Type of school providing this education: 

Vocational School/Ucilište Za Zanimanja

Length of program in years: 4

Age level from: 15 to: 19

Certificate/diploma awarded: Secondary Vocational School Leaving Certificate/Svidetelstvo za

zavreno sredno obrazovanie za zanimaweto

School education:

Elementary education lasts for eight years leading to the Certificate for Completed Elementary
Education. Secondary school education is provided by high schools, technical and other vocational
schools, and art secondary schools. In the second half of the fourth year, pupils must write a project
(Maturska Tema) and defend it and pass a written examination in their mother tongue and literature
and an oral examination in a given subject of the curriculum. The technical and other vocational
schools train  for technical and other professions. The final examination in vocational education (four-
year and three-year courses) consists in the elaboration of a theme or practical examination and a
written examination in the mother tongue and literature. The Certificates of the technical schools give
access to the entrance examinations at the relevant faculties and colleges. The certificate of
vocational schools gives access to the entrance examinations at the relevant faculties and colleges
after passing the different examinations.The Schools of Arts/Music/Ballet offer a four-year course.
Students enter these schools by taking an entrance examination. At the end of their studies, they take
a final examination and can enrol in universities. The International Baccalaureate gives access to the
entrance examinations to all faculties and colleges.

Higher education:

Higher education is provided by colleges and pedagogical academies offering two-year courses, as
well as by two universities which offer four to six-year courses in a range of disciplines. Upon
successful completion of higher education courses at university faculties/institutes, students are
awarded a Diploma with professional title e.g. Engineer, Lawyer, Teacher, at the lower (college) level;
Graduate Engineer, Graduate Lawyer, Graduate Teacher at the higher (faculty/institute) level. The
duration of studies leading to higher level diplomas depends on the type of faculty. The financing
mechanisms of higher education are under revision. The Law on Higher Education of 1997 stipulates
that five-year programmes will be introduced in universities and higher education institutions. Reforms
have begun to bring Macedonian higher education in line with Western European and international
standards. In compliance with the Law on Higher Education 2000 the language of instruction in the
state pedagogical institutions for primary school teachers and teachers for secondary schools may be
the minority languages. In that case, Macedonian will be taught as a separate subject and teaching
will be carried out in Macedonian for at least another two teaching subjects.

Teacher education:

Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers

Primary school teachers are trained at the Pedagogical Faculty. The programme lasts for four
years. After a one-year probation period, they must sit for a state professional examination.

Training of secondary school teachers

Secondary school teachers are trained in the Pedagogical Faculty and some other faculties in four-
year programmes of Linguistics, Languages, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Sports,
Arts, etc., as well as a set number of pedagogical and psychology subjects. Those who graduate
without having studied in these fields must take a special course and an examination. After a
probation period they must sit for a state professional examination.
  

Non-traditional studies:

Other forms of non-formal higher education

The Workers University (Rabutniški Univerzitet) offers a great variety of courses for additional
education. It does not award degrees but offers special courses leading to a particular qualification.
Higher education institutions offer part-time studies.