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North Macedonia education system optimization

Overview

North Macedonia’s Minister of Education and Science, Vesna Janevska, is implementing measures to optimize the national education system by reducing university enrollment quotas in fields with high unemployment, such as law and economics. To address a severe demographic crisis, the ministry is restructuring the school network for the 2026/2027 academic year, which includes the potential closure of 26 rural schools that have registered no first-grade students. The scale of the decline is significant; high school student numbers have dropped from over 20,000 to approximately 14,000 over the last decade.

In response to lower birth rates and increased emigration, the government intends to optimize the school network by transitioning toward single-shift and full-day schooling models. Minister Janevska emphasized that these restructuring efforts are not intended to result in job losses for educators. Instead, teachers whose regular teaching hours are reduced due to fewer classes may be reassigned to supplementary activities, such as elective subjects, extracurricular programs, or specialized support for talented students and those with learning difficulties.

Regarding recent enrollment trends, Minister Janevska clarified that the number of students enrolling in first grade this year is approximately 1,500 fewer than last year. She noted this corrected a previous, more alarming estimate of 4,900 fewer students, attributing the discrepancy to delays in schools updating the electronic registry.

Regional outcomes vary. In Kumanovo, 898 first-grade students enrolled, a slight decrease of six compared to last year, though the total municipality student population rose slightly to 12,988. Mayor Maksim Dimitrievski stated no schools in the municipality have closed despite the national optimization process. Conversely, in the Bogovinje Municipality, the ‘Abdyl Frashëri’ school in Sellcë e Keqe has closed, and in the Struga region, the ‘Rexhep Fejza’ school in Xhepin is closing after 42 years.

Entities

Vesna Janevska · Ministry of Education and Science · North Macedonia · Ministry of Education · Struga

Timeline

  1. 9 days ago

    [POLITICS] 4 sources
    North Macedonia education minister addresses declining student enrollment

    North Macedonia's Education Minister Vesna Janevska clarified that first-grade enrollment has dropped by 1,500 students, not 4,900, and proposed school optimization to protect teaching jobs.

  2. 26 days ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    North Macedonia political disputes over demographics and school closures

    Political disputes in North Macedonia have emerged over school closures in Struga due to depopulation and broader concerns regarding the demographic rights and language protections of the Albanian community.

  3. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Kumanovo reports stable school enrollment despite demographic shifts

    Kumanovo reports 898 new first-grade students for the school year. While primary enrollment is stable, officials highlight demographic challenges in rural areas due to migration and lower birth rates.

  4. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    North Macedonia rural schools close due to depopulation

    Rural schools in Bogovinje and Struga, North Macedonia, are closing due to severe depopulation and a lack of registered students, forcing children to commute to larger central schools.

  5. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 3 sources
    North Macedonia faces demographic crisis in education sector

    North Macedonia faces a demographic crisis as student numbers decline sharply. Experts call for systemic measures to retain youth, while Struga students face potential school transport disruptions.

  6. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 3 sources
    Delchevo suspends four branch schools due to demographic decline

    Four branch primary schools in Delchevo, North Macedonia, will temporarily close due to declining student numbers and high maintenance costs, with students transferring to central schools.

  7. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    North Macedonia faces teacher shortage despite class reductions

    North Macedonia faces a teacher shortage despite having 200 fewer primary school classes and 100 fewer secondary school classes.

  8. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 6 sources
    North Macedonia to close 26 rural schools amid education optimization

    North Macedonia will close 26 rural schools and reduce primary and secondary classes to optimize the education network and implement single-shift teaching.

  9. about 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 3 sources
    North Macedonia to close 20 regional schools

    North Macedonia's Education Minister Vesna Janevska announced the closure of about 20 regional schools to optimize education quality amid declining student enrollment and birth rates.

  10. about 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 13 sources
    North Macedonia reduces university enrollment quotas by 2,000

    North Macedonia is reducing university enrollment quotas by 2,000 places to match labor market needs, cutting spots in administration and law while maintaining technical and IT programs.

Sources

24-ore.com · 360stepeni.mk · a1on.mk · aktuale.mk · alfa.mk · alsat.mk · denesen.mk · expres.mk · koha.mk · kumanovskimuabeti.mk · lideri.mk · moldova1.md · news.yam.md · nezavisen.mk · portalb.mk · press24.mk · racin.mk · radiomoldova.md · republika.mk · sdk.mk · slobodenpecat.mk · tetova1.mk · ts.mk · utrinskivesnik.mk · vecer.mk · vesnik.com · vreme.mk · zhurnal.mk · zurnal.mk

This summary has been updated 11 times: see revision history