Online Education in Bulgaria: Still Unpopular

Eurostat provided the latest data on educational methods in the member states of the European Union on January 24th*, with a particular focus on those related to online education.

In 2023, 30% of internet users in the EU (aged 16 to 74) report that in the last three months prior to the survey, they have participated in an online course or used online educational materials. This represents an increase of 2% compared to 2022 (28%).

Among all EU member states, the Netherlands has the highest share, with 54% of internet users participating in online courses or using online educational materials. It is followed by Finland (53%), Sweden (48%), Spain (47%), and Estonia (45%).

In Romania (10%), Cyprus (16%), Bulgaria and Greece (both at 17%), and Poland (18%), there is a low popularity of online courses or the use of online educational resources. A small percentage of the population engages with these educational practices, as represented by the Eurostat data from January 24th.

After the decline in 2022, which followed the high increase in 2019 and 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the interest in online education in Bulgaria in 2023 has recovered (the reported results are slightly higher than the "pandemic" years (2020 and 2021). In comparison, the levels in the EU in 2023 are similar to those in 2021, after a decline of about 2% in 2022.

In most EU countries, there is an increase in the percentage of people participating in online courses or using online materials. The largest increases are observed in the Netherlands (12 points), Sweden (7 points), followed by Malta, Estonia, and Croatia (all with 5 points). Decreases are observed in Greece (-12 points), Cyprus (-5), Austria, and Slovenia (-2).