Macedonian schools and students get connected

Location: Macedonia

When Macedonia, a small, landlocked country in the Balkans, began its transition from a state-planned economy to an open-market democracy looking to join the European Union, it was understood that education reform was critical to achieving those goals. USAID and the Government of Macedonia (GOM) engaged FHI 360 experts to design an innovative approach to reforming the primary education system. FHI 360 led the Primary Education Project (PEP) by convening several GOM Ministries, harnessing technical capacity and tapping into human and financial resources. By the end of 2011, over 17,000 teachers were trained and over 200,000 primary and secondary school students could connect to the world via the Internet. Nearly 300,000 manuals and guidebooks were produced in three languages. One hundred and thirty schools had been renovated. In the process, Macedonia expanded opportunities for its students and its citizens, paving the way for a brighter future.