Is it Time for a Second Mandatory Final Exam in Mathematics?

Mathematical skills, knowledge, and abilities are very important both on a household, everyday level for the individual and generally for productivity in the economy. They are a necessary prerequisite for adequate decision-making, risk assessment, creating products and services with high added value. Mathematics supports thinking, underlies high achievements in the sciences, and even in the arts, it has its significance for spatial orientation, scale assessment, and proportion judgments. Mathematics is the essence of financial analysis and entrepreneurial decisions, regardless of whether in the digital or analog reality.

In Bulgaria, profiling in mathematics as early as the 8th grade has been mainly implemented in mathematical high schools, with at least one mathematical or natural-mathematical high school in almost every region (usually in its center). Traditionally, graduates of these schools are directed toward engineering and natural sciences after completing secondary education, although in recent decades, there has also been a strong preference for economics and finance. However, the choice of students to specialize in mathematics is not evenly distributed across regions, and in this analysis, we examine the scores required for admission this year in mathematical high schools across the country in classes with a mathematics profile. The information used is for the minimum score, mainly from the second round of student ranking in mathematical schools, which provides a high degree of comparability. It should be noted that the minimum admission score is 30 points, and the maximum is 500.

What do the data show?

1. The differences in admission scores between the regions are very large. They reach 3-4 times between the first and the last in the ranking. These differences reflect both weaker interest in mathematics in certain places and differences in the quality of education between schools. This is the case even in the capital, where two of the most desired schools with a mathematical focus in the country are located, as almost no mathematical classes exist outside them.
2. There is an increase in admission scores in 2024, but it affects rather the middle range—already in 9 regions, the admission score exceeds 400 points, compared to only 4 in the previous year. The increase in scores is due to higher grades in the national external evaluation in mathematics after the 7th grade and is not an indicator of increased interest in mathematics this year. Nevertheless, the increase in admission scores is positive news.
3. In at least 4 regions, a child can study mathematics in a specialized class with an admission score below 200 points. In at least 10 other regions, the scores are mediocre. It raises the question of how quality education is ensured in schools with low admission scores and how comparable it is to better schools. The low interest in mathematical classes in certain places and the direction of children with an interest in mathematics to other profiles or other regions further limit the potential for local development.
4. It is likely that schools in certain places find it difficult to provide teachers for specialized mathematics training in upper grades, leading to a withdrawal from offering such a profile and, overall—discouraging the entire local community from seeking such education. Together with mathematics, education in accompanying and related profiles begins to suffer—physics and astronomy, chemistry and biology, software and hardware sciences, and others.

*Some important notes on the data: 1. In the regions of Montana and Kardzhali, there are no mathematics-profiled classes in either the mathematical high schools or other schools within these areas. 2. For Vidin, Yambol, Sliven, Pazardzhik, and Ruse, the admission scores from the first-round selection were used since all seats were filled and no second-round candidates were admitted. 3. In regions with multiple mathematical high schools, the lower admission score for mathematics-profiled classes was used. Examples include: Haskovo: PPMG “Ivan Vazov,” Dimitrovgrad; Sofia (Region): PPMG “Asen Zlatarov,” Botevgrad; Sofia (Capital): NPMG “Acad. Lyubomir Chakalov”; Stara Zagora: PMG “Geo Milev,” Stara Zagora; Targovishte: First SU “St. Sedmochislenitsi,” Targovishte. 4. For Shumen, data for the second round was reported by schools rather than classes. The admission score of PPMG “Nancho Popovich,” Shumen, was used. 5. In PPMG “Ivan Vazov,” Dobrich, no students were admitted to the mathematics-profiled class in either the first or second round. Instead, the first-round score for the mathematics class at SU “Stefan Karadzha,” Kavarna, was used.

Finally, we note that the lack of interest in specialized mathematics education is evident, as previously mentioned, from the steadily declining number of students choosing to take the state matriculation exam in mathematics. Additionally, there is growing concern about the gradual disappearance of high-quality schools with traditions in this field across regions.

What can be done to increase interest and the importance of mathematics?

The most effective measure to consider is introducing a mandatory state matriculation exam in mathematics. This mandatory exam could be structured in two tracks: for students with a mathematics profile—based on specialized training content from the upper secondary level, and for those in other profiles—based on general education content. The aim is to ensure no student graduates high school without meeting a minimum level of mathematical skills. Differentiating between “advanced level” and “basic level” exams will address varying educational needs. This reform would restore the importance of mathematics, extending its study beyond 10th grade (or even 7th for some students). It will compel students to put in additional effort to earn their diplomas, ultimately rewarding them with better prospects for career development and life opportunities.

[1] These classes have similar scoring structures. The second round of admission is the primary process used for enrolment, which is why it was selected for analysis.ss.