Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2018, published 108th ILC session (2019)

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

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments initially made in 2015.

Repetition

Articles 1 and 5 of the Convention. Policies and programmes. Participation of the social partners. The Government refers in its report to the adoption of the Work Programme for the period 2011–15 which aims at reducing the unemployment rate, enhancing employability and strengthening the competitiveness of the economy. The Work Programme is implemented through the Operational Plan for Services on the Labour Market and Active Employment Programmes and Measures in which activities of the Employment Service Agency (ESA) play a key role. The Government also refers to a 2014 survey in which 3,069 employers from the private sector employing seven or more workers (equivalent to 37.5 per cent of the total number of employers) and 68.3 per cent of the said employers’ workers were considered. The aim of the survey was to asses skills needs and provide short-term indicators for employers’ expectations with regard to employment creation. A direct outcome of the survey was the determination made by 1,425 employers to create 12,403 new jobs in the coming 12 months. Moreover, the Committee notes that the implementation of the Operational Plan is managed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and is coordinated by the Director of the ESA, in partnership with the relevant ministries and other stakeholders. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the policies and programmes adopted and implemented and on their contribution to attain the objectives of the Convention, especially with regard to the improvement of the vocational education and training system. Please also provide specific information on the involvement of employers’ and workers’ organizations in the implementation of these policies and programmes.

Articles 2 and 3. Vocational guidance and training. The Committee notes that, in order to achieve the goals set out in the Work Programme, a main focus in the Operational Plan concerns training programmes, such as: (1) on-the-job training for the unemployed aimed at covering 1,000 persons from the ESA records of active jobseekers; (2) a diverse range of skills, employability and motivation training courses conducted throughout the country for young persons up to the age of 29; and (3) on-the-job training for vulnerable groups of workers. The Government indicates that members of the Albanian and Romani minorities participated in all types of vocational training measures. With respect to professional orientation, the Government implemented an activity to test 17,951 primary school graduates to enable individual tailoring of career counselling in the period between April and May 2013. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the results of the measures aimed at increasing the participation of women, young persons and persons belonging to vulnerable groups of the population in education and training programmes. It also requests the Government to indicate 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 a large percentage of the working population is without primary education. The Concept for Primary Adult Education has been developed in this regard in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Government also refers to the Twinning Project “Support for capacity building of the Adult Education Centre, development of programmes for adult education and literacy programmes and completion of primary education for excluded persons”, implemented under the EU Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, in which members of the Albanian and Romani minorities participated. Within this framework, the ESA provides information to individuals and groups, using self-assistance tools to help decision making and to acquire skills to manage career development. The Committee notes that the Government organized “Days of Lifelong Learning” in November 2014 to raise awareness on the importance of continuous learning. It further notes the information concerning the Strategy and Action Plan for Vocational Education and Training developed in the context of Lifelong Learning 2013–20 by the European Training Foundation in consultation with the Ministry of Education and Science. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures adopted aimed at developing lifelong learning and establishing a system of adult education.