Teachers in Sofia now have 30 lessons to teach pupils how to settle disputes with their peers without violence. The programme was presented at a forum of the National Association of Mediators (NAM), BTA reported.
There are 10 lessons for each school level. They are part of an education programme under the project "Mediation as a City Policy to Prevent Aggression in Public, Work and Family Settings", which is funded by Sofia Municipality's "Europe" 2026 programme.
Milena Guncheva, chair of the NAM management board, said the programme is meant for heads of kindergartens and schools, school counsellors, class teachers and teachers. The lessons can be used in the class teacher's hour and on "Green School" trips. For now, the handbook is only online. It has been sent to municipal institutions in three Sofia districts: Lozenets, Lyulin and Mladost.
Dr Daniela Kolarova of NAM explained how the lessons are arranged. In the early years, children learn the basics of social intelligence and how to listen to emotions. The middle stage covers negotiation, cooperation and avoiding hasty judgments, and one lesson deals with online conflicts. High school pupils learn more about mediation itself, difficult conversations, mutual understanding and stating expectations clearly.
Mediation does not suit every case, Kolarova warned. "When violence and bullying are involved, mediation is the wrong tool. In these cases, people should seek help," she said.
Under the project, training sessions were held for heads of schools and kindergartens and for teachers, with 52 people taking part. Another 107 people attended talks for citizens and vulnerable groups. After a separate course, 8 mediators received a certificate.
Prof Dobrinka Chankova of NAM said knowledge of mediation is not the same across districts. For some it is completely new, for others it builds on what they know, which Chankova said is logical. People want to learn more, and NAM sees this as a sign the project makes sense. Mediation is becoming better known and its methods are well received, she added. "Perhaps we should move from local action to larger-scale policies," Chankova said.
Ivanka Stancheva, head of the Dr Stamen Grigorov vocational school, said the school is keen to use mediation, but it is hard because many of its pupils come from vulnerable groups. She said teachers need training and must react quickly and correctly. Serious conflicts come from pupils who have changed schools and think they can start new disputes in the new place. Parents are part of the problem too, and they also need help, Stancheva said.
A teacher at the 35th Dobri Voynikov language school said she uses role-play in lessons, which gives pupils a base for mediation. The games show that without seeing and hearing each other, there is no good communication. The teacher trains children to listen to each other and believes it is easiest to learn from examples, especially personal ones.