North Macedonia - The education sector in 2025 is set to receive a budget of 38 billion denars, the highest to date, aimed at accelerating developmental processes. This budget will support capital investments to optimize the school network, increase salaries for teachers in primary and secondary schools, and enhance conditions for higher education staff. Student and pupil standards will be improved, with funding for science nearly doubling.
Education Minister Vesna Janevska announced that the current budget is 6 billion denars higher than the initial budget in 2024. Block grants for municipalities will increase by 1.5 billion denars, coinciding with a 7% salary increase for school employees starting in March. Higher education staff will also see salary increases of 14% for teaching staff and 8% for non-teaching staff.
The minister emphasized the support for optimizing the school network, including the introduction of single-shift work and extended hours for students, which will require investments in building and adapting facilities. An analysis is underway to adapt 100 school buildings for single-shift operation, with negotiations ongoing with the World Bank for 500 million denars for this purpose.
Funding for student standards will rise from 1.4 billion to 1.8 billion denars, focusing on improving conditions in student dormitories, which have been described as catastrophic. Two dormitories are currently being renovated and are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
For science, the budget has doubled from 380 million to 680 million denars. The Ministry's developmental policies are being created in collaboration with various local and international partners.