Back Sixth Steering Committee Meeting Strengthens Democratic and Inclusive Education in North Macedonia

Sixth Steering Committee Meeting Strengthens Democratic and Inclusive Education in North Macedonia

On 15 October 2025, the Sixth Steering Committee meeting of “Quality Education for All – North Macedonia” was organised in Skopje, bringing together key education stakeholders from the Ministry of Education and Science, the Bureau for Development of Education, the General Secretariate of the Government of North Macedonia, the Deputy Ombudsman, the Vocational Education & Training Centre, the Commission for Prevention and Protection from Discrimination, and observers from several national institutions.

Dedicated to ensuring that the strategic vision of this project is realised, the Committee reviewed progress from June to October 2025. During this period, notable developments included the Summer Academies in Struga, the formal launch of the Network of Democratic and Inclusive Schools (10 September 2025), and substantial progress in aligning materials with the Council of Europe’s Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC). The implementation of the Elmazova judgment — particularly in addressing segregation in Bitola and Shtip — also featured prominently in discussions.

The Committee explored paths to embed the project’s results into national systems: validating curricula and resource materials with the Ministry and Bureau, formalising the Network through a memorandum of understanding with all 25 pilot schools, and deepening collaboration with local level actors to make democratic and inclusive governance part of everyday school life.

In closing, all partners reaffirmed their shared commitment to ensure that democratic culture, inclusivity, and the values of the Education Strategy are sustained and expanded in North Macedonia’s educational system.

The project “Quality Education for All – North Macedonia” is implemented by the Council of Europe and funded by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Skopje, North Macedonia 15 October 2025
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Project Discription

OBJECTIVES

To promote democracy and human rights in and through education and equip young people with the competences to live in a multicultural society through a comprehensive set of initiatives at the policy and grassroot levels.

Education policy makers as well as school principals, teachers, students and school staff from selected pilot primary and secondary schools and local communities will benefit from the project.

EXPECTED RESULTS/OUTCOMES

  • The implementation of provisions related to inclusive and multicultural education of the National Education Strategy by education policy makers, institutions and professionals is strengthened.
  • 25 pilot schools will be invited to engage with local communities and civil society organisations to ensure an inclusive and enabling learning environment for all learners.
  • Teachers will be given the tools to develop new professional competences, practices and attitudes that better contribute to the development of competences for democratic culture in learners.

ACTIVITIES/OUTPUTS

  • A Mapping Report and policy recommendation on the implementation of the national Education Strategy with a focus on the strategic goal on democratic culture, human rights and inclusive and multicultural education
  • Capacity building: training, mentoring and peer exchanges will be organised for teachers on democratic citizenship education, competences for democratic culture and the whole school approach
  • The creation of a national Democratic and Inclusive School Network for sharing and promoting best practices 
  • School projects: schools will partner with civil society organisations and other community stakeholders to implement the democratic school governance model
  • A regional study visit and student peer exchanges: best practices in creating democratic and inclusive school governance and environments will be shared through a study visit for school teams and two summer academies for schoolgirls and schoolboys 
  • Awareness-raising: numerous conferences, roundtables and awareness-raising events to present project results and raise awareness on inclusive and democratic education will be held
     

PROJECT INFORMATION

This Project is implemented by the Council of Europe and funded by Germany. It is implemented in co-operation with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of North Macedonia from December 2022 to November 2025.

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PROJECT CONTACTS

Romela Popovikj                Senior Project Officer               +389 2 3100 334                    contact

Nikola Asprovski                Project Assistant                                                                     contact