Skopje, 12 November 2024 (MIA) - A school network optimization plan has been completed by 10 municipalities, with the process underway in an additional 22, Minister of Education and Science Vesna Janevska said at Tuesday’s session of management board of the Association of Local Self-Government Units (ZELS).

She noted that local self-governments understand and support the optimization, which as she said “is a response to their demands and supports ZELS’s commitment to a more equitable allocation of block grants.”

As reported by the Ministry of Education and Science, Janevska underscored that a key goal of the changes being made is to improve the quality of education.

“Our goal is to build a proper and efficient education system that enables students to acquire practical knowledge and skills for personal and professional development, as well as for the country’s advancement. We announced that the education budget will increase, with 2025 seeing the largest budget to date, and this trend will continue in the coming years. However, we must spend public funds rationally and effectively. This is what we are achieving through the school network optimization process, which we have initiated with primary schools,” Janevska said.

Optimization enables more efficient use of financial and human resources in education, along with higher quality instruction and improved student performance, reads the press release.

UNICEF and the World Bank are supporting the implementation of local optimization plans, created in consultation with students, parents, and teachers in schools.

“Janevska said the optimization of the school network is being carefully implemented in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that students receive the best possible educational conditions, teachers are fully engaged, and local communities benefit from a fair and efficient distribution of budgetary resources. She thanked the local self-governments for their excellent cooperation and wished success to the new group of municipalities starting the development of optimization plans, advising them to draw on the experiences of those municipalities that have already completed the process and to maintain regular communication with the Ministry of Education and Science, which is ready to assist,” reads the press release.

Photo: Ministry of Education and Science