Kumanovo reports stable school enrollment despite demographic shifts

In Kumanovo, 898 first-grade students have enrolled for the new school year, representing a slight decrease of six students compared to last year. Despite this, the total number of students across all primary and secondary schools in the municipality has risen slightly to 12,988, up from 12,920 last year.

Mayor Maksim Dimitrievski stated that no schools in the municipality have been closed, despite an ongoing optimization process by the Ministry of Education and Science that aims to reduce the total number of classes. While the municipality is seeing a relatively stable student population compared to national trends, officials noted that rural areas face significant challenges due to declining birth rates during the COVID-19 pandemic and intense migration of families.

Secondary school enrollment saw an increase, with 1,068 first-year students, which is 60 more than the previous year. Officials noted that final enrollment numbers may change through September as families returning from abroad or migrating between schools complete their registration.