published by University Press “St. Kliment Ohridski”. The monograph explores the changes in education and schools under the authoritarian regime during this period and is structured in four chapters. The first chapter, which is about the educational system from 1909 to 1934, extends beyond the period mentioned in the title but is essential for highlighting the peculiarities of the legislation, the educational ideas of the political parties, the problems facing Bulgarian schools, and the attempts to solve them. The second chapter, “Features of the Educational System in the Period 1934–1939” is central to the study, providing a coherent and thorough analysis of the policies of the political organization “Zveno” and subsequent governments in the field of education. The third chapter focuses on the ideology of the “new state” in education and presents the views of educators on reforms intended to prepare future citizens. The fourth chapter analyses the changes in the curriculum aimed at educating the Bulgarian youth in the spirit of nationalism. Yakimov’s monograph reaches significant conclusions about the development of Bulgarian education from 1934 to1939 and refutes several former statements based on ideological bias.