Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - North Macedonia (Ratification: 1991)

Articles 1 and 5 of the Convention. Policies and programmes. Participation of the social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention received in October 2009. The Government indicates that its most important strategic document on human resources development is the Multi-annual Operational Programme for Human Resources Development (OPHRD) 2007–13, which was adopted in view of its prospective access to the European Union. It includes broad-ranging policies covering four strategic priorities: increasing employment through the modernization and improvement of the Employment Service Agency (ESA) services; modernizing the education and training system to adapt education and training to the labour market needs, and promoting lifelong learning; promoting the integration of disadvantaged persons in the labour market; and enhancing technical assistance to achieve an efficient implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the OPHRD. The Committee requests the Government to provide in its next report further information on the policies and programmes on vocational training currently implemented and their contribution to the attainment of the objectives of the Convention. It also requests the Government to provide information on the involvement of employers’ and workers’ organizations in the implementation of these policies and programmes. Please also provide extracts of reports, studies and inquiries, and statistical data regarding training policies and programmes relating to particular areas or branches of economic activity or to specific categories of persons (Part VI of the report form).

Article 1(5). Coverage of specific categories of persons by the vocational training system. The Government indicates that the strategic documents on human resources development are based on the principles of non-discrimination and social inclusion. The Committee recalls that the Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195), provides that Members should promote equal opportunities for women and men in education, training and lifelong learning (paragraph 5(g)), as well as promote access to education, training and lifelong learning for persons with nationally identified special needs relevant for the country (paragraph 5(h)). In this regard, the Committee raises the following points:

• (a) –Women. The Government indicates that the OPHRD aims to increase the employment rate of women through educational and training programmes with increased participation by women. The Committee requests the Government to provide in its next report information on the results of the measures aimed at increasing participation of women in education and training programmes.
• (b) –Youth. The Committee notes that, according to the 2009 Labour Force Survey, youth unemployment was as high as 55.1 per cent. Measures envisaged to integrate young persons in the labour market include promoting the training of those without work experience who completed secondary and university education. The Committee requests the Government to include information on the impact of these measures in terms of the increased access of young persons to education and training and their increased participation in the labour market.
• (c) –Ethnic minority groups. The Government indicates that substantial inequalities in educational participation rates exist between ethnic groups, especially in secondary and tertiary education, affecting more specifically the Roma, Albanian and Turk communities. The OPHRD includes measures to support the integration of ethnic communities, especially the Roma community and Albanians, in the educational system through innovative education and training programmes. The Committee requests the Government to include information on the impact of measures implemented on increasing the participation of persons belonging to ethnic minority groups, such as the Roma, Albanian and Turk communities, in education and training.
• (d) –Other categories of people with nationally identified needs (Paragraph 5(h) of Recommendation No. 195). The Committee notes that SMEs represent 99.6 per cent of the total number of business entities and employ 78 per cent of the country’s workers. The Government indicates that the Macedonian labour market is characterized by a large informal sector. It further indicates that the employment of older persons is among the priorities of its employment plans. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to promote access to education and training for workers in SMEs, workers in the undeclared economy and older workers.

Article 2. Vocational education and training system. The Government indicates that due to the low allocation of resources, vocational schools suffer from the lack of necessary equipment, which affects the effectiveness of training. Moreover, a high degree of centralization characterizes the management and financing of the vocational education and training (VET) system. In this regard, the Law on Vocational Education and Training of 2006 provides for the establishment of a VET centre as a support infrastructure for the system. The Government also reports that, notwithstanding the considerable number of private institutions offering non-formal and informal education and training, there are no mechanisms to compare the non-formal and informal to the formal qualifications. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures implemented in order to improve its vocational education and training system.

Article 3. Extension of the vocational guidance system. The Government refers to the counselling and vocational guidance services provided by the ESA. The Committee refers to its comments on the Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88), and invites the Government to include information on any extension of its vocational guidance system undertaken during the period covered by the next report on Convention No. 142. It also invites the Government to specify whether vocational guidance services include information on general aspects of collective agreements and on the rights and obligations of persons concerned under the Labour Law. Please also supply copies of the documentation made available for vocational guidance purposes.

Article 4. Lifelong learning. The Government indicates that adult education and training has been weakened substantially during the recent years with a very small number of adults receiving training. The opportunities for adult education are limited. In this regard, developing lifelong learning, and especially supporting the establishment of a system for adult education, literacy and elementary education for disadvantaged categories, are among the OPHRD objectives. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the results of the measures implemented aimed at developing lifelong learning and establishing a system of adult education.