Abstract:

High quality systems of early childhood education and care is set as an essential part of European educational policy. One of the main EU Council recommendations on high quality early childhood education and care concerns the training of professionals who can use appropriate pedagogical approaches, create stimulating learning environments as well as provide good care and support. The paper presents the main priorities of initial preschool teacher training in Bulgaria, within the European educational dimensions, concerning institutions, level and model of training, admission requirements, curriculum and competences, alternative training pathways for acquiring the professional qualification “preschool teacher”. The paper analyses the Strategic Framework for Development of Education, Training and Learning in Republic Of Bulgaria (2021-2030) and the Educational law regulations on initial training of preschool teacher trainees. A comparative analysis is used as a research method to present similarities and differences in initial preschool teacher training framework in the national educational systems of some of the Balkan region countries including Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia.

Keywords:

ECEC, Initial Preschool Teacher Training, Bulgaria, Balkan Region, Comparative Analysis.