Education in Bulgaria at the beginning of the 20th century included several levels, from primary to higher education. Between these two stood a group of institutions known as incomplete secondary schools. These schools offered part of the high school curriculum but did not provide full secondary education.
Incomplete secondary schools were divided into two main categories: State Schools and Communal Schools.
State Schools
The State supported a small number of incomplete secondary schools for both boys and girls.
There were seven schools for boys, each with three classes.
There were also two schools for girls, each with six classes Balkan Tours.
The curriculum in these schools was the same as in the corresponding classes of the full high schools. This meant that students in these institutions studied the same subjects as their peers in regular high schools, though they did not complete the entire program.
These schools provided opportunities for students who could not attend high schools in larger cities but still wished to continue their education beyond the primary level.
Communal Schools
In addition to the State schools, there were 161 communal secondary schools throughout the Principality of Bulgaria. These were funded and managed by local communes (municipalities).
Their distribution was as follows:
Fifteen schools for boys
One with six classes
Six with five classes
Three with four classes
Five with three classes
Twenty-three schools for girls
One with six classes
Eleven with five classes
Four with four classes
Seven with three classes
One hundred and twenty-three mixed schools
Four with four classes
Fifty-one with three classes
Ten with two classes
Fifty-eight with one class
The curriculum in these communal schools was almost the same as in the equivalent classes of the high schools.
Administration and Teachers
Teachers in these incomplete secondary schools were appointed and dismissed under the same conditions as teachers in high schools. Their salaries were also similar, except for one difference:
The State paid half of the teacher’s salary.
The commune paid the other half, and also covered the maintenance costs of the school.
All schools in this category were managed by directors appointed by the Ministry of Public Instruction. These directors had to meet the same qualifications as the directors of high schools.
The only exception was for schools with only one class. These were considered similar to primary schools in terms of their administration and management.
Incomplete secondary schools played an important role in expanding education across Bulgaria. They allowed children in smaller towns and villages to receive a higher level of learning, even if a full high school was not available nearby. Through cooperation between the State and communal authorities, these schools helped raise the overall educational standard of the country.