6.10 Current debates and reforms
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National Agency for European Educational Programmes and Mobility (NAEEPM)
bul. Kuzman Josifovski - Pitu n. 17
P.O. 796
MK-1000 Skopje
Tel: +389 75 402 804
E-Mail: goce.velichkovski@na.org.mk
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Forthcoming policy developments
Work to modernize and strengthen the education and youth policy framework has continued into 2024–2025. The national Education Strategy 2018–2025 remains the guiding document for current reforms while implementation activities and preparatory planning for the post-2025 period are underway, with particular attention paid to digital transformation, inclusion and early childhood coverage.
A visible policy priority has been the roll-out of digital systems and learning resources: the Ministry has been expanding the national Education Management Information System (EMIS), distributing digital textbooks in primary education and equipping schools to support a more coherent digital learning environment. These steps are intended to improve data-driven planning and to mainstream digital literacy across curricula.
In vocational education and training (VET), national plans foreseen in 2024 envisage the establishment of regional VET centres and a stronger push towards dual/market-oriented training models to better match qualifications with labour-market needs. These reforms aim to make VET more practice-oriented and to strengthen links between schools, employers and local economic actors.
Ongoing debates
Public and expert debate in 2024–2025 continues to centre on several interlinked priorities:
● Resilience and system-level reform: Stakeholders repeatedly stress the need for an adaptable education system that can respond to future shocks (health, economic, demographic). This conversation ties to the final phase of the 2018–2025 Strategy and planning for the next strategic cycle.
● Digital skills and digital transformation: Building meaningful digital competences for learners — not only access to devices — remains a top priority. Debates emphasise teacher training, curriculum adaptation, digital content and robust EMIS usage so that digitalisation improves learning outcomes rather than only changing delivery modes.
● VET relevance and labor-market alignment: There is active discussion on scaling regional VET centres, supporting dual learning approaches, and improving social dialogue so that VET pathways lead to employable qualifications and reduce skills mismatches.
● Inclusion and early childhood: Increasing preschool coverage and strengthening inclusive education (including interventions for children with special educational needs and marginalized groups) remain priorities — both to improve equity and to support longer-term human capital development.