Burgas mayor Dimitar Nikolov has given awards to 115 young teachers for a good start in the job. He presented them at a ceremony in Burgas on National Revival Day, also known as Day of the People's Awakeners, and congratulated the newly hired teachers.
The winners work in 10 kindergartens, 16 primary schools, 9 secondary schools, 7 vocational schools and 6 specialised high schools.
The background: Burgas mayor honours 115 young teachers for good start in the job
Nikolov said the event should show how much Burgas values the work of young teachers and their wish to start in the profession. He called teaching the most valuable job in the city, because "there is no more precious quality than the teaching and education of our young fellow citizens".
The mayor said their work matters for the future of Burgas, and that it was an honour and a privilege to welcome them. "From now on, I want to say as mayor that I am counting on you!" he told the teachers.
Also at the ceremony were the chair of the city council, Mihail Hadzhiyanev, Burgas Free University rector Prof Milen Baltov, Burgas State University deputy rector Prof Sevdalina Turmanova, and Katya Misheva from the council's education department.
As is traditional, the new teachers will have mentors. They will help the newcomers settle into the job and share their own experience. The mentors take special training under the "Young Teachers" programme of Burgas council.
The winners came to teaching by different routes. For one teacher of Bulgarian language and history, working in the classroom is a childhood dream come true. A young teacher of computer modelling and information technology said his interest in education came later in his career.
The award winners said the most important qualities for a young teacher are patience, persistence and inspiration. They urged their colleagues to be open to new ideas and to draw motivation from their pupils and from a world that keeps changing.