Promoting a Safe School Environment 2026-2029
Overview
SmartUp is a delivery partner in the second phase of Promoting a Safe School Environment, a three-year national programme building on Phase 1 to make schools in North Macedonia safer, more inclusive, and more participatory. As the consortium partner responsible for digital learning and school-based innovation, SmartUp will turn the strongest Phase 1 schools into regional peer-learning hubs, run national peer learning events, train teachers through its EduLab online courses, and prepare teacher-advisors to train colleagues in the new national Standards for Safe and Participatory Schools.
SmartUp will select up to 8 Resource Schools and bring teachers from 50 schools together at six peer learning events, 30 continuing from Phase 1 and 20 new, prioritizing rural and under-resourced schools. It will train 80 teachers and support staff in violence prevention and 100 teachers in digital tools for student participation. It will also prepare 60 teacher-advisors, certified by the Ministry of Education and Science, to pass their knowledge on to at least 600 colleagues. The work builds on Phase 1, where SmartUp's EduLab courses drew 1,500+ enrolments and its webinars reached 5,000+ education professionals. It is delivered with the Coalition of Youth Organizations SEGA, MCEC, and Megjashi.
The challenge
Violence in schools persists and is taking new forms. In 2022, 19% of students reported regular bullying, and peer harassment, in person and online, is higher in North Macedonia than the international averages (HBSC 2021/22). Less visible forms such as sexual harassment, sexist comments, and online harassment often go unrecognized by both students and staff.
Teachers and support staff lack practical, skills-based training to recognize and respond to violence, especially gender-based violence, or to use participatory teaching methods. Professional development is often short-term, theoretical, or project-based.
Schools have few structured ways to learn from each other, within or across schools. Phase 1 results were uneven, and the intensity of the programme proved demanding for some schools, so good practice has to travel from stronger schools to those that need more support.
National policies have not yet become institutionalized standards. Responsibility for implementation is fragmented across several institutions, and teacher-advisors have no formal role in supporting it. Student participation often remains symbolic, with 54% of children feeling they cannot influence authorities (UNICEF SITAN 2024).
Activities and methods
- Resource Schools. SmartUp will select up to 8 Phase 1 schools that show strong results in areas such as child safeguarding, student participation, violence prevention, peer education, parental engagement, or gender-sensitive approaches. They will come from different regions and be chosen on criteria and evidence collected in 2026–2027. Each Resource School will host up to 2 study visits per year and share practical tools with other project schools. Good practices on gender equality, inclusion, safeguarding, and participation of children from low-income households will be documented and shared.
- Peer Learning Events. From 2027 to 2029, SmartUp and the consortium partners will organize two events per year, one for primary and one for secondary schools, with Resource Schools leading the sharing of good practices. Participation will grow from 60 teachers and support staff from 30 schools in 2027 to 80 from 40 schools in 2028 and 100 from 50 schools in 2029. Each school will develop a follow-up action plan for its annual school programme.
- Online courses. SmartUp will apply the Phase 1 EduLab courses with the 20 new project schools, training 80 teachers and support staff in violence prevention and 100 teachers in digital tools that support student participation and protection. SmartUp will track enrolment, progress, and completion, provide technical support, and certify teachers who apply what they learn.
- Training of trainers for teacher-advisors. SmartUp will deliver two three-day trainings, one for primary and one for secondary school teacher-advisors, in March–April 2028 and 2029. There will be 60 participants in total, 47 of them from non-project schools. The trainers will coach peer educators, mentor new school staff, and guide the use of school child safeguarding policies.
Impact and learning
Phase 2 will move good practice from the schools that developed it to those that need it. Resource Schools, peer learning events, and EduLab courses give teachers and support staff in up to 50 schools practical ways to learn from colleagues and to apply what they learn in the classroom.
By preparing teacher-advisors for a role recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the programme aims to build the national capacity to carry the Standards for Safe and Participatory Schools beyond project schools. Across the full programme, the consortium aims to strengthen 852 teachers and 133 support staff and to reach about 22,600 students.
The online courses, resources, and trained trainers will remain available after the project ends, and EduLab will keep the learning materials open to schools across the country.
Planning similar work?
SmartUp can support research, co-creation, facilitation, digital tools, implementation, or learning documentation for related programmes.