Janevska: School optimization without layoffs for teachers

Education and Science Minister Vesna Janevska has stated that the announced optimization of the school network will not lead to teachers losing their jobs. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, she stressed that no teacher layoffs are planned in education, even though over the past seven years the number of students in the country has fallen by around 17,000 and the teacher-to-student ratio has been declining.

According to her, the Ministry is working on reorganizing the school network, a process that includes a different arrangement of classes and divisions, a more efficient allocation of teaching hours, and more rational use of educational staff.

Janevska said the goal is to increase the efficiency of the system without consequences for those employed in education. At the press conference held at the Government, where she presented the work carried out over the past two years, she underlined that education and science remain the foundation of development. “We have worked hard, including for teachers. We have secured long-term economic stability,” the minister said, referring to the agreement on salary increases of 40 to 60 percent over a four-year period.

She also announced that career advancement for teachers and professional associates in primary education is continuing, while this year, for the first time, the process has also been extended to secondary education. With the introduction of the new electronic gradebook, as she said, teachers are being freed from a large part of the administrative burden and at the same time protected from pressure to change grades.

At the same time, the gradual implementation of electronic certificates has also begun, covering students from first to third grade this year. As for higher education and science, Janevska stressed that the budget for universities has increased from 3 billion denars in 2022 to 8 billion denars in 2026, while the budget for science has risen from 380 million to 773 million denars.

She announced that more than 370 million denars have been allocated in 2025 for scientific research projects, while free access has also been secured to the Web of Science and Scopus databases. In the field of vocational education, the minister said the dual education model has been improved with the involvement of around 1,000 companies, while seven regional centers have been established and announcements have been issued for the opening of eight more.

Speaking about school textbooks, Janevska stressed that for the first time after a long period they are being provided on time, before the start of the school year, including textbooks in foreign languages.

On infrastructure, she said that around 70 million euros have been invested in more than 90 projects, including schools, sports halls and student dormitories that are under construction or reconstruction, while some of these facilities are expected to return to operation soon.

The minister also spoke about the digitalization process in education, stressing that new IT equipment has been installed in schools, protected internet has been provided, and training has been developed for teachers on the use of new technologies, including artificial intelligence.