Skopje, 3 November 2024 (MIA) - The process of monitoring the work of universities and higher education institutions has revealed certain problems and shortcomings. According to Minister of Education and Science Vesna Janevska, the process is not yet finalized, and they are systematically uncovering "irregularities one by one."

During the interview with Radio Free Europe on Sunday, she pointed out that there was an illegal appointment of two teachers at Tetovo University and that the inspection process is still ongoing.

“We are facing issues at the St. Paul the Apostle University, where irregularities have been discovered. There was a significant problem at the university in Struga, which is why we closed the medical sciences department. These are ongoing processes that are still in the analysis stage, as the Law on Educational Inspection outlines specific guidelines for how to proceed. For certain violations, it is stated that they must be corrected within a defined period. The State Education Inspectorate then checks whether these corrections have been made. If they have, a new report is generated. If not, penalties ensue, and we currently have two cases that involve a settlement where the university is required to pay a fine. The settlement is facilitated by the Ministry of Education and Science to reduce the fine. Therefore, at present, there are two such processes underway. We have closed two research institutes, and I believe that soon, in the very near future, we will close two more,” Janevska noted.

In response to whether universities will be closed, Janevska stated that she cannot confirm that at this moment, but the inspection oversight, as she mentioned, “will indicate what actions need to be taken once it is finished.”

In relation to anti-discrimination in education and the proposed changes to the Law on Primary Education, which stipulate that "all direct or indirect discrimination based on gender, race, nationality, etc., is prohibited in primary education," while omitting "gender identity" and "sexual orientation" as included in the current law, Janevska stated that the phrase 'and others' in the text encompasses all forms of discrimination.

“We are absolutely opposed to any form of discrimination, but given the reactions from the Macedonian public, we have concluded that we need to be careful about how we express ourselves. We have continuity, and the Law on Secondary Education mentions gender equality. To avoid any misunderstanding, the phrase 'and others' at the end of the sentence covers all types of discrimination. I don't understand why we should complicate the law by enumerating all existing forms of discrimination. The term 'and others' at the end of the sentence includes all possible existing forms of discrimination,” Janevska said in an interview with Radio Free Europe.

Photo: screenshot/Radio Free Europe