KA1

2.  Primary education in the Republic of Macedonia is
compulsory, free and available for all children
regardless of their gender, social and cultural
background, religion, nationality, physical and
psychological abilities.
 It is regulated by the Law on Primary Education and
executed by curriculum and syllabus provided by
the Minster of Education and Science. 2

3.  Children who will turn 6 by the end of the calendar
year in which they enroll to school, enter in
primary school.
3

4.  Primary education consists of three educational cycles:
• First cycle: from 1st until 3rd grade
• Second cycle: from 4th until 6th grade
• Third cycle: from 7th until 9th grade
4

5.  The school year begins on 1st of September and
ends on 10th of June, which is 38 weeks or 180
working days.
 The instruction is organized in 5 working days per
week. The duration of the classes is 40 minutes.
 There are 20 to 30 pupils in one grade.
 The curriculum and the syllabus include compulsory
and optional subjects, their schedule according to
grades and the weekly and yearly fund of classes
for the pupils.
5

6.  In the first cycle, pupils` achievements are evaluated
descriptively, in the second cycle descriptively and with
grades and in the third cycle with grades. Parents and
pupils receive reports for the success three times a year
and at the end of the school year.
 For the students in the second and third cycle at the end
of the school year, apart from the teachers` assessment,
there is an external examination with national tests for
knowledge in Macedonian language, maths, English and
one subject determined by the minister. 6