Professional Qualification Program for Public Accountants Launched in North Macedonia
We have been supporting several countries across our constituency in establishing internationally recognized professional qualification program for public sector accountants. We are delighted that from now on we will be working closely also with the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of North Macedonia in implementing Public Accountants Certification Training (PACT) program which is financially supported by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Slovenia’s Development Cooperation.
The PACT program will help public sector accountants in North Macedonia to apply international accounting standards, improve accountability and strengthen the role of the accounting profession. The program supports transition to accrual accounting and provides the latest knowledge and understanding of contemporary accounting practices, while building capacity for local implementation of the training in the future.
Jovana Koloski, CEF project manager, further explains: “The program will train up to 40 public sector accountants. Training of students will be conducted in three modules: two international modules on financial accounting and management accounting that were developed by the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), and the third national module will focus on the local legislation and taxation. Each module will take approximately two to three months and will be completed with successfully passing of exams.”
To develop capacity of public officials as tutors and lecturers in PACT program in North Macedonia, selected trainers, PACT diploma holders already attended Methodological Training of Trainers for Public Sector Accountants. The learning initiative gave the participants a frame of reference for understanding how learning works and how to best facilitate the learning of others. They also had opportunity to learn from senior tutors of PACT program and discuss expectations, roles and responsibilities of a trainer and facilitator in public sector. This first activity within PACT program was successfully delivered on February 25 – 27, 2020 in Skopje.