Parents and schoolchidren rank education as third most important value

The survey covered 200 truant children and 1,500 children who regularly attend school. Their parents and teachers were interviewed as well.

According to parents, what matters most to children are the family, personal success and good education. Teachers believe that schoolchidlren are interested above all in money, personal success and family, whereas education ranks eight on teachers’ scale. Education and Science Minister Daniel Vulchev sees the results as an indication that adults see schoolchildren as more material-minded than they see themselves in reality.

Education is an important factor of success, according to 28 per cent of parents and teachers and according to 33 per cent of schoolchildren. To 43 per cent of children and 68 per cent of adults, enterprise is the root cause of success. Intelligence and erudition are prized by one in three schoolchidlren and by one in four parents or teachers.

Schoolchildren believe that respect for the family is the most important value, followed by regular attendance of classes and achievement at school. According to parents, schoolchildren are most keen on regular attendance of school, respect for teachers and regular learning their lessons. Teachers rank leisure as schoolchdilren’s foremost value, ahead of facilities and the use of new teaching methods.

Most of the children who attend school said they are planning to graduate from university, and 18 per cent target finishing secondary school. Most of the parents, teachers and schoolchidren believe that junior and sernior higher education is an essential prerequisite for coping with life.

At school, schoolchildren value most friendship and acquiring new knowledge. They appreciate most teachers’ competenece, their work discipline and responsiveness, and find that their worst defect is in their failure to use interesting teaching methods. Parents value most teachers’ competence and work discipline.

To most schoolchidren and adults polled, aggression and lax discipline are the principal problem at schools. To 52 per cent, the inadequate facilities are a problem, and 26 per cent of schoolchidlren and 13 per cent of adults find a problem in teachers’ poor training. The content of lessons is a problem for 18 per cent of children and 28 per cent of adults.

BTA