Educational system in the

Republic of Macedonia

2

Primary education in the Republic of Macedonia is compulsory, free and available for all children regardless of their gender, social and cultural background, religion, nationality, physical and psychological abilities.

It is regulated by the Law on Primary Education and executed by curriculum and syllabus provided by the Minster of Education and Science.

3

Children who will turn 6 by the end of the calendar year in which they enroll to school, enter in primary school.

4

Primary education consists of three educational cycles:

• First cycle: from 1st until 3rd grade• Second cycle: from 4th until 6th grade • Third cycle: from 7th until 9th grade

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The school year begins on 1st of September and ends on 10th of June, which is 38 weeks or 180 working days.

The instruction is organized in 5 working days per week. The duration of the classes is 40 minutes.

There are 20 to 30 pupils in one grade.

The curriculum and the syllabus include compulsory and optional subjects, their schedule according to grades and the weekly and yearly fund of classes for the pupils.

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In the first cycle, pupils` achievements are evaluated descriptively, in the second cycle descriptively and with grades and in the third cycle with grades. Parents and pupils receive reports for the success three times a year and at the end of the school year.

For the students in the second and third cycle at the end of the school year, apart from the teachers` assessment, there is an external examination with national tests for knowledge in Macedonian language, maths, English and one subject determined by the minister.