Detailed roadmap for the eqf referencing of the nqf in fyrom

2 National Qualifications System of the Republic of Macedonia

2.1. Description of the Education and Training System

The education and training system of the Republic of Macedonia aims at accomplishing its’ role in support to the development of a contemporary democratic society by strengthening the socio-economic, scientific, technological, cultural and civic aspects of the society. The system aims to be the driver of an inclusive, innovation-based society and high quality of life. This lifelong learning system is anticipatory and responsive to the dynamic and mobile labour market and promotes the constructive dialogue of socially responsible stakeholders.
The formal education and training system consists of preschool education, primary, secondary, post-secondary and higher education, as well as adult education. Detailed description of these sub-systems is provided in the sub-chapters below.

2.2.1. Preschool education

• 
  General description
  

Preschool education (ISCЕD 0) includes children aged between 0 and 6 years, i.e. until their enrolment in school. The curricula familiarize the children with life in society and prepare them for reading, writing and mathematics, developing language competencies and other skills for drawing, colouring, modelling, singing and dancing. This education also includes children with special needs.
Curricula are implemented in kindergartens and in early childhood development centres. The institutions for care and education of children can be public (state and municipal) or private. Upon a prior call, a domestic legal or natural person may establish an agency for preschool childcare services. Natural persons may perform certain works for care and education of preschool children as a professional activity in the parent’s home or in their own homes. Abridged (non-institutional) forms of care and education may be organized for children who do not attend kindergartens. This education is also provided in hospitals, special schools or training centres.
Statistics on preschool education:
Table 1. Coverage in institutions for care and education of children - kindergartens (gross rates)¹

Gross rate
	Total				female
	age	total children	population at the same age, 31.12 (02,03,04...)	gross rate	total children	population at the same age, 31.12 (02,03,04...)	gross rate
2003/2004	from 0 to 7+ years	36605	228 193	16,04	17 659	110 292	16,01
2004/2005		36392	222 598	16,35	17 740	107 594	16,49
2005/2006		20967	216 865	9,67	10 268	104 998	9,78
2006/2007		21525	213 143	10,10	10 622	103 258	10,29
2007/2008		20564	209 924	9,80	10 136	101 624	9,97
2008/2009		21 711	208 458	10,42	10 803	100 986	10,70
2009/2010		22 213	206 232	10,77	10 896	99 823	10,92
2010/2011	from 0 to 6+ years	23 157	183 145	12,64	11 427	88 559	12,90
2011/2012		25 056	182 451	13,73	12 254	88 200	13,89
2012/2013		26 885	182 734	14,71	13 081	88 364	14,80
2013/2014		29 113	183 505	15,86	14 345	88 429	16,22

Source: State Statistical Office 

Table 2: Coverage in institutions for care and education of children - kindergartens (net rates)²

	Тotal				female
	age	total children	population at the same age, 31.12 (02,03,04...)	net rate	total children	population at the same age, 31.12 (02,03,04...)	net rate
2003/2004	0-6	34 486	171 844	20,07	16 659	83 139	20,04
2004/2005	0-6	34 608	168 928	20,49	16 844	81 655	20,63
2005/2006	0-6	20 442	165 387	12,36	10 019	80 087	12,51
2006/2007	0-6	20 256	163 431	12,39	10 026	79 224	12,66
2007/2008	0-6	20 490	160 297	12,78	10 101	77 652	13,01
2008/2009	0-6	21 638	158 658	13,64	10 769	76 873	14,01
2009/2010	0-6	22 185	159 086	13,95	10 879	77 002	14,13
2010/2011	0-6	23 103	159 932	14,45	11 405	77 288	14,76
2011/2012	0-6	25 024	159 458	15,69	12 237	77 176	15,86
2012/2013	0-6	26 864	160 657	16,72	13 071	77 517	16,86
2013/2014	0-6	29 009	161 271	17,99	14 310	77 627	18,43

Source: State Statistical Office 

The kindergarten activity is implemented through the following types of programmes:

- Full-day stay (with duration from 9 to 11 hours);

- Half-day stay (with duration from 4 to 6 hours);

- Abridged programmes (with duration from 260 to 600 hours) for children aged between three and six years. The programmes include care and education of children. They are also designed for children in long-term hospital care.

- Pilot programmes – implemented in public kindergartens upon an approval by the Minister of Labour and Social Policy and upon a prior opinion from the Bureau for Development of Education.

- Non-institutional forms of activities for children approved by the Minister of Labour and Social Policy and upon a prior opinion from the Bureau for Development of Education – abridged programmes consisting of three hours a day: games, creative workshops, children’s workshops in the field of art and culture, sports activities. They are designed for children at age between three until the enrolment in primary school. They are implemented in public kindergartens.
The document Standards for Early Childhood Learning and Development of Children Aged 0 – 6 Years is provided on the website: http://mrk.mk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Standardi_za_ran_detski_razvoj.pdf

• 
  Legal framework
  

• 
  Law on Child Protection (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 23/13,12/14, 44/14, 144/14, 10/15 and 25/15);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the manner of work and provision of conditions for implementing teaching and methodical practice for the university students from the appropriate studies for pre-primary education and from other appropriate university faculties in the public child institutions (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 61/2013);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the form, content and manner of maintaining the Central registry of child institutions, Registry of public child institutions established by a municipality and a municipality within the city of Skopje, Registry of agencies for provision of services for childcare of preschool children and the Registry of natural persons who individually perform works from the activity childcare and education as professional activity (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 61/2013);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the manner of professional development of child institution employees (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 61/2013);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the manner of provision of public kindergarten services in other premises (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 61/2013);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the manner of issuance, extension, renewal and revoking of the work license for child institution directors, professional workers, professional associates, preschool teachers and caretakers in the system for care and education of preschool children, the manner of training delivery and the form and content of the Working License Form (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 62/13, 154/13);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the form, content and the manner of maintaining pedagogical documentation and records in kindergartens and in early childhood development centres (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 87/13, 154/13 and 127/2014);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the indicators for evaluating the success of the planned activities from the development plans of the institutions for care and education of preschool children (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 87/13);
  
• 
  Rulebook on performing the activity of child institutions (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 28/14, 40/14, 136/14 and 71/15).
  

Strategies and other documents

• 
  Programme for early learning and development (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 46/14);
  
• 
  Programme for early learning and development of children with development disabilities (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 82/15);
  
• 
  Early learning and development standards, Skopje 2009: www.mtsp.gov.mk/WBStorage/Files/ran_detski_razvoj.doc;
  
• 
  Programme for educating the preschool children in child care and education institutions about the process of growing and consuming healthy food (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 98/14).
  

• 
  Governance
  

The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (website: http://www.mtsp.gov.mk/pocetna.nspx) adopts Standards for early learning and development, programmes in the field of preschool education, and supervises the child care, education, stay and food.
The Bureau for Development of Education (website: http://bro.gov.mk/) proposes programmes and curricula; performs and organizes research in the field of education; performs professional advisory work for improving the quality of education; performs professional monitoring of the manner of planning and implementation of the learning units.
Public kindergarten/early childhood development centre is established by the municipal council and the Government of the Republic of Macedonia upon prior opinion obtained from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP).The managing authority of this institution is the Management Board, consisting of seven members (representatives of the founder, public institution, parents and municipality).This institution is managed by a director with higher educational attainment, minimum of 5 years of work experience and child institution director license. Professional Council is established for the professional work and conducting the public activity involving children. The establishment of Parents’ Council is mandatory, which will monitor, review and provide opinion on the institution’s work.
The State Education Inspectorate performs supervision of the implementation of the educational work.

• 
  Teacher qualifications
  

The teaching staff (preschool teachers) is with higher education in preschool education and holds appropriate license.

• 
  Learning outcomes
  

The educational work is carried out in accordance with the Programme for Early Learning and Development, which is based on the Standards for Early Learning and Development. The Programme enables acquiring the following competences: motor development and healthy and safe behaviour; social and emotional development; development of language, communication and preparation for literacy; cognitive development and general knowledge acquisition, as well as access to learning.

• 
  Quality assurance
  

Accreditation of the Programme for Early Learning and Development – prepared by the Bureau for Development of Education and adopted by the Minister of Labour and Social Policy.
Accreditation of childcare institution – the institution may start operating as soon as the minister establishes that the conditions prescribed with a Rulebook have been fulfilled.
Long-term development plan with goals and work quality evaluation indicators – prepared by the institutions. Domains: development achievements of children; inclusive teaching practices; developing human resources and professional development for the teaching staff; ethical codes of conduct: children-preschool teacher-parents-family; curriculum addressing the development needs and interests of the children in the group and individually, etc.
Supervision of the educational work – performed on continual basis by the State Education Inspectorate. The supervision includes organization and implementation of the programmes and curricula, maintaining pedagogical records and documentation, as well as appropriateness of the teaching staff (preschool teachers).
Licensing directors and other persons to work in the system of child care and education of preschool children – the licensing is carried out by a Commission established by the Minister of Labour and Social Policy. The licensing includes training and taking professional exam. The license is issued by the Minister.
Table 3. Summative presentation of pre-school education

Entry requirements	Aged between 0 and 6 years (until enrolment in primary school).
Education and training	The process is realized under the Programme for Early Learning and Development in accordance with the children’s age (under 2 years, 2 - 3 years, 3 - 4 years, 4 - 5 years and 5 - 6 years). The curricula familiarize the children with life in society and prepare them for reading, writing and mathematics, developing language competencies and other skills for drawing, colouring, modelling, singing and dancing. This education also includes children with special needs.
Financing	From the Budget of the Republic of Macedonia, and the budgets of the local-self-government units, parent co-financing, private donations, etc.
Teachers qualifications	The teaching staff (preschool teachers) is with higher education in preschool education and holds appropriate license.
Expected learning outcomes	Programme for Early Learning and Development, based on the Standards for Early Learning and Development. The Programme enables the acquisition of the following competences: motor development, and healthy and safe behaviour; social and economic development; development of language, communication and preparation for literacy; cognitive development and general knowledge acquisition, as well as attitude towards learning.
Assessment and awards	The child’s level of development is assessed during their entry in each of the age groups. Portfolios maintained for every child, containing the following: Lists of achievements, anecdotal notes, case studies; photos of different activities; video and audio records; observation protocol; evaluation sheets prepared by the preschool teacher. The progress is measured at the end. Child’s individual development and achievements are monitored. The file is communicated to the primary school at enrolment.
Progression routes	Entry in primary education.
Labour Market	/
Quality assurance	Accreditation of the Programme for Early Learning and Development – adopted by the Minister of Labour and Social Policy Accreditation of the childcare institution Self-evaluation of the institution by measuring the achievements according to the following indicators: development achievements among children; inclusive teaching practices; developing human resources and professional development; ethical codes of conduct children-­preschool teacher-parents-family; curriculum addressing the development needs and interests of the children. Supervision of the educational work performed by the State Education Inspectorate. Licensing directors, teaching staff and other persons to work in the system for childcare and education of preschool children.