The Ministry for Education and Science took decisive actions to improve the access to education system to all students, with special emphasis to the students with disabilities.

The new law on Primary education and the Concept for inclusive education are introducing new methods of students and school’s support. One of them is the transformation of special schools into primary schools with a resource center. Each school with resource center is responsible to provide support to previously determined regions of the country.

The Ministry for Education and Science, for the first time, starting from school year 2021/2022 obtained funding of 59 million denars for employment of 500 educational assistants as a support to the teachers who have students with disabilities in their classes. Each assistant can provide support maximum to three students within same class. 

In the 2022 budget, the Ministry for Education and Science provided record budget of 218 million denars to finance the educational assistance. 

At the moment within the country are employed 500 educational assistants. Train the trainers for educational assistance has been provided by experts from UK, supported by the UNICEF. Continually, the capacities of the professional services are strengthening by engaging additional professional staff (pedagogy, psychology, defectology) where needed.  

Within the framework of the implementation of the project “Be IN, be INclusive, be INcluded”, scholarships were awarded for children with disabilities enrolled in first and second classes in primary schools. The aim of the scholarships is to encourage the enrollment of the students with disabilities and to support the inclusive education for every child. At this moment 462 scholarships are awarded. Also, this project supports the tutorial support to children by additional support of 30 tutors. 

Furthermore, to promote the process of inclusion other project is under implementation – Project for unrestricted access to 14 educational institutions around the country financed by IPA2 – 2019. Additional measures to obtain funds for adaptation, renovation and setting up new schools from the Ministry of Education and Science are ensuring physical access as a mandatory criterion. 

Starting from 2021, the primary schools with resource center received 2,5 million denars for supply of equipment and tools for didactics to support the inclusive education from the Ministry budget, and additional 1 million denars (from donors) to primary school with resource center “Dr. Zlatan Sremec”.

With the reform in primary education, the studying materials are inclusive. For the first time they are available in hardcopy and audio formats, as well as in braille alphabet.

Тhe Ministry of Education and Science will continue the reforms to create possibilities to reach the objective each child to have equal access to all levels of education to reach their potential and to be included in the labor market.

More information:

• Concept for inclusive education:  https://mon.gov.mk/content/?id=3277
• Law on Primary Education:  https://mon.gov.mk/stored/document/Zakon%20za%20osnovnoto%20obrazovanie%20-%20nov.pdf
• Concept of primary education:  https://mon.gov.mk/stored/document/koncepcija%20osnovno%20obrazovanie%20en.pdf  and https://mon.gov.mk/content/?id=4443

Source:  Eurydice Unit North Macedonia