HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

. Preschool upbringing and education have a key meaning in the development of a person. Quality upbringing and education in early childhood is the basic for building quality, responsible individuals who are of great importance for the society as a whole. The paper analyzes the development of preschool upbringing and education in the Republic of North Macedonia from 1945 until today. The analysis is aimed at providing an insight into how the development of preschool upbringing and education in Macedonia took place over a period of time of 77 years. Attention is drawn to numerous questions about how preschool upbringing and education was organized 70 years ago and how it is organized today, in terms of: the organization of preschool institutions and care for children, as well as in relation to the staff hired to work in preschool institutions. After all these questions, we will see what the situation is today in preschool institutions, what has changed in this long period of time, and what has remained the same.


Introduction
The development of the child in the preschool period and the experiences it acquires during this period are of key importance for its entire life. Namely, the solution for better education, better health and greater economic prosperity (according to the Nobel laureate and university professor from Chicago -James Heckman) lies in investing in early childhood development (Самарџиска-Панов, 2019, p.11).
The effects of learning and development are greatest in the first 5 years of a person's life, because during this period the most intensive development of the brain takes place. It is in this period that 700 new neural connections are formed every second. Intellectual abilities depend on the connection between the nerve cells and the brain, the so-called synapses. The child's activities affect the increase in the number of synapses, which have a strong impact on the overall development of the child. (Самарџиска-Панов, 2019, p.14). One of Europe's priorities since 1992 is increasing the number of children encompassed by preschool education, upbringing and care. (Мишиќ, Е. И др. 2019, p.8). Increasing the encompassing of children in preschool institutions will make it possible to remove this obstacle that can really prevent the active participation of women in the labor force. Also, the inclusion of children will make it possible to reduce early school leaving The provision of high-quality formal childcare offered through preschools enables greater social skills at the end of the preschool year, better academic readiness, less problem behavior at school entry and early secondary school, better academic outcomes lasting from the beginning of school until the end of high school (Ѓорѓевска Ѓуров, 2020, p.55).
Preschool upbringing and education in Macedonia has a modest tradition. Although the first organized forms appeared in the second half of the 19th century, a more intensive development was noted only after the liberation of Macedonia (1945). (Камберски, 2000) Runcheva, J, . Historical development of the preschool education in the Republic of North Macedonia. Vospitanie-Journal of Educational Sciences Theory and Practice, Vol. 17, No. 1, 2022 Historical overview of institutional care of preschool children in Macedonia The role of preschool upbringing and education in the Republic of North Macedonia is socialization, upbringing and education of children of preschool age, with the aim of creating foundations for developing their potentials and acquiring knowledge about the world that surrounds them. The mission of preschool education is equal access and maximum encompassing of children of preschool age with different forms and programs, designed according to modern trends and the latest scientific knowledge in the field of child development. (МОН, 2018, p. 29).
The purpose of the existence and opening of institutions that will take care of preschool children has changed over the years. From caring only for children whose mothers work, to full access and right of residence to all interested, from the isolation of children with special needs in special institutions to the effort for full inclusion in preschool institutions.
In the continuation of the paper, we provide an overview of the historical development of preschool upbringing and education in the period after the liberation in 1945 until today.
In the period after the liberation of Macedonia (1945), kindergartens and upper groups in kindergarten were the forms of care for preschool children.
Taking care of children in kindergarten (in the first years after the liberation of Macedonia) was aimed at enabling women to take an active part in economic, cultural, state, and social-political life, At the same time, the goal was to create conditions for physically healthy and spiritually strong children to grow up, full of life joy and creativity. At that time, only children whose mothers were employed were taken care of, and only those children for whom there was no other free adult who could take care of them during that period of care. (82/1945).
In the Guide for the organization and work in upper groups in kindergarten, it is stated that upper groups in kindergarten (kindergartens that take care of children from 4 to 7 years old) can be: independent, at elementary schools at kindergartens, children's homes and other institutions for social, health and pedagogical protection of children, they can be occasional or seasonal (1945 Демократска Федеративна Југославија (57/1945)). Occasional or seasonal upper groups in kindergarten are organized in the field where entire families work outside the place of residence, during the seasonal work (harvesting). Upper groups in kindergarten had the status of institutions for preschool education of children, whose main task was their socialization and preparation for school. Access to them was voluntary and free for all children who wanted to visit them (Самарџиска-Панов, 2019, p.11).
The care of children before the age of three is given in the Instruction for the Organization and Work of the Children's crèches from 1949. Children's crèches take care of children under the age of three whose mothers are working. According to the working hours, crèches can be permanent or seasonal (48/1949).
With the adoption of the first Law on preschool education institutions in 1959, a more intensive development of preschool education and education begins.
In the Law on Preschool Education Institutions 1959 and 1965, kindergartens, upper groups in kindergarten and children's playgrounds are preschool institutions for the care of children from the third to the seventh year.
Crèches, kindergartens, upper groups in kindergarten and combined children's institutions are special organizations of joint labor in which the upbringing and education of children of preschool age is carried out (the Law on the upbringing and education of children of preschool age from 1974). With this law, preschool upbringing and education in Macedonia undergoes substantial changes, in fact it becomes an integral part of the global educational system, the treatment of crèches changes (the education of children up to the age of 2 is included in the composition of preschool institutions). (Самарџиска-Панов, 2019, p.18).
Preschool upbringing and education recorded new processes and changes in the eighties. Special importance is given to expanding the network and increasing the encompassment of children and the training of professional staff (Самарџиска-Панов, 2019, p.19).
According to the Law on Child Protection from 2000, care and upbringing of children of preschool age is a form of child protection which as an activity is organized in a kindergarten . Historical development of the preschool education in the Republic of North Macedonia. Vospitanie-Journal of Educational Sciences Theory and Practice, Vol. 17, No. 1, 2022 that provides care, stay, nutrition, upbringing, education, sports-recreational, cultural and entertainment activities, measures and activities for improving and preserving health and encouraging the intellectual, emotional, physical, mental and social development of the child up to 7 years of age, that is, until inclusion in primary education. The last Law on the Protection of Children was adopted in February 2013 and has undergone several changes to date. So, according to the Law on Child Protection (consolidated text July 2016), the inclusion of preschool children in a kindergarten, whose activity is the care and education of children up to the age of 6, is still optional (Самарџиска-Панов, 2019, p.20).
According to the Child Protection Law from 2013, care and education of children of preschool age is a form of child protection that consists of all legal and natural persons in the territory of Macedonia whose main activity is performing work related to the care and education of children from preschool age (23/2013) to 7 years old). They can be organized as separate institutions or as part of primary schools, i.e., kindergartens • Children's playgrounds (can be opened in parks, open space, residential areas) Organization and work of kindergartens: • Permanent kindergartens (operating throughout the year) Kindergartens can be for • full day, • half-day or • overnight accommodation for children . Historical development of the preschool education in the Republic of North Macedonia. Vospitanie-Journal of Educational Sciences Theory and Practice, Vol. 17, No. 1, 202245/1974 The upbringing and education of children of preschool age is carried out in special organizations of joint labor: • crèche

• Kindergartens
• upper groups in kindergarten and • combined children's institutions Preschool facilities can be organized for • full day, • half-day or • children's overnight stay according to local needs and parents' working hours.

19/ 1983
Care, upbringing, and education of children of preschool age includes care and upbringing of children up to two years of age and fostering and educational activity of children from 2 to 7 years of age.

98/2000
The activity of care and upbringing of children of preschool age is provided and carried out in a kindergarten.
Caring for children up to 7 years old, and can also provide accommodation and food for children over 7 to 10 years old According to the duration, the kindergarten carries out programs for: -full day stay; -half-day stay; -shortened programs; -pilot programs and -extra-institutional forms of activities with children 2013 The activity that is carried out within the framework of care and upbringing of children of preschool age can be carried out in a kindergarten Kindergarten can provide accommodation and food for children over six years of age, i.e., from elementary school to ten years of age According to the duration, the kindergarten carries out programs for: -full day stay; -half-day stay; -shortened programs; -pilot programs and -extra-institutional forms of activities with children

Care for preschoolers then and now
In addition to the review of the institutional care and upbringing of children of preschool age, we were also interested in the way of care of children of preschool age, in relation to the time interval of childcare, grouping of children.
In 1945, a pre-school institution provides children with proper physical development, takes care of children's hygiene and health, proper social upbringing, and all-round development of the spirit (82/1945). The age category of children who had the right to be cared for in the kindergarten ranged from 3 to 7 years old (the child has no health contraindications for admission to the kindergarten, preferably determined by a medical examination) and only children whose mothers are employed and for whom during that period of care there was no other free adult who could look after the child During this period, the nurse from the preschool institution 1 checked that in the house where the child lived (during the period while the mother was at work) there was not a single adult member of the family who could take care of the child. Of course, there were certain situations for which exceptions were made (the child could be admitted to the preschool), such as: if the mother was sick, if she was on maternity leave, if the child was without parents, or the conditions in the house were such that due to educational or health reasons, it was better for the child to stay in a kindergarten. (82/1945, p. 829-830).
Taking care of children really functioned to enable the mother to do her job without interruption; this can be seen from the way the kindergartens were organized at that time. Namely, children had the opportunity to be cared for 8, 10 and 12 hours a day in the kindergartens in accordance with the working hours of mothers or guardians. Kindergartens also adjusted their care and in cases where mothers worked in two shifts, then the kindergartens accepted the children in two shifts. And in situations where parents worked at night, either special kindergartens or special groups in regular kindergartens could be organized for their children. (82/1945, p. 829).
During this period, it was forbidden to admit children from certain groups, i.e., with certain health conditions, including epileptic children, blind and deaf-mute children, children with obvious idiocy or imbecility... (82/1945, p. 830). Unlike then, today the inclusion of children with special educational needs in all educational institutions is constantly talked about and not only is talked about, but efforts are made to achieve it in full, by satisfying all the necessary conditions.
The care of younger children, i.e., children from 6 weeks to 3 years (whose mothers are employed) is organized in crèches, where the children are divided into groups according to their age and the number of children in the given group is determined (48/1949). Also here in the crèches, it was not allowed to receive a certain group of children, including blind and deafmute children, epileptics, patients with organic injuries of the nervous system with paralysis, etc.
In 1950, the time that children spent in kindergartens was in accordance with the working time of mothers, i.e., from 8 to 12 hours. The work of the kindergarten was adjusted according to the working hours and shifts of the mother. Children were divided into 3 age groups according to their age: (3-4 years old) younger group, (4-5 years old) middle group and (5-6 years old, that is until they start school) older group. There was a certain category or group of children who were prohibited from being admitted and cared for in a kindergarten, including blind and deaf-mute children,14/1950 and during this period, the conditions for taking care of the child were: mothers work or perform important social work, or if only the father or another person took care of the child.
Legal regulations (1950,1959,1965) emphasize that kindergartens carry out systematic educational work with children from 3 to 7 years of age. The laws on pre-school education institutions 1959 and 1965 indicated that special institutions or departments within special schools or institutions for special education could be established for children with developmental delays.
With the legal regulation of 1974, children of pre-school age, in the sense of this law, are children up to the start of primary school.
During this period (1974), special pre-school institutions or special groups in pre-school institutions, special elementary schools and other institutions for special upbringing and education were organized for children with obstacles or deficiencies in physical and mental development. For the upbringing and education of the children from the previous paragraph, special groups can be organized in elementary schools, health, and social institutions. (45/1974) According to the Legal Regulation of 1983, Preschool upbringing and education covers care, upbringing and education of children from the first year of life until their inclusion in primary education.
In the year 2000, when it comes to children with special needs, the kindergarten for children with disabilities in physical or mental development, according to the type and degree of disability, can organize care and education. The care and education of children with disabilities in physical or mental development, categorized and recorded according to the type and degree of disabilities in development by an appropriate professional institution, is also organized in special groups according to special programs (98/2000) . Historical development of the preschool education in the Republic of North Macedonia. Vospitanie-Journal of Educational Sciences Theory and Practice, Vol. 17, No. 1, 2022 New significant changes within the subsystem of preschool upbringing and education occur with the launch of the initiative in 2006 to start the introduction of mandatory nine-year primary education in Macedonia. Kindergartens are losing the population of children aged 6 to 7 years, because children who will be 6 years old by the end of the calendar year are enrolled in primary schools (Самарџиска-Панов, 2019, p.19-20)In 2013, it was emphasized that children with mild mental developmental disabilities or physical disabilities can be included in regular groups, in which case the number of children in the groups is reduced to two children. That is, the kindergarten organizes the care and upbringing of children with obstacles in mental development or physical disabilities, according to the type and degree of disability. (23/2013) Blind and partially sighted children, deaf and hard-of-hearing children, children with speech impediments, children with physical disabilities, as well as children with behavioral and personality difficulties are considered as children with disabilities in mental development or physical disabilities.

Table 2. Organization of preschoolers in preschool institutions, number of children in groups, number of groups
Year (82/1945) • Childcare is from 3 to 7 years old in kindergarten Grouping of children according to age into 4 groups:

Organization of preschoolers in preschool institutions
• the first group are the youngestthree-year-old children (this group of children is not yet able to participate in the planned and programmed education in the kindergarten (upper groups in kindergarten). • the second group are 4-5-year-old children (some 3-year-old children who are physically and mentally developed can enter here to participate in the planned and programmatic way of education in the kindergarten(upper groups in kindergarten) • the third group are children 5-6 years old who represent the middle group in the kindergarten • the fourth group are 6-7 year-old children -the oldest group in the kindergarten (upper groups in kindergarten) • For 30 children, at least two rooms are needed for day care, one of which serves as a dining room and for work at the kindergarten (nursery school), and the other for day care, play and rest. The wardrobe should be outside the living rooms. • from one year to a year and a half, 10 children • and from one and a half to two years of age up to 12 children.
• From the third year until starting primary school, children are grouped into three groups: • younger group of up to 20 children, • middle group up to 25 children and • older group of up to 30 children. 44/1976 Educational work in preschool institutions is organized by groups of children of the same or approximately the same age, namely: • up to 1 year of age up to 8 children, • from one year to a year and a half, 10 children • and from one and a half to two years of age up to 12 children. From the age of two until starting primary school, children are grouped as follows: • from two to three years of age, from 12 to 15 children, • from three to four years of age from 15 to 20 children, • from the age of four to school 25 children 19/1983 The care, upbringing and education of children in upbringing organizations is organized in educational groups with children of the same or approximately the same age, namely: • from 6 to 12 months 6 -8 children, • from 12 to 18 months 8 -10 children, • from 18 to 24 months 10 -12 children • from 2 to 3 years 12 -15 children • from 3 to 4 years 15 -18 children • from 4 to 5 years 18 -20 children • from 5 to 7 years 25 children 20 children in combined groups from the age of 3 to the inclusion in primary education.

98/2000
The work in the kindergarten is organized in groups, depending on the age of the children, namely: • up to 12 months from 6 to 8 children • over 12 months to 18 months from 8 to 10 children • over 18 months to 2 years from 10 to 12 children • over 2 years to 3 years from 12 to 15 children • over 3 years to 4 years from 15 to 18 children • over 4 years to 5 years from 18 to 20 children • over 5 years to 7 years from 20 to 25 children. As an exception, depending on the age of the children, it is possible to organize: • 1) a combined group (from 3 to 7 years) of 15 to 20 children and • 2) a group of children with developmental disabilities...from 5 to 8 children.
• Work in upper groups in kindergarten in elementary school is organized only for children aged 6 to 7 years.

2013
Work in the kindergarten is organized depending on the age of the children • homogeneous groups:  . Historical development of the preschool education in the Republic of North Macedonia. Vospitanie-Journal of Educational Sciences Theory and Practice, Vol. 17, No. 1, 2022 • a group of children with developmental disabilities.............. from five to eight children and • a group of children from the age of six, i.e., from the start of -primary school up to ten years............from 20 to 30 children In the groups in which one child with mild mental retardation or physical disability can be included, the number of children in the groups is reduced by two children

Educators in preschool institutions
The need to take care of a larger number of children (after the liberation of Macedonia in 1945), and the lack of staff, forced the situation to be resolved as soon as possible, and therefore the education of the staff through courses was the fastest solution to the situation. In the following years, efforts were made to raise the educational level of the staff who are engaged to work with preschool children.
The staff who were hired to take care of preschool children in the period after the liberation of Macedonia were trained through courses, for which the educational work was not up to par, and the morale and enthusiasm were up to par. (Петров, 1985, p.55). In the Official Gazette from 1945, the role of the hired staff is particularly highlighted and their care should be aimed at providing joy for the children in all periods and activities during the day: the child should feel joy during the occupation, the child should feel joy in play, joy in learning (82/1945, p. 832). The personality of the educator must not be evil, devious, it should be fair, kind, strict, consistent. And to be aimed at developing the critical spirit in children (82/1945, p. 832).
In 1945, the kindergarten nurse and assistant educators throughout the day work with the children from the first group (children aged 3-4 years (with the first group -the youngest, that is, with that group of children who cannot yet be admitted to the kindergarten (upper groups in kindergarten) Educators and their assistants work with the children from the other three groups (the children admitted to the kindergarten (upper groups in kindergarten).
In the school year 1947/1948, in the School for teachers in Skopje, a decision was made to separate a class of 40 students from the regular students of the 4th class to prepare teachers for children of preschool age. (24/1947). However, it was soon realized that this form was not adequate enough for a more complete professional training, so the government of the NRM in 1950 passed a Decree on the establishment of a school for educators of preschool children at the level of a secondary school with a four-year duration of education. (Камберски,2000; Службен весник 34/1950) In the beginning of the seventies, as a result of the perceived need to improve the quality of educational work, initial education was raised (Камберски,2000). From the academic year 1971/72, the department for preschool education was established at the Pedagogical Academy in Shtip (Петровска, Бочварова, Петровска, 2011). Educational staff for pre-school institutions are prepared in this section (Камберски). The same department has been opened at the pedagogical academy in Bitola. A department for preschool education is opening at the Pedagogical academy in Skopje.
Since the academic year 1995/96, all three academies continue to work as faculties, with the preparation of teachers being at the faculty level. For all the time after the liberation, this kind of staff is being trained at the Institute of Pedagogy at the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje.
The historical development of the preparation of staff working in preschool institutions is given in the following table.

Table 3. Preparation of educators to work in preschool institution
Year Educators (82/1945) For preschool educators who will carry out the educational work in the kindergarten, the following are set: • Professional educators • Primary school teachers who have completed a course for educators in institutions for social, health and educational protection of preschool children • Persons with completed secondary school or equivalent and with a completed course for educators in institutions for social, health and educational protection of children of preschool age. For Assistant preschool educators are appointed • Persons with at least 4th class high school Gymnasium and a completed course for educators in institutions for social, health and educational protection of children of preschool age. (24/1947 p. 253) In the academic year 1947/48 in the School for Teachers 2 in Skopje a decision was made to separate a class of 40 students from the regular students of the IV class, which will prepare teachers for children of preschool age.
1947 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, p. 907

Preschool educator
• It deals with educational work in pre-school education institutions and in homes for children of primary school age. • To have completed a School for teachers or completed a special school for preschool education or completed a course for preschool education Assistant preschool educator • He/she deals with educational work in the preschool education institution • It is necessary to have completed a seven-year or lower secondary school and a preschool education course 1948 НРМ, стр. 237 In the school year 1948/49, a decision was made to open a class for educators in children's homes and kindergartens. At the same time, in the Teacher's School in Skopje, one class of 40 students should be separated from the regular students of the 3rd class, in which educators for children in children's homes and kindergartens will be prepared., 48/1949 Staff in the crèches: • Nurseries where the manager is a nurse or caretaker must also have a doctor • From the medical persons they must have: • Head nurse (senior nurse) • One nurse per two groups and 2-3 caregivers per group 14/1950 Kindergarten with one group should have: manager, 2 educators, economy, cook, cleaner and laundress. For each further group, there should be two educators, one cleaner and one assistant cook. For preschool educator a person is appointed who: He has a professional preparation for preschool education (for year school for preschool teacher, with School for Teachers 3 , with a Teachers Matura or with a Matura from secondary school and course for preschool teachers) Assistant preschool educator A person who has a lower secondary school and a one-year school for preschool educators. Persons who have completed at least elementary school and a fivemonth course for preschool education are appointed as assistants to preschool educators.

34/1950
Establishment of a school for preschool teachers in Skopje. The school prepares educators who will work in kindergartens, children's homes, and other institutions for children of preschool age. The school for educators of children of pre-school age admits mainly females, with the exception of males who have completed: a lower secondary school with a midmatriculation exam or another equivalent school with a final exam and who are not older than 18 years old.
Schooling lasts 4 years and upon completion, persons receive qualifications that are given by a completed secondary vocational school. Teachers in the School are persons with qualifications and the title of secondary school professor, and in the absence of such persons, other experts who have the necessary qualifications may be appointed.

23/1959
The educational work of preschool institutions is carried out by educators.
• Persons who have graduated from a school for preschool educators or a teacher's school are appointed as educators at preschool institutions. • To perform health services and raise children in the pre-school institution, there may be a doctor and the required number of qualified childcare workers.

4/1961
Opening of classes for preschool educators at teachers' schools Pedagogical classes at high schools 15/1965 Educational work in preschool institutions is carried out by preschool educators. Preschool educators are appointed persons who have completed a school for preschool educators or a school corresponding to it 14/1974 The educational activity in preschool institutions is carried out by preschool educators who realize the goals and tasks of upbringing and education in the preschool institution and perform other tasks in connection with the educational activity of the institution, while the caring activity in preschool institutions is carried out by health workers who take care for the psychophysical development and health of children. Apart from preschool educators and health workers, other professionals also participate in the educational and caring work: pedagogues, psychologists, social workers, etc. Preschool educators in a pre-school institution can be people who have graduated from: faculty of philosophy -pedagogical single-subject group, pedagogical academy -group for preschool educators or schools for preschool educators.

44/1976
In carrying out educational and caring work, in addition to educators, health workers and persons who have completed secondary education (teacher school, school of applied arts, music school, school of physical culture and high school), other professionals also participate: pedagogues, psychologists, social workers, etc. Preschool educators in preschool institution can be persons who have graduated from a philosophy or philology faculty, or a pedagogical academy and have at least one year of specialized pedagogical education".
• Caring activities in preschool institutions for children up to the age of 2 are performed by health workers who take care of the psychophysical development and health of the children • The care activity of children from the age of two years until starting school is carried out alongside health workers and persons who have completed secondary education

19/1983
Foster care and educational activities in foster care and education organizations are carried out by preschool educators, pedagogical nurses, and other professionals.
Other professionals, pedagogues, psychologists, doctors, pediatricians, senior nurses, special education teachers, social workers, music pedagogues, art pedagogues and physical education pedagogues work in the care and upbringing organizations. Preschool educators in the organizations for care and upbringing can be persons who have finished pedagogical academy -department for preschool educators. Preschool educators they can also be people who have graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy -Pedagogical Group -Preschool Teachers, Faculty of Philosophy -Pedagogical Group for Single Subject Pedagogy, or Faculty of Philosophy -Pedagogy Group -Dual Subject Studies, Psychology Group, Faculty of Philology -Macedonian Language Group and History of the literatures of the peoples of SFRY, faculty of musical arts -subject, faculty of fine arts -subject and faculty of physical culture -teaching department, if they have completed a specialist study for preschool teachers.
A pedagogical-medical nurse can be a person who has completed secondary vocational education, education -pedagogical medical department.

98/2000
The professional care and upbringing work is performed by: -professional workers (pedagogue, psychologist, social worker, special education teacher, speech therapist, doctor, pediatrician, and dentist), -preschool educators, -caregivers and -professional associates (music pedagogue, art pedagogue, physical education pedagogue, senior medical nurse, social worker).
• Professional workers can be persons with a final VI1-1 degree of professional training. • Professional associates can be persons with a final VI or VI1-1 degree of professional training. • Preschool Educators can be persons with a completed VI or VI1-1 level of professional training. • Caregivers can be persons with a completed IV degree of professional training. Professional work in a kindergarten is performed by a lawyer and an economist with a completed VI1-1 or VI degree of professional training.

23/2013
Professional work in the care and education of children of preschool age is carried out by the following professionals: professionals (pedagogue, psychologist, social worker, special education teacher educator and rehabilitator, speech therapist, doctor of medicine and doctor of dentistry, therapists, professional associates (music teacher, art teacher, physical education teacher), teacher of foreign language and literature, senior nurse and social worker). Preschool educator can be a graduate teacher of preschool education, a graduate educator of children of preschool age and a graduate teacher of preschool education -with 240 credits acquired according to ECTS or a completed higher education VII/1 degree or with a completed appropriate higher education for educators and a valid license for preschool educator. A caregiver can be a person with a completed four-year high school education and a valid caregiver license.

Conclusion
The purpose of the existence and opening of institutions that will take care of preschool children has changed over the years. From taking care of only children whose mothers work, to full access and right of residence for all those interested. From the isolation of children with special needs in special institutions to the effort for full inclusion in preschool institutions. Preschool upbringing and education in Macedonia have a modest tradition, but it strives throughout the years of its existence to constantly advance and improve in all segments: personnel, infrastructural... This period saw great changes in the training of the educational staff working with preschool children, so that from their preparation at the level of courses, through high school preparation to college preparation, the growth of preschool staff has changed. The non-mandatory nature of preschool education and upbringing in Macedonia should not mean not paying attention to its promotion, on the contrary, realizing the importance of the child's development in this period, all possible efforts should be made to ensure the most adequate conditions for care and upbringing as possible greater coverage of children.