Education in North Macedonia

The Constitution of North Macedonia mandates free and compulsory primary and secondary education in the Republic of North Macedonia, and the Law on Primary Education specifies that all children from 6 to 15 years of age attend school for a compulsory 9 years. The Law on High School Education specifies that all adolescents from the ages of 15–19 must attend high school for 4 years (or 3 years—depending on the type of school).^[2]

Education in the Republic of North Macedonia

Ministry of Education and Science
Minister of Education and Science	Jeton Shaqiri
General details
Primary languages	Macedonian
Literacy (2015[1])
Total	97.8%
Male	98.8%
Female	96.8%

Educational system in North Macedonia

In 1996, the gross primary enrolment rate was 99.1 per cent and the net primary enrolment rate was 95.3 per cent.^[2] Dropout rates for girls in primary and secondary school are high, particularly among ethnic Roma children.^[2]

Post-secondary

Because of the Accession of North Macedonia to the European Union, the State is required to adhere to the Bologna process, which entails a homogenisation of the educational system. "Learning outcomes" are part of the modern Macedonian educator's outputs.^[3] The National Framework for Higher Education Qualifications and the National Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning were constructed in light of the Bologna process and Copenhagen criteria as well as the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning. The 2010 document Concept for Post-Secondary Education details the vision of the educational establishment. Primary legislation in the post-graduate realm includes:^[4]

• Law on National Qualifications Frameworks (2013)
• Law on Vocational Education and Training
• Law on Adult Education
• Law on Craftsman's activities, which statutorily authorises the Chamber of Crafts
• Rulebook on the structure, organisation and realisation of the Master exam
• Rulebook on the form, content and manner of maintaining the Registry which contains the Certificate for completed Master exam

Change in the education system is funded by different donors and loans, including the World Bank and the European Union. The Roadmap for the Further Development and Implementation of the Macedonian Qualifications Framework were amongst the results. The language of "specially designed working packages for overcoming the key challenges" was seeded as early as 2016.^[4] Educational diversity is particularly threatened by the EU's modernisation process, as detailed by the British Council success stories of 2014: a reduction of vocations from 24 to 14, and occupational profiles from 64 to 45. "This approach is in accordance with the country’s efforts to implement the standards used in the European Union and the efforts to modernise secondary vocational education and training."^[5] The list of vocations follows:^[6][7]

1. agricultural veterinary,
2. forestry-wood processing,
3. geological-mining and metallurgical,
4. mechanical engineering,
5. electrico-technical engineering,
6. chemical-technological,
7. textile-leather industry,
8. graphic,
9. construction-geodesy,
10. transport or traffic,
11. catering and tourism,
12. personal services,
13. economic-legal,
14. trade profession.

Vocational profiles for the trade profession

The student can still opt for a vocation in the trade profession, amongst which:^[4]

• the profile Gardener – florist
• the profile Technician Designer of Internal Architecture for the Civil Engineering and Geodetic Sector
• the profile plaster worker-installer in the construction and geodetic profession^[8]
• the master of Jewelry and Filigree^[9]
• the profile musician – performer

References

1. "North Macedonia". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
2. "Macedonia". The Department of Labor's 2001 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor. U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of International Labor Affairs. 2002. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. "LO for Academic Studies in Power Systems (first and second cycle) - Programme Learning Outcomes for Academic Studies in Power Systems" (PDF). University "St. Kliment Ohridski" – Bitola. July 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
4. "EQF Referencing Report of the Macedonian Qualifications Framework and Self-Certification to the QF-EHEA" (PDF). Ministry of Education and Science. 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 October 2023.
5. "Methodology and instruments for analysing the network of secondary vocational schools in the Republic of Macedonia" (PDF). British Council Macedonia. 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 June 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
6. "Standards for Occupations" (PDF) (in Macedonian). Ministry of Education and Science. Twinning project "Support for modernization of the education and training system". 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
7. "Twinning project Support to the Modernisation of the Educational and Training System" (PDF). Ministry of Finance. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
8. "VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PLASTERER" (PDF). MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE. 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
9. "Education Development Office –Program for Jewelry and Filigree – for Candidates for Taking the Master Exam" (PDF) (in Macedonian). Ministry of Education and Science. 2007.