6.3 ASSESSMENT

•1 Pupil/students assessment

General Upper Secondary Education

The general rules applicable for student’s assessment in the general secondary education are stipulated in the Law on Secondary Education and Concept of State Matura. Comprehensive description of the methods, standards, procedures and elements of the assessment is defined in the Standards for Student Assessment in General Secondary Education.

According to relevant law, the monitoring of the students’ attainment is performed by internal assessment of the students. The teachers are responsible for implementation of the internal assessment of the students. State Matura and School Matura are organized and implemented by the State Examinations Centre.

The teachers are obligated to follow the prescribed standards for student assessment. The standards for each subject are defined for each level of attainment (memorizing; understanding; application; analysis, synthesis and evaluation) in each of the programme areas. For all levels of education, the marks awarded to the pupils are (as defined by the relevant law and standards for each subject): 1 – insufficient, 2 – sufficient, 3 – good, 4 – very good and 5 – excellent. At the public school, the student's behavior is also assessed. Behavior is assessed as: exemplary, good, unsatisfactory.

Vocational Upper Secondary Education

Monitoring and assessment of student achievements in secondary education is aimed at:

• clearly defining the purpose of assessment within the curriculum;
• aligning procedures and techniques for monitoring and assessment of student achievements with the nature of contents within teaching subjects and other activities;

• establishing standards of knowledge and skills and clear criteria and indicators for assessment of achievements, and procedures for determining marks;
• ensuring transparency in the system for monitoring and assessment of student achievements, including provision of feedback.

Monitoring and assessment of student achievements in secondary education encompasses evaluation of the following key elements:

• level of acquisition (understanding) of contents in respective teaching subjects;
• skills acquired for application of the knowledge;
• abilities developed for critical thinking (analysis, synthesis, generalisation, etc.) and formation of values and attitudes.

Internal objective procedures are applied for monitoring and assessment of student achievements. Internal assessment is carried out by the respective teacher, using procedures aimed at providing him/her with an overview of the level of command of the curriculum prescribed contents through systematic monitoring of student achievements in the course of the school year, applying objective procedures and instruments (tests, written assignments, essays, oral exercises, oral presentations, debates and discussions). Learning results achieved by students are assessed with marks: excellent (5); very good (4); good (3); satisfactory/pass (2) and unsatisfactory/fail (1). Behavior is assessed as: exemplary, good, unsatisfactory.

•2 Progression of pupils/students       

General Upper Secondary Education

The students may progress into the next (higher) year of education if they fulfill the requirements i.e. must have passing marks for all subjects. Passing marks are considered the marks from 2 to 5 and the failing mark is 1. If the student fails to fulfill this requirement, they can still progress into the next year if they have mark 1 for maximum two subjects and successfully retake the exams for these subjects at the end of the year and pass the exam. If the student fails to successfully pass all exams or have mark 1 for at least three subjects then the student must retake the same year once again. Also, the same year may be retaken under exceptional/extraordinary circumstances, such as long-term illness, specific social and family circumstances, etc.

The general (average) success (mark) of the students is calculated as arithmetic mean on the basis of all awarded marks of the subjects the student has participated in and is defined by the study programme. If the student is not satisfied with the awarded mark of any of the subjects of their study programme he/she may submit petition to the teaching council of the school. The teaching council have the right to reject the complain, to accept the complain or to organize additional exam for the subject(s) in question.

Extra-curricula classes are organized for students who achieve significant results for separate teaching subjects (talented students). The Law on Secondary Education contains provisions which define under which conditions the students who are prominent in expressing their knowledge, skills and work ethics may take a faster progress through the school years (take two school years in one calendar year).

The school can provide additional classes on subjects that are part of the curriculum in the school year in which the student is enrolled, and his / her marks are below excellent (5).

For achieved outstanding student results, the public school may award the talented student with:

- Diploma for completed secondary school with outstanding results and deeper acquired knowledge in the fields of science, art and other areas of talented students and

- Graduation Diploma in Secondary Education with continued excellent success

Vocational Upper Secondary Education

The students may progress into the next (higher) year of education if they fulfill the requirements i.e. must have passing marks for all subjects. Passing marks are considered the marks from 2 to 5 and the failing mark is 1. If the student fails to fulfill this requirement, they can still progress into the next year if they have mark 1 for maximum two subjects and successfully retake the exams for these subjects at the end of the year and pass the exam. If the student fails to successfully pass all exams or have mark 1 for at least three subjects then the student must retake the same year once again.

•3 Certification       

General Upper Secondary Education

General secondary education takes four years and ends with the State or the School Matura. State Matura allows entry into higher education, and the School Matura into the labour market. The basic function of general secondary education is preparation of young people for continuation of their education at tertiary level.

The certificate for completion of the school year is awarded to every student who have received passing marks. In the last fourth year of the secondary education, the students who intend to continue their education at the universities, must pass the State Matura exam, which is also organized and implemented by State Examination Centre in cooperation with the school commissions. The exact date of the External Assessment exam for State Matura is defined by State Examination Centre, and additional round may be defined only for exceptional cases for students who were not able to participate in the first round of the State Matura due to justified reasons. State Matura is implemented in all four languages of instruction of the Macedonian educational system (Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish and Serbian). At the end of the final fourth year of the secondary education the student who have passed successfully the State Matura are awarded with Diploma for completion of secondary education.

The students who do not participate in State Matura, must participate in the School Matura exam and upon successful completion of the exam they are awarded with Certificate for completion of the secondary education.

Vocational Upper Secondary Education

Upon completion of each type of vocational education and training school, a vocational qualification exam, a final exam, a state exam, a specialized examination and a master's exam are taken.

Students who have completed technical education (4 – years VET) take the state matura exam if they would like to continue into higher education or the final exam if they would like to enter the labour market. Students who have completed vocational education and training should (3 – years VET) take a final exam and they can enter the labour market. Students who have completed vocational skilling (2-year VET) take an exam for Professional Competence of Master exam.

State-recognized diplomas and certificates in the vocational education and training are:

• Certificate of Professional Competence,
• Diploma for Final Exam,
• Diploma for State Matura Exam,
• Diploma for Specialist Education and
• Diploma for Master Exam.