Admission requirements and choice of ECEC setting

Parents or guardians may choose an early childhood education and care (ECEC) institution within or outside their municipality, depending on availability of places. In practice, however, high demand for preschool services—particularly in urban areas—often leads to waiting lists in public kindergartens.

Public preschools enrol children throughout the year, subject to available capacity. For enrolment, parents must submit basic documentation, including a medical certificate confirming the child’s health status. If the number of applicants exceeds available places, admissions are decided by a commission established by the preschool institution, based on criteria determined by the preschool governing board in accordance with municipal regulations and national legislation. Appeals against admission decisions are submitted to the municipality and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.

Admission procedures in private preschool institutions are regulated by the institution itself, in accordance with the Law on Child Protection.

Group size and child–staff ratios

The Law on Child Protection establishes maximum limits for the number of children in preschool groups according to age. In practice, these limits may occasionally be exceeded in areas with high demand for preschool services.

Maximum number of children per group

Source: Law on Child Protection.

ECEC staff qualifications depend on the age group of children. Caregivers working with children under three years of age must have at least upper-secondary education and a professional licence, while educators working with preschool groups aged three and above must have higher education (bachelor’s level) in preschool education or pedagogy.

Annual, weekly and daily organisation

Preschool institutions operate according to an annual work programme that defines the organisation of educational and care activities.

Preschools operate five days per week and typically offer full-day or half-day programmes. Most children attend full-day programmes.

• Full-day programmes usually last 9–11 hours per day.

• Half-day programmes last 4–6 hours per day, either in the morning or afternoon.

According to national regulations, preschool institutions may provide:

• All-day care: reception of children approximately from 06:00 to 08:15, with departure until 18:00.

• Extended care: reception until 13:30, with departure until 22:00.

Educational activities are conducted primarily in the Macedonian language, while in municipalities with sufficient interest from minority communities, preschool programmes may also be organised in the language of the respective community, in accordance with national legislation.