Parents Navigate Options Amid North Macedonia’s Kindergarten Crisis
The details concerning 4,800 children on the waiting list were provided to BIRN by Gjoko Velkovski, the Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Demography, and Youth.
Velkovski mentioned that several new kindergartens will be constructed by September, existing facilities will undergo expansions, and older ones will be repurposed.
As an illustration, he pointed to an unused boarding school in the rural municipality of Jegunovce, which has been transformed into a kindergarten featuring two activity rooms.
Additional challenge for parents of children with disabilities
“In Bitola, there isn’t a kindergarten with a teacher trained for children with special needs. We waited for years but I’ve never been able to enroll my child in a kindergarten,” shared a mother from Bitola, who has quit her job to care for her son with cerebral palsy.
However, this action will only partially alleviate the shortage of spots in kindergartens.
“If everything is completed, there will be space for 2,800 children, which means the waiting list will be reduced by 55-58 percent by September of this year,” the deputy minister stated.
Yet, that still leaves around 2,000 children without options. The ministry is also considering alternative solutions, such as subsidies to establish more private facilities, which will only benefit families who can afford to pay.
Moreover, discussions are underway to formalize the roles of caregivers or babysitters, who often work informally and do not declare their income, by issuing licenses through the Ministry of Social Policy.
This approach would create another legitimate and secure childcare option. Nonetheless, hiring full-time nannies is not financially feasible for most parents, as most charge at least 20,000 denars (approximately 340 euros).
According to the Statistical Office, in 2023, a total of 37,804 children were enrolled in kindergartens and early childhood development centers. About 11 percent of the children whose parents wish to enroll them are unable to find places.
The deputy minister pointed out that the greatest shortages are found in the densely populated municipalities of Aerodrom, Gjorce Petrov, Gazi Baba, and Kisela Voda in Skopje.
A survey conducted by BIRN received over a hundred responses suggesting that the issue is most severe in Skopje overall, with roughly a quarter of the responses specifically mentioning the Municipality of Aerodrom.
Velkovski acknowledged that the problem stems, among other factors, from insufficient planning.
“When a municipality expands, it’s essential to consider the entire infrastructure. Unfortunately, this was not done. The ministry has primarily engaged with the Skopje municipalities to lessen the burden on them, as investments here will be significant,” Velkovski explained to BIRN.
Overcrowding is ‘alarming’
In an interview with the news portal 360 Degrees, Vlatko Gjorchev, the national coordinator for demography, youth, and human capital, expressed concerns regarding a drastic decline in birth rates.
Among potential solutions, Gjorchev suggested constructing more kindergartens but emphasized the importance of advocating for family values.
“We need to send a message to young people that starting a family and getting married is a wise choice,” Gjorchev stated at the end of January.
Nevertheless, in practice, those who begin families in North Macedonia encounter multiple challenges regarding childcare.
Fewer kindergartens lead to decreased women’s workforce participation
Research conducted by Reactor on “The Availability of Kindergartens and Gender Equality in the Labor Market” reveals that the lack of kindergartens significantly impacts women’s employment.
The study concluded that “in municipalities with at least one kindergarten, the employment rate for women averages 34.6 percent, while in municipalities without a single kindergarten, the percentage drops to 21.3 percent.”
In addition to the shortage of spaces in kindergartens, numerous parents have reported that kindergartens often operate at full capacity.
“The overcrowding and staffing shortages are alarming. In a daycare center designed for 15 children, over 45 are enrolled, with only two caregivers and no teacher,” wrote one parent from the Municipality of Aerodrom.
The Ministry of Social Policy suggests a maximum of 30 children per preschool group, while for infants aged 18 months to two years, the limit should be 10 to 12 children per group.
At the operational level, municipalities oversee kindergartens, so decisions to increase the number of children in groups frequently occur during municipal meetings.
“They informed us that there were 800 applications ahead of ours and that it was impossible to enroll our child,” noted two parents from Skopje.
Thus, although around 4,800 children are currently on the waiting list, the reality is that many more would be waiting if kindergartens adhered to the standards set by the ministry regarding capacity limits.
Leveraging connections facilitates smoother processes