External assessment in the educational institutions in the Republic of Macedonia

The definition of quality education is a very complex issue. One commonly used definition is that quality education is the one that meets the educational (developmental) needs of its users, or education that is tailored to the users. It is difficult to measure because there are many factors affecting it. Therefore it cannot be defined uniquely and as independent from the educational environment. The results themselves are not a sufficient indicator of the quality achieved. The assessment of the achieved level of quality in education should be based on comparing the achievements in a given situation to the previously set goals and standards. The method of assessment logically determines the manner and content of learning to a much larger extent than we are aware of at first glance. Considering the importance of assessment and its impact on the progress in the educational system, it is not surprising that students 'minds' are adjusting to what teachers assess. They usually do not learn what is not required for the particular test. One of the manners of monitoring and evaluation of the work of schools is through external evaluation which aims to provide a higher degree of objectivity, this paper presents a review of some of the ways of external assessment that are being applied in the educational institutions in the Republic of Macedonia.