d greatly increased, but between 20 and 30
percent of the population was still illiterate. Although schooling was
officially compulsory, it was in fact inaccessible in smaller villages,
and many school-age children were not able to attend. Humanities were
emphasized to the virtual exclusion of technical-vocational subjects,
which were developed to only a very slight degree. Only one of five
secondary students studied technical subjects. Adult education was
virtually nonexistent.

In 1937 there were eight institutions of higher education in addition to
the University of Sofia, the country's leading educational facility. Six
of these--the Free University, the Academy of Art, the Academy of Music,
the Military Academy, the Theological Seminary, and the School of
Physical Education--were also located in Sofia. The remaining two were
business schools located in Varna and Svishtov. A large number of
Bulgarian students also chose to continue their education abroad. One of
the major problems at the time concerned the absorption of graduates
into the various fields for which they were eligible. The country was
still predominantly agricultural, and there were simply too few
positions available for the annual influx of graduates, a situation that
caused alienation and disaffection.

COMMUNIST EDUCATIONAL POLICIES

When the Communists came to power in 1944 they were determined to change
the system of education in Bulgaria. Not only did they seek to eradicate
certain elements--such as religion and social elitism--from the
educational system, but they also were determined to make education
universal and, insofar as possible, to create an entirely literate
society. As the educational system developed under communist tutelage,
however, governmental statements on the subject displayed an increasing
tendency to link the system with ideology and principles to the point
where the ultimate goal was the creation of the ideal Communist.

When the 1947 Constitution was formulated, it established universality
and state control over the school system as the two main policies of
education. It stated: "Every citizen has the right to education.
Education is secular, democratic and progressive in spirit. Ethnic
minorities have the right to instruction in their mother tongue; they
also have the right to develop their national culture, although study of
the Bulgarian language is compulsory.... Schools belong to the State.
Private schools can be