When Vision Meets Expertise: The Transformation of a Bulgarian Public School
Just one month before the official authorization of Bulgaria's first municipal International Baccalaureate (IB) school, the Educhain.bg teamvisited the Vocational High School of Computer Programming and Innovation“ in Burgas. This is not simply a school that impresses- it completely redefines what modern education can look like. We sat down with the school's principal, Ms. Dimitrina Todorova,to learn how a bold vision can transform a public education institution into an incubator for the future.
Ms. Todorova, from the moment you step into PGCPI, it feels less like a traditional school and more like a modern international campus. One thing immediately caught our attention, however: the remarkable silence in the hallways. Where are all the students?
Interestingly, the IB evaluation team asked me exactly the same question: "Why is it so quiet here? Where are your students?“. The answer is simple - they're working on projects. Our students study technology, and many of them are naturally introverted. Rather than trying to change that, we intentionally develop their communication skills through teamwork and project-based learning. Here, education is not measured by noise or constant activity. It is built on focus, a strong work ethic, and deep mutual trust.
Your philosophy of school leadership sounds fundamentally different from the traditional model in Bulgaria. What, in your opinion, is the true purpose of education?
I sincerely hope that our education system will eventually be seen as an incubator for personal growth rather than a place that simply issues certificates. The moment we reduce education to producing documents is the moment education begins to die. A school should be a living community where people share knowledge, experience, energy, and a common purpose. It should never be a place where people simply work for a paycheck. It should be a place where meaning is created every single day.
The school was established through a municipal initiative with the support of Bulgaria's IT industry, including BAIT, BASSCOM,and IABest. How does this partnership work in practice??
From the very beginning, the idea was strategic. If the regional IT sector wants highly qualified professionals, the most sustainable solution is to create a specialized school that prepares them from the start. Our industry partners are not just names on paper - they are actively involved in the learning process. Companies provide real business projects, and our students work on them during their studies. Some of our Year 11 and Year 12 students are already employed by IT companies while still attending school. If an urgent business assignment coincides with a class, students are free to step out, complete their professional responsibilities, and return afterward. That isn't a compromise in education - it is education. It's learning that reflects the real world.
Introducing the prestigious International Baccalaureate programme into a public municipal school is unprecedented in Bulgaria. Why did you decide to undertake such a demanding journey, with its extensive documentation and intensive professional training?
Because it is the only logical direction. The future won't wait. Our school already offers numerous international programmes, professional IT certifications, and internationally recognized language examinations through institutions such as the Goethe-Institut and Cambridge. The IB wasn't introduced as an additional feature – it became the natural framework that connects everything we were already doing. When the right elements are already in place, the IB simply brings all the pieces of the puzzle together.
Even more importantly, our IB programme is not designed for a small, privileged group of students. It is intended as an opportunity for every student in Years 11 and 12. That is what educational democracy truly means. It raises the standard for the entire school community and guarantees the highest quality of education for every learner.
How did parents and the wider community respond to such a significant innovation? Did you face resistance?
Of course. Skepticism was natural. For Burgas, the IB was something entirely new. We invested enormous amounts of time, meetings, and resources explaining to parents why we wanted to become an IB World School. There were questions, concerns, and doubts. But when you have a clear vision, your responsibility is to guide the community through change with patience, transparency, and evidence. In many ways, we felt like educational revolutionaries because we understood the extraordinary opportunities this would create for our students.
How do you motivate your teachers to embrace such an ambitious pace of professional development and international standards?
Our team is the foundation of everything. Twenty-two of our teachers have already completed the first stage of IB professional development, and once our official authorization is complete, another ten to twelve colleagues will begin their training. One of my leadership principles is always to prepare two additional teachers in every subject area. That way they can support one another, collaborate, and continue learning together. We've built a culture of peer learning, classroom observations, collaboration, and trust. My office door is always open - literally. It is never locked. Every teacher and every student knows they can come in at any time without hesitation. We lead through inspiration and belonging, never through fear.
From an administrative perspective, we also follow one essential principle: all administrative logistics are handled by the administration so teachers can dedicate their time and energy to what matters most - their students and the quality of learning. That makes an enormous difference.
What would you say to other schools across Bulgaria that hesitate to take similarly bold steps?
Over the past thirty years, we have seen very little genuine transformation in Bulgarian education toward more practical learning, stronger competencies, and better outcomes for students. Someone has to take the first step. We cannot continue relying on outdated programmes and rigid bureaucratic systems. Meaningful change requires courage from within. Our children are our only possible future, and we have a responsibility to give them the very best education we can.
The example set by PGCPI Burgas and Ms. Dimitrina Todorova demonstrates that educational excellence has nothing to do with whether a school is public or private. Quality is driven by vision, leadership, and the courage to innovate. When limitations become catalysts for innovation, and when educators work together as a genuine community, the future is no longer something we simply talk about - it is something we build, every single day.
