North Macedonia faces educational and ethnic rights disputes

Educational and ethnic rights are facing scrutiny in North Macedonia. Opposition leaders from the National Alliance for Integration claim that the closure of an Albanian-language parallel class at the ‘Petar Zdravkovski – Penko’ primary school in Butel remains an unresolved issue, alleging that student registration was unfairly restricted.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski stated that an Albanian-language parallel class will be formed at the Police High School, though he noted this is the responsibility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to implement within legal frameworks. He added that other languages, such as Turkish or Romani, could also be accommodated.

Simultaneously, controversy has erupted over seventh-grade geography textbooks. Nafie Selmani raised alarms regarding the use of the term ‘Metohia’ for the Dukagjin plateau and the alleged omission of the Albanian population in sections regarding Serbia. Despite previous promises of corrections, critics claim the textbooks remain unchanged.

In Tetovo, construction delays have been reported for the Sellca primary school and the ‘Gjoce Stojceki’ textile high school. Officials expect these facilities to be ready for students by the beginning of next year, meaning students must continue using old buildings or online learning in the interim.