North Macedonia has one of the highest proportions of students failing to demonstrate basic proficiency (Level 2) in all three domains of science, mathematics and reading among PISA-participating countries (52.2% in PISA 2018 testing; 57.4% in PISA-2022). Young citizens of North Macedonia continue to leave education with among the lowest learning outcomes in Europe. On the other hand, between 2018 and 2023, North Macedonia’s public spending on education as a percentage of GDP fell from 2.80% to 2.72%. The share of total government expenditure allocated to education also declined. While poverty rates have fallen in recent decades, low educational performance is limiting the employment and life opportunities of many individuals and impeding national development. The activity of youth in the labor market of North Macedonia is relatively low (46.7% in the first three quarters of 2022), either compared to the adults or their peers from the EU countries. One in four people over 15 are unemployed, compared to less than one in ten across OECD countries. Low activity of youth illustrates generally low employment probabilities in the country, and the difficulty of school-to-work transition, that can be attributed to (i) unwillingness of employers to bear the costs of on-the-job training of inexperienced youth (ii) skills mismatch between employer’s needs and skills produced by the education system, as well as (iii) the increasing tendency of youth to stay longer in formal education. Students’ academic performance on the PISA 2022 testing is not aligned with their expectations for further education and career. They hold ambitious expectations of future education, 72% of students expect to complete tertiary degree (34% expect to finish doctoral studies, ISCED 8). Students (83%) reported that they have a clear idea of their future job, and they expect to work in high-skill occupations, such as software developers, medical doctors, managing directors and chief executives. This research aims to define the factors that can explain this misalignment between education and career expectations within students’ academic performance. More specifically, data show that there are statistically significant differences in students’ education and career expectations when we compare them based on student’s academic achievement in math, science and reading, Index of economic, social, and cultural status, gender, and language of instruction (Macedonian and Albanian). Data from the research is further discussed with students in focus group discussions. Recommendations from the research will be shared with the state representatives responsible for the reforms in secondary education.

No references.