Children with disabilities have had, and will continue to have, assistants. So far, 815 assistants have already been provided, and for an additional 200, we are awaiting the rebalancing of the budget to secure the necessary funds. The Ministry of Education and Science (MES) has completed its work, and the schools with resource centers are announcing competitions to engage these assistants, Minister of Education and Science Vesna Janevska said today.

“They should have planned when to announce the competitions and when to publish them in the newspapers. I’ve heard some claim that the Ministry of Education and Culture should have told them when to do so. Why do we appoint school principals if they do not know their basic responsibilities?” Janevska responded to a question during today’s visit to the Skopje company “KAZ Group,” where practical work for dual education is being carried out.

Today, she said, contracts for the 815 assistants are being signed, and the competition for the 200 assistants is ongoing.

“I appeal to parents, school management, and teachers: no child should be left sitting at home. All children must be admitted to schools. There are teachers, inclusive teams, psychologists, pedagogues, special education teachers, and in some places even sociologists. They should be prepared to welcome the children. There will be assistants, and this time, they will be in larger numbers than before. If needed, next year, even more assistants will be provided,” Janevska pointed out.

She rated the situation with textbooks as excellent.

“Principals, teachers, and class leaders are obligated to request as many textbooks as are needed. The Ministry of Education and Culture and the Education Development Bureau have announced which subjects require textbooks and which do not. For the optional subjects and those aligned with the new concept adopted by the new Government, there should not be textbooks. Instead, students will gain knowledge through interactive work with each other and with their teachers. If principals did not order enough textbooks, they will be informed that they made an error,” Janevska said.

She explained that the Ministry of Education and Culture is opening an information system where the exact number of textbooks needed must be entered, and principals are responsible for providing these figures for each school.

“We have not forbidden them from calculating an additional 2 to 3 percent in textbooks. In fact, we’ve decided to provide double the number requested, and that is the rule. As a minister, neither I nor anyone from the MES can deviate from that rule. If principals have not completed their duties, it is not the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Culture. However, if there is a surplus of books somewhere, we will make an effort to provide textbooks where they are lacking,” Janevska emphasized.

She noted that everything possible has been done in the past 70 days of the new government’s mandate. However, not all the problems inherited from the previous government can be solved immediately.

“Next year’s budget has provisions for all necessary measures and reliefs for students and parents, as education, students, and parents remain our focus,” Janevska pointed out.

When asked if the primers that Minister Medjiti and the mayor of Tetovo, Kasami, were distributing were approved by the Education Development Bureau, Janevska said the Bureau had approved the primer as didactic aid material, and former Minister Jeton Shaqiri had signed it.

“This is a donation, and anyone can donate didactic material. It has passed through the appropriate state institutions, but it is not a textbook. Only those who follow the curriculum and plan approved by our country’s Education Development Bureau can receive diplomas and certificates in this country,” Janevska clarified, adding that didactic materials approved by the Bureau and the former minister can be used.