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1. Cross-sectorial cooperation

2. Governance

Cross-sectorial cooperation

The process of decentralisation in the Republic of North Macedonia is still ongoing and remains one of the government’s main priorities. Governance in the education sector is shared between central and local levels: the Parliament and the Government act through the Ministry of Education and Science, while municipalities exercise authority through local self-government.

The management of primary and secondary schools is generally under municipal responsibility, with the exception of secondary schools in the capital city, which fall under the City of Skopje. Another exception applies to schools of special state interest, such as those established to provide basic education for students with special educational needs.

Financially, the state supports municipalities through block grants. According to Article 153 of the Law on Primary Education and Article 101-a of the Law on Secondary Education, municipalities may supplement these grants with their own resources, except for the salaries of school employees which remain covered by state funds.

Cross-sector cooperation most commonly takes place through working groups established to design, implement and evaluate strategies and programmes. Ministries, departments and agencies also frequently cooperate on joint projects by forming mixed project teams that bring together expertise from multiple sectors.

Non-public actors 

The Independent Trade Union for Education, Science and Culture (Самостоен синдикат за образование, наука и култура) is an autonomous, democratic organisation of workers, based on voluntary membership. Its mission is to defend and promote members’ economic, social, legal, professional, educational and cultural interests. According to its Statute, the Union advocates for higher socio-economic standards, protection of labour rights, collective bargaining, participation in shaping educational, scientific and cultural policies, improved working conditions, social security rights, health and pension protections, and international cooperation.

The civil society sector also plays a significant role. Numerous CSOs in North Macedonia specialise in youth and education, either as their main focus or as part of broader activities. The youth CSO landscape includes youth organisations, youth-led initiatives, student unions and associations, organisations working with youth target groups across different fields, as well as cultural and artistic youth associations.

Governance

Ministry of Education and Science (Министерство за образование и наука) – the central government authority responsible for structuring and financing education, establishing public institutions, preparing and implementing legislation, approving curricula and textbooks, developing research and science policy, setting enrolment policies, and overseeing quality assurance. It also manages student standards, technological development, international cooperation, and verification of educational professions.

Bureau for Education Development (Биро за развој на образованието) – an integral body of the Ministry that conducts expert work related to monitoring, research, and development across preschool, primary, secondary, vocational and art education, as well as adult education, inclusive education, dormitory education, and supplementary education for children of Macedonian citizens living abroad.

Municipalities – under the Law on Local Self-Government (Article 22), municipalities are responsible for establishing and administering preschool institutions, primary and secondary schools, as well as organising student transport, meals and accommodation, in collaboration with central authorities.

Adult Education Center (Центар за образование на возрасни) – a public institution mandated to harmonise public and social partner interests in adult education, ensure alignment with European standards, and foster a competitive workforce by offering both formal and non-formal adult learning opportunities.

Centre for Vocational Education and Training (VET Centre) (Центар за стручно образование и обука) – coordinates vocational education and training, balancing public interests and labour market needs. It conducts expert work on monitoring, evaluation, promotion and development of VET, and manages cooperation with international partners.

State Examinations Centre (Државен испитен центар) – an independent institution overseeing external student and teacher evaluations in primary and secondary education. It prepares national testing programmes, analyses results, ranks teachers and professional staff, develops information systems for educational assessment, and organises graduation and final exams. It also trains school directors and manages examination integrity.

National Agency for European Educational Programmes and Mobility (Национална агенција за европски образовни програми и мобилност) – implements European educational programmes such as Erasmus+, supporting mobility, knowledge exchange, and cooperation across education, training, and youth sectors. Beneficiaries include students, teachers, enterprises, CSOs, research institutions, and associations.

State Education Inspectorate (Државен просветен инспекторат) – an independent legal entity responsible for inspection and evaluation of quality, law implementation, and overall performance of educational institutions in primary, secondary and adult education. It also oversees compliance in higher education and scientific institutions.

Directorate for Development and Promotion of Education in the Languages of Communities – a specialised body within the Ministry of Political System & Inter-Community Relations that supports multilingual education. It comprises two departments:

• Department for Albanian, Turkish, Serbian, Roma, Vlach and Bosnian language

• Department for peace and children’s rights of all communities.