The cost of education gives an idea of how much a country invests in its students. When the total amount of money spent on schools is divided by the total number of students, we get the average annual cost per student.
For the given year, this amount was 22.38 francs per student. This means that, on average, the government and local communities together spent about 22 francs a year to educate each student in the Principality of Bulgaria.
This figure helps us understand the country’s financial commitment to education at that time. Even though the amount seems small today, it represented a significant investment in the early 1900s, when Bulgaria was still developing its national education system Private Tours Bulgaria.
Secondary Education in Bulgaria
After completing primary school, students could continue to secondary education, which offered a more advanced and specialized program. The main institutions for secondary education were the Gymnasia for Boys and the High Schools for Girls. These schools prepared students either for university studies or for professional and teaching careers.
Gymnasia for Boys
In the early 20th century, there were ten gymnasia for boys throughout Bulgaria. Five of these schools had two main sections: a classical section and a modern section.
The goal of the gymnasia was to provide students with broad and advanced knowledge and to prepare them for higher studies. The education was divided into two main courses:
Elementary course: 3 years
Higher course: 4 years
Together, the full program lasted seven years.
The curriculum included a wide range of subjects such as:
Religion
Bulgarian language
French and German
Russian
Latin and Greek
History and geography
Civic instruction
Arithmetic, geometry, and algebra
Descriptive geometry and drawing
Physics, chemistry, and natural science
Psychology, logic, and ethics
Calligraphy, singing, and gymnastics
The higher course had two specialized tracks:
Classical section: Greek, Latin, and literature
Science section: Geometrical drawing, descriptive geometry, and science-focused subjects
High Schools for Girls
There were eight high schools for girls in the Principality. The full program lasted seven years, divided into two departments: elementary and higher.
The elementary department included five classes.
The higher department had two classes, focusing on general education and pedagogics (teacher training).
Some schools only offered the five elementary classes. These institutions played a vital role in increasing education among women and training future teachers.
By 1904, Bulgaria had made notable progress in education. The government invested about 22.38 francs per student, and both boys and girls had access to organized secondary education. The gymnasia for boys prepared future scholars and professionals, while the high schools for girls opened doors for women’s education and teaching careers. These developments marked an important step in Bulgaria’s journey toward a modern educational system.