News

22 June 2023

The Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva submitted her legislative proposal to the President of the National Assembly Mr Rosen Zhelyazkov and members of the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Education and Science insisting on a second chance at the matriculation as higher educational institutions entry for graduates not satisfied with their grade.

We recall that in the end of November las year prof. Kovacheva submitted a proposal to that end in the 48^th National Assembly. It garnered the support of the respective Parliamentary Committee at first reading; however, time was not enough for its final adoption.  

The Ombudsman proposes amendments to the Pre-Scholl and School Education Act in relation to the problems accompanying the mandatory matriculation at the end of 12^th grade.

The amendments are occasioned by the growing number of complaints reaching the public defender from parents and graduates who find it unacceptable that there is no possibility to re-sit the matriculation to improve one’s grade. Parents insist that their children have the opportunity to improve their matriculation grades as it “stays for life”, impossible as it is to correct it.

“The problem is that entry to the better part of HEIs is by means of matriculation grades, where previously students sat exams and it was possible, with the proper preparation, to be admitted to the desired specialty after a year”, a parent reasoned in one of the complaints to the Ombudsman.

Diana Kovacheva proposes an amendment to Article 132 of the Pre-School and School Education Act to allow graduates to improve their matriculation grades and increase their options to enter the higher education system. Thus, graduates who are not satisfied with their grades will be able to re-sit, once, in the same school, the matriculation exam within a year after sitting their first matriculation exam. A certificate will be issued certifying their new grade, if more favourable.

“I further propose supplementing the provision of Article 68, para 1, item 2 of the Higher Education Act to allow that these certificates be recognized for the purpose of applying in higher schools”, the Ombudsman wrote to the MPs.

Pursuant to the legal regulation currently in force, a graduate sitting a matriculation exam decides that he or she is not sufficiently prepared, s/he may retreat failing the matriculation exam and re-sit the exam.

“The lack of possibility for graduates who did not perform well at their matriculation exam, save for those who failed it, to improve their grades hinders their further development. The grade they received at their matriculation exam is final and it is decisive in applying at HEIs, respectively for their future. The impossibility pursuant to the legal regulation in force to improve their grades by re-sitting the matriculation exam has negative consequences as regards admittance to higher schools”, the Ombudsman stated reasoning her proposal.