Start date:  December 2011                  End date:  Dec. 2015

Project budget (Life of Project):  $ 5,200,000

Implementer:  Macedonian Civic Education Center in partnership with other local NGOs

Objectives

Build the awareness and capacity of school boards, principals, teachers, and administration officials to deal with diversity and multi-ethnic issues.  Provide diversity training and incentives in support of the central and local government efforts for ethnic integration.

Components

Community Outreach - Raise local community awareness of the importance of inter-ethnic integration and why it is vital for the future stability of Macedonia and its accession into the European Union. 

Capacity Building of school management and teachers - Provide teachers, school managers, and school boards with the skills they need to work in a multi-ethnic environment, to help prevent divisions along ethnic lines in their schools and communities, and to create conditions that promote ethnic integration. 

Demonstration Schools - Provide more holistic and intensive interventions in a few selected schools.  These model schools will provide examples of best practices and lessons learned and will contribute to a deeper understanding on various approaches to ethnic integration. 

Provision of Incentives to Schools and Communities - Provide school refurbishments as an incentive for schools to participate in ethnic integration activities.  Encourage these communities to work together to improve the infrastructure and learning environments of their schools, including ensuring that these schools are accessible.  This component is financed by the U.S. Department of Defense/EUCOM ($1.2 million of the total Project budget).

Expected Results/Impact

The education community will better understand both the need for ethnic integration for the country’s stability and prosperity, and its benefits for all students, teachers, and parents. The project is engaging communities in openly discussing the challenges related to ethnic relations. Journalists will be trained to present to the public positive examples of ethnic integration.

The project will improve the skills of teachers, school directors, school boards, advisors from the Bureau for Development of Education and the Vocational Education and Training Center, and State Education Inspectors to create inclusive learning environments. They will serve as master trainers to teach others in all primary and secondary schools country-wide how to deal with diversity.

Demonstration schools will provide successful models, best practices and lessons learned on ethnic integration. There will be more student integration in selected schools in extra-curricular, and potentially, in curricular, activities. Students will become more involved in democratic processes and decision making at their schools. Teachers and parents of mixed ethnic backgrounds will cooperate more effectively.

Contact Information

Contact at USAID:  Lela Jakovlevska, AOR:  ljakovlevska@usaid.gov

Chief of Party:  Nebojsa Mojsoski:  nmojsoski@mcgo.org.mk

Information Officer:  Xhevahire Pruthi Zajazi:  xhpruthizajazi@mcgo.org.mk

Website:  pmio.mk