The Ombudsman "Velislava Delcheva" sent an official request to the Minister of Education and Science "Prof. Georgi Valchev" to conduct an inspection following numerous reports from students, parents, and teachers. The reason is organizational and technical problems during the conduct of the second compulsory state matriculation exams and the exams for profile-based training.
In the complaints received by the Ombudsman's institution, specific difficulties are described during the English language exam – especially in the listening part. Problems with the reproduction and audibility of the audio files are pointed out, which have a significant impact on the final result of the graduates. According to publicly disseminated information, those affected by these difficulties number about "3,000 students" in various schools across the country, the Ombudsman's press office notes.
Reports were also submitted regarding serious technical problems during the state matriculation exam in "informatics and information technologies". According to students and parents, the digital platform used interrupted its work and hindered the normal progress of the exam. The complaints demand an inspection of both the platform itself and the organization of the examination process.
Dissatisfaction with the content of individual tasks on the "entrepreneurship" exam has also been expressed before the Ombudsman's institution. According to the reports, an expert assessment of their methodological validity and their compliance with the studied curriculum material is necessary. Teachers also raise the issue of guaranteeing "anonymity" in grading after the removal of the second envelope, which previously served to separate students' personal data from their examination papers.
In her recommendation to the Minister, the Ombudsman emphasizes that such complaints are not being repeated for the first time. According to Velislava Delcheva, the cyclical technical and organizational difficulties raise reasonable doubts regarding the "equality" of the graduates and the calm conduct of the examination process.
"When thousands of students are placed in conditions different from those intended for the conduct of a state exam, the issue is no longer technical, but a matter of justice, trust, and the protection of the right to education. Every graduate must be evaluated solely according to their knowledge and preparation, not according to the quality of the equipment, the organization, or accidentally occurring circumstances during the exam," Delcheva stated categorically.
The Ombudsman sends a recommendation to the Ministry of Education and Science to present a position on the actions taken to overcome the identified problems and the measures to prevent such situations in future exam sessions. Delcheva also insists that the Ministry of Education and Science inform the Ombudsman's institution about the results of the conducted inspections and about how the right to a fair evaluation will be guaranteed for all graduates.