This monograph presents the results of a research project completed in 2025 as part of the research programme of the Economic Research Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. It aims to evaluate the effectiveness and adequacy of public funding for secondary and higher education in Bulgaria, while identifying current issues and challenges in this area.
A methodological framework was developed to examine the level, dynamics, structure and efficiency of public funding for education in Bulgaria. This was achieved through a detailed theoretical characterisation of education as a public good and an analysis of the regulatory framework governing its financing. The specific features of secondary and higher education in these areas were highlighted.
The study was conducted through an empirical analysis of information from official national and international statistical databases, employing various methodological and statistical approaches. Based on this analysis, issues and challenges in the public financing of secondary and higher education in Bulgaria were
identified and recommendations for improvement were formulated. The analysis was conducted in the context of the contemporary challenges facing the education system.
This monograph is intended for experts in public sector, education and labour market economics, as well as students of these subjects. It is also intended for representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, and institutions within the secondary and
higher education systems.