North Macedonia
The European Training Foundation (ETF) cooperates with and complements the work of the European Commission and the European External Action Service in its support to North Macedonia, and provides assistance to the Delegation of the European Union to North Macedonia, making inputs to EU policy monitoring mechanisms, including progress on education and training and employment policy.
The ETF is actively supporting the implementation of actions in the Osnabrück Declaration in the region, in close cooperation with its sister agency Cedefop. The Osnabrück Declaration sets out policy actions for the 2021–25 period, in support of the Council Recommendation on vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. The national implementation plan for North Macedonia describes how the country plans to address EU priorities and achieve its national objectives in VET.
The ETF also gives input to the Economic Reform Programme, assessment of progress on the Small Business Act for Europe and wider human capital developments reported in the Torino Process. North Macedonian actors are encouraged to participate in European platforms and dialogue processes.
The ETF is monitoring the implementation of qualifications reform, cooperating with other donors to review the VET financing framework engaging further social partners and improve financing models. It is monitoring the establishment of the regional VET centres and the re-organisation of the vocational school network, developing a mapping on work-based learning developments, and supporting the Delegation in assessing the relevance, credibility and progress of relevant sector strategies. The ETF supports the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and the National Employment Agency in refining the employment strategic framework and enhancing skills intelligence gathering to better link VET and labour market demand.
Read our 2024 update on Key policy developments in education, training and employment (ETF, 2024). For a quick overview, see below.
2024 developments at a glance
🏛️ Political landscape: in June 2024, the national-conservative VMRO DPMNE party won both parliamentary and presidential elections, replacing the Social Democrats. Despite this change, North Macedonia remains committed to EU integration and membership;
🎓 Updated legal framework for education: dedicated working groups were established to revise draft laws on primary and secondary education, vocational education and training (VET), adult education, the national qualification framework, and on textbooks. Work has been ongoing to secure the adoption of the six reformed laws and their amendments;
🏫 Progress in VET: VET participation rose from 64% (2022/23) to 67.3% (2023/24), with graduates achieving higher employment rates than general education peers. Two new regional VET centres were established, enhancing collaboration with businesses to offer training aligned with labour market needs. The IPA project, Increasing the attractiveness, inclusiveness and relevance of VET and adult education, successfully delivered results in capacity building and qualifications development. The EU-funded technical assistance project, Improving the Quality of Education, delivered professional development training to thousands of teachers;
🛠️ Work-based learning (WBL): dual education expanded, with more companies offering placements. 84% of VET schools participated, one in three VET students enrolled in dual VET, and 80% of VET qualifications were offered as dual programmes. The new Vocational and Education Training Act increases weekly WBL hours and introduces a monthly allowance of 10%-20% of the minimum monthly wage;
💼 Labour market inclusivity: the Plan targeting recipients of Guaranteed Minimum Income was activated, aiming to reduce long-term unemployment. It supports socially vulnerable groups and those reliant on public subsidies by integrating them into the labour market through specialised skills development programmes and services;
👦 👧 Youth in focus: the Youth Guarantee continued to support young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs). The EU for Youth project piloted an initiative to monitor graduate outcomes to inform future education policies;
💻 Digital transformation: the National ICT Strategy 2023-2027 focuses on aligning education curriculum with industry needs. The Education Management Information System (EMIS) project was completed, improving data management and analysis. A joint study by the ETF and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) investigated the level of digital skills of secondary education teachers using the SelfieforTeachers tool. The data collected will help identify digital skills gaps and inform digital policy development;
Priorities for 2025
👉 Following the ETF's analysis of WBL in North Macedonia, covering initial and continuous VET (IVET and CVET) and active labour market policies, discussions will focus on key findings and next steps, including policy advice and follow up actions.