Skopje, 20 February 2025 (MIA) — Minister of Education and Science Vesna Janevska met Thursday with Education, Science and Culture Workers' Union leader Jakim Nedelkov to discuss the new collective agreement for employees in primary and secondary education.

According to Minister Janevska, most of the provisions in the agreement have been agreed on, with the exception on raises for some of the teaching staff and travel expenses for teachers who live far from the schools they teach in. These issues were still being negotiated, she said.

"Today's meeting is one of many I have held with our social partner," Janevska said, pointing out that the aim of the meetings with the union was to improve the status of teachers.

She said the teachers' March paychecks, which are to be paid in April, would be seven percent percent higher, as previously agreed.

"This is the second salary increase, in line with inflation," she said.

According to the education minister, salaries of teachers and other employees in primary and secondary schools will keep increasing over the next four years.

Education, Science and Culture Workers' Union leader Nedelkov said they were in the final stage of negotiations on the new collective agreement for primary and secondary education, which had not been updated since 2008.

Nedelkov pointed out the collective agreement was complex and required "a very serious approach." This took time, he said.

"Our goal was to sign the collective agreement by today, but because of the volume of materials and the absence of a law for teachers and professional associates important for concluding agreements, there will be a slight delay," he said.

He said the collective agreement would be signed in two or three weeks. mr/