Skopje, 8 May 2023 (MIA) – The Ministry of Education and Science will hold meetings with competent institutions that are to assess the risks of the use of social network TikTok for students, in order to conclude whether its use should be restricted. As regards safety in schools, intensive meetings will follow involving pedagogues, psychologists and parents, whereas manuals and protocols with measures will follow as of September, Education Minister Jeton Shaqiri said.  

"Today we'll continue meetings with the institutions that need to assess the potential risks of using the TikTok social network, what it contains and how it is used by students in primary and secondary education," Shaqiri told reporters on Monday. 

He noted that security institutions should assess contents on TikTok, also having in mind that several videos by students are currently being handled by the Ministry of Interior. Shaqiri pointed out that the Ministry of Information Society and Administration and the Agency for Electronic Communications, as well as other institutions from the ICT sector, will be involved to review the ways of using the app.

"If informatics institutions can provide us with specific restrictions in terms of opening and entering data, we will consider all possibilities," said Shaqiri, adding that recommendations regarding these contents are also being mulled in other countries.

He stressed that all institutions should coordinate and exchange information - the Education Ministry and the Labor Ministry, as well as the departments of education by municipalities.

"According to the information I receive, some of the schools have started with regular meetings, emergency meetings, parent meetings, etc. In addition to meetings with class teachers, there will also be meetings with psychologists and pedagogues, who until now acted only on certain cases," Shaqiri said.

He added that these are initial measures, and a concrete protocol will follow with the start of the new school year. 

Photo: MIA archive