The government is prioritizing the strengthening of women’s position in all areas of society as a cornerstone for prosperity and sustainability. This commitment includes initiatives within education reforms to enhance girls’ access to professional knowledge and skills.
Minister of Education and Science, Vesna Janevska, emphasized this at the economic forum “Strengthening Employable Women: Strategies for Unlocking Potential and Increasing Productivity.” She highlighted the increasing enrollment of girls in secondary vocational education, with approximately 1,000 more girls enrolled this academic year compared to 2021/22, bringing the total to 20,150 female students.
A key strategy involves strengthening career counseling in schools to help girls understand opportunities, break stereotypes, and build self-confidence. This aims to enable them to recognize their talents and choose fulfilling professions that contribute positively to society. The Law on Primary Education has been amended to include a program for professional orientation, and secondary schools will have career counselors, with training support from the European Training Foundation.
In primary education, the focus is on introducing single-shift classes and extended stays to provide students with more time for extracurricular activities, fostering new knowledge, skills, and personal development. Minister Janevska noted that single-shift teaching contributes to equal opportunities for all students by ensuring equal access to educational resources and activities. Currently, 150 schools have single-shift classes, and to fully optimize the school network, the Ministry of Education and Science and the World Bank estimate that 300 classrooms and 70 sanitary facilities need to be built, requiring an investment of approximately 8 million euros.
The concept of extended stays also supports women by providing them with more time for professional advancement without sacrificing their role as parents. Janevska stated that by unlocking the potential of women, the entire society’s potential is unlocked, leading to common prosperity.