Significant drop in student numbers in Macedonia, over 4,000 fewer in first grade this year

The education system in Macedonia is facing a sharp decline in the number of students starting first grade this school year. Minister of Education and Science Vesna Janevska announced that preliminary data show about 4,900 fewer children registered compared to last September.

Janevska stressed that these statistics are not yet final, given that the registration process is ongoing. According to her, the shrinking school population is a phenomenon affecting all cycles of pre-university education. “We are observing a continuous decrease in students in both primary and secondary schools. In secondary education the drop this year has not been as sharp, but in the primary cycle the difference is quite concerning, with over 4,000 fewer students than a year ago,” she stated.

The minister explained that the third registration deadline, which takes place in August, may bring a slight correction to the figures but will not change the essence of the problem. “This is a reality also confirmed by the State Statistical Office. Even in the most optimistic scenario, where two thousand new registrations would be added, we would still have at least 3,000 fewer first-graders. We predict that this depopulation trend will continue next year, which is a grim signal for the country’s future,” Janevska added.