Organisation of general upper secondary education

General upper secondary education in North Macedonia is provided in gymnasiums and is organised as a four-year programme at ISCED level 3.

It is primarily oriented towards providing general education and preparing students for higher education. The curriculum is based on general education subjects and does not lead to a vocational qualification.

Access to general upper secondary education is open to students who have successfully completed primary and lower secondary education. Enrolment is regulated annually by the Ministry of Education and Science, based on defined criteria and available school capacities.

General upper secondary education is delivered mainly in public schools, although private gymnasiums also operate within the system. Municipalities are involved in the organisation of the school network.

At the end of the programme, students take the State Matura (Državna matura), which is the main national examination and provides access to higher education.

Sources: Law on Secondary Education; Ministry of Education and Science.

Types of Institutions and Language of Instruction

Secondary education is provided in public and private secondary schools. Public gymnasiums can be municipal schools, schools under the City of Skopje, or state secondary schools. State secondary schools are established for the education of specific categories of students of special interest to the state.

Instruction is conducted in the Macedonian language and the Cyrillic alphabet. For members of ethnic communities, classes are also performed in Albanian, Turkish, or Serbian. Additionally, teaching in public schools can be conducted in world languages, while private schools may use foreign languages for instruction.

Age Levels and Grouping of Students

Students typically enter general secondary education at the age of 14 or 15. In public secondary schools, classes are organized with a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 34 students. A class may be formed with fewer students only with prior approval from the Ministry of Education and Science.

Organisation of the School Year and Week

The school year begins on 1st September and ends on 31st August. It consists of 180 working days (36 weeks for the final year, 38 weeks for others). The year is divided into two semesters with a three-week winter break and a summer break.

The school week consists of five working days (Monday to Friday). Lessons last 45 minutes, and schools usually operate in two shifts:

• Morning Shift: Lessons from 08:00 to 10:00; Lunch break from 10:00 to 10:30; Lessons continue from 10:30 to 13:45.

• Afternoon Shift: Lessons from 14:00 to 16:00; Lunch break from 16:00 to 16:30; Lessons continue from 16:30 to 19:45.