Photo: Hal Gatewood, Unsplash
The Mayor of the City of Skopje, Danela Arsovska, in her electoral “Manifesto for Modern Skopje” promised that all high school students and teachers will receive tablet computers, as well as training for the teachers on the use of the equipment. Allegedly, the City of Skopje is currently working on this promise, so we evaluate it as partially fulfilled. Nevertheless, at the moment the students do not have the promised tablets that were supposed to be used during classes.
In the electoral “Manifesto for Modern Skopje“, on page 40, in the section titled “Digitization of High Schools” (whose founder is the City of Skopje), Arsovska made the following promise:
Improvement of the teaching process and keeping up with modern technologies through procurement of information technology equipment (tablet for every student and teacher) and training teachers how to use them.
For answers, Meta.mk queried the City of Skopje and received the answer that the implementation of the project for the digitization of the high schools included two complementary measures: procurement of IT equipment and training to improve the digital literacy of both students and teachers.
“For the needs of the high schools, the City has secured laptops, and after appropriately equipping the schools, additional training will be provided to improve the digital skills of both students and teachers in the City of Skopje, thereby fulfilling the promise”, was the answer of the City of Skopje.
Mayor Arsovska promised a completely new program titled “21st Century Education”, announcing that the priority of the city administration will be the security of all children, parents and employees of the educational institutions.
In her Manifesto, Arsovska, in the section where she promised tablets and training, also stated that: “The City of Skopje will continue to supply vocational schools with modern visual aids to be used for performing practical teaching and to support the opening of real school companies within the vocational secondary schools”.
In addition, during the election campaign, Arsovska pledged to secure quality education for the students in line with the digitalization boom.
We will start the process of high-quality digitization of the secondary schools by improving the teaching process and keeping pace with modern technologies through the procurement of information technology equipment and implementing appropriate training for teachers. The City of Skopje will continue to equip the vocational schools with modern visual aids to support practical teaching, Arsovska said on 26 October last year.
The procurement of tablet computers and other technical equipment for the schools and students was one of the main problems of the online teaching process during the COVID-19 pandemic, when some of the students did not have the opportunity to participate in class.
Based on the answers received by Meta.mk it can be concluded that the fulfillment of the promise for purchasing tablet computers and providing training for teachers in the secondary schools is ongoing.
SOURCES:
“Manifesto for Modern Skopje“, checked 13.12.2022;
Netpress (26.10.2021): Arsovska: New school buildings, library and digitalization of 21st century schools, checked 13.12.2022;
Nezavisen (26.10.2021 година): Arsovska: New school buildings, library and digitalization of schools, checked 13.12.2022;
Prizma (01.10.2020): There is no “Plan B” for the Macedonian students, checked 13.12.2022;
