Monday, 26 October, is a non-teaching day for all pupils, but they must still go to school, the Ministry of Education and Science said. Education minister Prof. Georgi Valchev signed the order.
Bulgaria elects a president and vice president on Sunday, 25 October. Parliament set the date in a decision on 31 July this year. It passed with 138 votes from Progressive Bulgaria, the DPS and Vazrazhdane. No one voted against, and seven MPs from We Continue the Change abstained. GERB-SDS and Democratic Bulgaria did not take part in the vote.
The ministry says schools need time the day after the election to get classrooms ready so that lessons can run normally.
Schools will run activities for pupils, so parents can leave their children at school without changing their work plans or finding other care for them.
Teachers will rearrange the lesson material for 26 October so the school year as a whole does not suffer.