Dragomira Pavlova, CEO of Ama Coach
What is the role of technology in education today, in your opinion?
Technology is no longer an addition to education — it has become a natural part of it. Its role is not to replace teachers, but to give them more time, better tools, and a clearer understanding of their students’ needs. The greatest value of technology comes when it creates space for more human presence, individualized support, and meaningful teaching.
What skills do students develop through technology?
Beyond acquiring knowledge, technology can help students develop independence, digital literacy, critical thinking, and learning skills. Students become accustomed to searching for, verifying, and comparing information, as well as learning at their own pace. When the right tools are used, technology also encourages creativity by allowing children to create, experiment, and discover different paths to the same solution.
Where does Bulgaria stand in terms of educational technology?
Bulgaria has strong potential, but progress remains uneven. There are schools, teachers, and principals who are boldly introducing innovation, while in many places technology is still viewed as a risk or an additional burden. I believe we have reached a point where the question is no longer whether technology will become part of education, but how to introduce it in a meaningful, safe, and beneficial way.
What are the most common barriers?
The most common barriers are fear of change, lack of time, insufficient training, and skepticism about the quality of digital tools. Teachers are often overloaded and have little opportunity to test new solutions comfortably. That is why educational technologies must be simple, intuitive, and capable of solving real problems rather than creating additional administrative tasks.
How does AMA Coach contribute to education?
AMA Coach is a Bulgarian AI-powered educational platform that connects students, teachers, and parents within a single environment. For students, it offers personalized learning in small, manageable steps aligned with the curriculum. For teachers, it provides tools for creating tests and assignments, tracking progress, and delivering feedback. For parents, it offers a clearer understanding of their child’s development. Our goal is to support the educational process through technology without replacing the human element.
Ama Coach is one of the members of EdTech Bulgaria. Why did you decide to join EdTech Bulgaria?
We joined EdTech Bulgaria because we believe that educational technology cannot evolve in isolation. It requires a community, dialogue, knowledge sharing, and a common vision. It is important for us to be part of an environment where companies, schools, institutions, and experts work together to explore how technology can benefit Bulgarian education.
What does EdTech Bulgaria provide?
EdTech Bulgaria provides visibility, connectivity, and trust. For organizations, it offers opportunities to exchange experience and collaborate on shared challenges. For users—schools, teachers, and parents—it helps identify solutions that are credible and focused on delivering real educational value. For Bulgarian education as a whole, the association can serve as an important bridge between innovation and classroom practice.
What does the Bulgarian EdTech ecosystem need most today?
Above all, it needs trust, sustainability, and stronger connections with schools. Good technology alone is not enough. There must be mechanisms that allow solutions to reach teachers, be tested, adapted, and implemented meaningfully. Better communication between institutions, schools, businesses, and parents is also essential.
What kind of support is missing for EdTech companies?
There is a lack of systematic support for implementing innovative solutions in real school environments. Many companies create excellent products, but gaining access to schools, receiving feedback, and establishing sustainable implementation models remains challenging. More support is also needed for Bulgarian solutions designed around our educational system, language, and cultural context.
What advice would you give to startups in the education sector?
Start with a real problem, not with the technology itself. In education, it is not enough for a solution to be innovative—it must also be useful, understandable, and practical in the daily lives of teachers and students. I would advise startups to listen carefully to educators, test their products in real environments, and never forget that education is, above all, a human process.
Can Bulgaria become a leader in EdTech?
Yes, I believe Bulgaria can establish a strong position in EdTech, particularly in areas such as personalized learning, AI-powered education, and curriculum-adaptive content. We have talented technology professionals, dedicated teachers, and a genuine need for innovation. If we can successfully connect these three elements, we can develop solutions not only for Bulgaria but also for international markets.
What is the future of education in Bulgaria?
I envision an educational system where technology takes over part of the routine work, allowing teachers to spend more time working directly with students. A system where learners are not passive recipients of information but active participants in the learning process. Most importantly, I see a future where digital tools do not replace values but help preserve them—curiosity, responsibility, critical thinking, respect, and humanity.