School leadership
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
2.2. Selection and working conditions
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
1. Terminology
In North Macedonia, the school leader is referred to as the “директор” or the “Director.” Article 109 of the Law on Primary Education states that “the director is the primary school management authority” and is responsible for the legality of the work and the material and financial operation of the school. The Law on Secondary Education has in place the same definition for school director.
Larger schools may also have an assistant director who is appointed or dismissed by the director. Article 114 of the Law on Primary Education states that ‘in a primary school with more than 36 classes, or if educational work is carried out in more than three facilities, an assistant to the director can be appointed to perform managerial and pedagogical tasks’.
2. School principals
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
Competency standards and leadership frameworks and guidelines
According to the Law on Primary Education, school directors are required to have professional competencies related to the position. Article 111 states that these professional competencies include knowledge, skills and professional values, in the following areas: 1. Leadership; 2. Management of human resources; 3. Pedagogical management of the school; 4. Financial management and 5. Legal and administrative operation of the school. Competencies in these areas are determined by the minister and the Bureau and the State Examination Center. During the course of their term, school directors are expected to continuously improve themselves professionally in accordance with the Law on Training and Examination for Directors of Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Boarding Schools and Open Civil Universities for Lifelong Learning.
The assistant director is expected to perform the tasks for which the director authorized in writing and replaces the director in their absence.
North Macedonia does have in place a National Qualifications Framework of which determines a person’s education level.
Roles
Article 113 of the Law on Primary Education states that the school director represents the school and is responsible for the legal operation. They organize, plan and lead the work of the elementary school and monitor and improve the educational work in the school. The school director is also expected to perform the selection, deployment, and termination of teachers, professional associates, and other administrative-technical staff in accordance with the law and the acts of the school.
Setting expectations/objectives: The school director prepares the school's Development Program. They are also responsible for preparing a proposal for the school's annual work program as well as the implementation of the annual work program. They also must develop and submit the yearly report.
Developing teaching and learning: School directors may observe classes in accordance with the visiting classes plan they previously established as part of the annual work program of the school. During these visits, they compile recommendations and notes to attach to the teacher's professional file. The school director decides on educational measures. They also organize and monitor the work of the teams, professional bodies, and the student body.
Promoting collaboration: The school director is expected to take care of cooperation with parents or guardians. They are responsible for informing parents or guardians about the work of the school and changes to the rights and obligations of students. The school director is responsible for ensuring the execution of the decisions of the school board. They also may work together with the health facility in the municipality.
Supporting staff development: The Law on Primary Education states that school directors may exercise control over the management of professional files of teachers and professional associates. They should encourage, monitor and organize professional training and improvement of teachers and professional associates. School directors are also responsible for organizing mentoring for trainee teachers, trainee professional associates, and trainee educators.
According to the Law for Teachers and Professional Support Staff in Primary and Secondary Schools, school directors are further responsible for approving the professional development plan for teachers, following advice from the school professional development team. If a professional development plan has not been developed by the teacher, the director is responsible for determining the teachers’ professional development plan for the following academic year.
Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: The Law on Primary Education charges school directors with the responsibility for realizing the rights and obligations of students. They form the school inclusive team which is responsible for ensuring all schools have equal access to their school education. School directors are also responsible for reporting any form of violence, abuse and neglect committed against a student, to the competent institutions established by law. They also may be the ones to initiate a procedure for disciplinary action towards school employees. The school director also decides on the conclusion of labour relations agreements.
2.2. Selection and working conditions
Degree requirements and prior teaching experience
According to the Law on Primary Education, school directors must have a higher education degree and fulfil the requirements for a teacher or professional associate in a primary school. Additionally, they must have an additional at least five years of work experience. They must also pass the exam for a primary school director which checks whether they have the required competencies for school principals defined by law (section 2.1.), and have an English proficiency certification from a select list of qualified examinations. Having been sentenced to a fine or misdemeanour bans the candidate or acting director from appointment. For the position of assistant director, candidates are expected to fulfil the requirements for a teacher or professional associate in a primary school, already be a teacher at the school for which they will be appointed and have at least three years of work experience.
For secondary school, the requirements are the same. The Law on Secondary Education states that school directors must have a higher education degree and fulfil the requirements for a teacher or professional associate in a secondary school and have an additional at least five years of work experience.
Appointment decision
School directors are elected differently depending on the type of school they are in charge of. An open call is released to which registered candidates first must submit the necessary documents to the school board of the school including a work program of the school for four years. The school board of the primary school forms a committee that reviews the applications and interviews potential candidates for director of the school. The board then votes for a candidate. For the director of a municipal primary school, the school board proposes the final nominee to the mayor who then is responsible for electing and dismissing the director. For the director of a state primary school, the school board proposes the final nominee to the minister who then is responsible for electing and dismissing the director. Three months before the expiration of the mandate of the existing director, the mayor or minister elects the new director and the school board announces the decision to the public.
Employment equity measures
The 2012 Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men aims towards the adoption of measures for the equal representation of both genders in all public institutions. According to the Act, the government is obliged to provide for equal participation of women and men in the management boards of public institutions, further supported by the 2022-27 Gender Equality Strategy.
Working conditions
According to the Law on Primary Education and Law on Secondary Education, the school director’s term of office is four years, after which, the person may return to their previous employment as a teacher or professional associate who, while elected as a director of primary schools, had their employment suspended. Secondary school directors at a public school may be eligible for another four-year term. The salary ranges from 30,791 - 55,943 MKD. School characteristics (such as class numbers) have an impact on the salary of school directors at all education levels. Salaries are determined based on collective agreements for primary and secondary education.
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
Pre-service training
The program for training and examination of principals of primary and secondary schools is conducted by the Minister of Education and Science with the support of the State Examination Center. The National Examinations Centre is generally responsible for the training, certification and assessment of principal candidates in educational instititutions. The Law on Training and Examination for Directors of Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Boarding Schools and Open Civil Universities for Lifelong Learning mandates 192 hours of pre-service training for school directors. The program consists of six modules: six modules: Application of information and computer technology in management in education; Theory of organization; People in the organization; The director as a pedagogical leader; Legislation; and Finances. The module is considered completed if the candidate has attended a minimum of ten of the twelve sessions and successfully presented the seminar paper. The results are then presented to the State Examination Center. Finally, the candidate must pass the director’s exam which consists of three parts: a practical test of computer skills, a test on the ability to apply theoretical knowledge, and a presentation and defence of the final seminar paper.
One of the objectives of the 2018-25 Education Strategy is to revise and implement an officially approved system of school principal licensing, where principals satisfy the minimum requirements of professional competencies, ensuring better learning environments and culture, management and leadership. At the secondary school level, this includes a new licensing system containing revised prerequisites for applying for a license, modified content and procedures of licensing exams, and license suspension conditions. The strategy additionally aims for the development of candidate training modules and the revision of requirements and criteria for entering the training process.
Induction and in-service training
Article 22 of the Law on Training and Examination for Directors mandates that school directors attend continuous professional development trainings of at least four seminar days, with a total duration of at least 32 hours, each year. The content of these trainings is determined by actors such as the minister, the State Examination Center, the Bureau for the Development of Education, the Center for Vocational Education and Training, the Center for Adult Education, and the State Educational Inspectorate. If the school director fails to attend all the necessary training hours, they may be subject to dismissal.
Continuous professional development of principals is also highlighted in the the 2018-25 Education Strategy, which aims towards the continuous professional development of all secondary school principals, with records of implemented training.
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
The school board is made up of seven members, as determined by the Law on Primary Education: three representatives from the teachers, professional associates, and educators at the school; three representatives from the parents or guardians of students; and one representative from the school's founder. Two student representatives from the student parliament are invited to participate in the board's sessions without voting rights. All the representatives are elected to the school board in their respective councils (teachers’ council, parents’ council, and students’ council) by a secret ballot as determined by the statute of the school. The board's mandate is three years, and the parents' representatives serve until their child completes primary education or for up to three years. The board elects a president from among its parent representatives.
The school board meets regularly to make important decisions about the school. They work together to adopt the statute of the primary school; plan and adopt the four-year Development Program and financial plan of the school; and propose the annual work program and work report of the primary school to the council of the municipality or the ministry. The board interviews potential candidates for director for the school, proposes a candidate to the mayor or minister, and then is responsible for announcing to the public who the new director is. The board can also make recommendations to the director for the selection of teachers and professional associates. Finally, the board is responsible for handling the objections and complaints of employees, students, and parents. The board's decisions are made by a majority vote, and its members must not be related to each other or to the school director.
At the secondary level, the school board functions similarly but with more members. The Law on Secondary Education states that the twelve members of the school board include four representatives from the teachers, three representatives from the parents or guardians of the students, three representatives from the founder, and one representative each from the Ministry and the business community. The business community representative does not have voting rights. The responsibilities of the school board are the same as for primary schools.
3.2. Middle leaders
According to the Law on Primary Education, article 114, if a school does not have an assistant director, the school director may authorize a teacher or professional associate from the elementary school to perform certain tasks within their competence and to replace them during their absences.
The teacher's council of a primary school is comprised of departmental and subject teachers, as well as professional associates, and is led by the director. Its main functions include: providing opinions on the Development Program and the annual work program proposals; monitoring their execution; reviewing the implementation of the curriculum; reviewing and determining student success; making decisions on professional issues; giving an opinion on the planning, implementation and evaluation of the achievements in teaching and learning; reviewing the annual report on the work of teachers and professional associates and proposes appropriate measures; participating in the assessment of the fulfilment of the standards for teachers and professional associates for advancement in the positions of mentor and adviser; and performing other tasks outlined in the school's statute. There also is a council of departmental teachers and a council of subject teachers.
3.3. Parents
A parents' council is established for each primary school, with one representative per class chosen by parents or guardians. The council gives opinions on development and annual work programs, discusses school reports, and reviews and proposes measures to improve teaching and extracurricular activities. It also reviews complaints, participates in self-evaluation, and selects representatives for the school board.
3.4. Students
According to the Law on Primary Education, in North Macedonia, every student in a school is considered a part of the school community and has the right to participate in student organizations at both class and school levels. The specific procedures for organizing these groups are outlined in the school's statute. In elementary schools, students are organized into both a class community and a student parliament. The student parliament is made up of the presidents of the class communities in elementary schools The school director is responsible for convening the first meeting of the student parliament. The student parliament plays an active role in representing and advocating for the rights and interests of students, promoting student activism, and supporting peers with special educational needs. Additionally, the student parliament is involved in preparing the school's annual work program and suggesting activities for extracurricular programs and annual excursions. It also evaluates the school's performance and participates in parent councils, as well as organizing and participating in social and environmental activities. The student parliament's president is elected by secret ballot by the representatives of the class communities. Moreover, a student ombudsman is elected by secret ballot by the students in grades seven to nine to protect and promote their rights within the school.
4. Governance
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
Schools in North Macedonia report comparatively high levels of autonomy. However, the school director is not solely responsible for the school’s pedagogical approach. Every four years, a school must submit a four-year development program of the school. The development program plans the goals and vision for the development of the school with specifically stated activities of the school. Based on this, an annual work program is developed for each year which determines how the school will teach the curriculum as well as how the school will ‘promote students' well-being, protect them from violence, abuse and neglect, prevent discrimination, include inter-ethnic integration and joint student initiatives, establish inclusive practices, cooperate with parents or guardians, incorporate environmental protection activities, develop cultural activities of the school, and other activities according to the priorities of the school. The school director prepares the school’s development program and the annual work plans, the teachers’ council gives opinions on them, and the school board submits them to the municipality or the ministry and the State Educational Inspectorate. They are then published online and available for parents and guardians to access and understand the school’s plans. The director is then responsible for the implementation of the annual work program. The school director is also responsible for hiring and dismissing staff, with input from the school board, as described in the Law for Teachers and Professional Support Staff in Primary and Secondary Schools.
Each school also has in place a school statute which regulates the organization and performance of the school and its educational activity. The statute also discusses the school’s management and leadership, the rights and obligations of the students, the rights and obligations of the employees and other matters of importance. The school statute is determined by the school board.
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
School directors have a limited term of four years after which it may be renewed at the same school for another four years. The director of the state school submits a report on the operation of the school during the school year to the school board, the director of the municipality, and to the minister. The minister or mayor (the local self-government body) takes into account the opinion and reports submitted by the school board and the director to evaluates the school director’s work. If a school director is found to have not implemented the work program and the plans and programs for educational work sufficiently, the school board may submit a proposal for dismissal to the mayor or minister. The mayor or minister of the local self-governing body then decides to dismiss the school director.
If the school director is found to not be performing their duties to the school and has committed any of the actions listed in the grounds for termination article 116 of the Law on Primary Education, the school board may convene and start the process for dismissal. Data on school directors, which was received from the Ministry of Education and Science and the local self-government units in which the school is located, is published on the website of the State Examination Center.
Quality assurance in educational institutions is under the supervision of the State Educational Inspectorate. The school's work is measured through self-evaluation, integral evaluation and external measurements of student achievements, as well as evaluation of the work of teachers and the directors. External measurements of student achievements, including those conducted by the state and international examinations, are carried out by the State Examination Center. An integral evaluation of the school's work is carried out by the State Educational Inspectorate every three years.
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
According to the Law on Primary Education, school directors may monitor the work of teachers, professional associates and educators and advise them, giving them notes and support through activities such as classroom observations.
