Skopje, 7 October 2024 (MIA) – Minister of Education and Science Vesna Janevska said Monday that the budget for education and science will be higher in 2025, and also added that the agreement with the Independent Union of Education, Science and Culture (SONK) will be reached soon, along with salary hikes for teachers this year.

At a press conference on government's 100 days in office, Janevska said that the Ministry of Education and Science is in discussions with the Ministry of Finance regarding higher budget for the next year, which, she noted, is expected to include an increase in funding for science, particularly for scientific institutions.

“We are currently developing the regulations, and I hope that this will follow the completion of projects for additional scholarships for postgraduate and doctoral studies, along with the publication of scientific projects that were previously unavailable. Starting next year, we anticipate increasing funds for science, and the overall budget of the Ministry of Education and Science will also rise,” Janevska told reporters.

Regarding the negotiations with the Independent Union of Education, Science, and Culture (SONK), she responded that they are ongoing and expects a serious agreement to be reached in a relatively short time, announcing that there are possibilities for teachers to receive a salary increase this year.

“We are still in negotiation phase. I expect that we will reach a serious, multi-year agreement in a relatively short period. We are still exploring budget possibilities, but I believe we can fulfill SONK's requests in due course. I expect that there will be salary increases for teachers this year, unlike a few months ago when options were nearly exhausted; now, tangible opportunities for salary hikes for teachers are appearing,” she added.

She announced that the Ministry of Education and Science is analyzing how to continue the construction of the buildings for the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering (FINKI) and the Faculty of Physical Education near the SS. Cyril and Methodius University Rectorate, and that by the end of the term, 'if not fully completed, construction will certainly progress on both buildings.'

Photo: MIA archive