The president of VMRO-DPMNE, Hristijan Mickoski, highlighted the imperative need for a comprehensive educational process during the “Educational platform for the future” debate held in Kumanovo. The focus of the discussion was the “New concept for the development of education.” Mickoski underscored the absence of a fundamental element in the current structure of the Ministry of Education – preschool education, commonly known as kindergartens, which currently falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy. He conveyed the party’s commitment to government reorganization and restructuring to align with modern trends that better address citizens’ needs.

Mickoski asserted the necessity of returning preschool education, or pre-primary education, to its rightful place within the Ministry of Education and Science. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of motivating the teaching staff and proposed a unique approach to achieve this.

The president elaborated on a proposal that involves incentivizing educators in higher education institutions. Those who publish papers in journals with impact factors, recognized in the “Thomson Reuters” indexed database as “web of science,” will receive an additional 50% monthly salary allocation from the state. This initiative aims to create a synergy between scientific contributions and financial motivation, acknowledging that the current motivation for individuals in the education sector is predominantly material and financial.

Mickoski provided an example, stating that if the state allocates a net 60,000 denars for a teacher’s monthly salary and the educator published an article in an influential journal the previous year, the state would allocate 90,000 denars for that individual’s monthly salary for the next 12 months. This innovative approach aims to recognize and reward those actively engaging in scientific pursuits within the field of education.