Functions of the Administrators of the Ministry of Education

The functions of the administrators of the Ministry of Education, as a state administration body, are defined by Articles 23 through 27, of the Law on State Administration (Official Gazette No. 79/05).

In line with Article 23 of the Law on State Administration, the Ministry is headed by the Minister:

• the Minister represents the Ministry, passes regulations and decisions on administrative and other individual matters and decides other issues that fall within the jurisdiction of the Ministry;
• the Minister is accountable to the Government and the National Assembly for the performance of the Ministry and the state of affairs in all the fields that fall within the jurisdiction of the Ministry.

In line with Article 24 of the Law on State Administration, the Ministry may have one or more state secretaries:

• the State Secretary is accountable to the Minister and the Government;
• the State Secretary assists the Minister within the powers that he has been vested with by the Minister;
• the minister may not authorize the State Secretary to pass regulations nor grant him/her the right of vote at Government sessions;
• in the event that the Ministry has more than one State Secretary, the Minister shall authorize in writing one of them to stand in for him in the event of him being absent or indisposed;
• the State Secretary is an official appointed and dismissed by the Government, at the recommendation of the Minister and his/her term in office ends with that of the Minister;
• the State Secretary is subject to the same regulations pertaining incompatibility and conflict of interest as are members of Government, with the exception that he/she may be a member of parliament.

In line with Article 25 of the Law on State Administration, the Ministry includes Assistant Ministers:

• Assistant Ministers are accountable to the Minister for their work;
• Assistant Ministers administrate a self-contained area within the ministry, for which a sector is established;
• Assistant Ministers plan, direct and supervise work within the sector and perform the most complex tasks that fall within the jurisdiction of the sector;
• Assistant Ministers are appointed by the Government for a period of five years, at the recommendation of the Minster, according to the law that governs the position of state officials.

In line with Article 26 of the Law on State Administration, the Ministry may have a Secretary of the Ministry:

• The Secretary of the Ministry assists the Minister in managing human resources, information-related, general and other affairs, as well as harmonizing the work of the internal units of the Ministry, and cooperation with other bodies;
• The Secretary of the Ministry is appointed by the Government for a period of five years, at the recommendation of the Minster, according to the law that governs the position of state officials.

In line with Article 27 of the Law on State Administration, the Minister may appoint three Special Advisors:

• Special Advisors prepare proposals, drafts opinions and carries out other affairs for the Minister, on orders from the Minister;
• The rights and obligations of the Special Advisor are defined by contract, in line with the general rules of civil law, and the fee for their work – according to the criteria laid down by the Government;
• The number of Special Advisors is determined by Government decree for each ministry.

The statute on the internal organization and job systematization at the Ministry of Education, No. 110-00-375/2009/02, dated 30th December, 2009, determine the abovementioned powers and responsibilities of the administrators of the Ministry of Education. Also laid down are the powers and responsibilities of the other administrators the internal units:

• The Minister’s Cabinet is headed by the Cabinet Chief of Staff, who is accountable to the Minister for his/her work;
• The Chief of Staff performs tasks related to: planning, organizing, merging and coordinating the tasks in the Cabinet; providing permanent support to the Minister in his/her activities and other affairs for which he/she is authorized by the Minister.
• The departments are headed by a head of department, the sections by a head of section, and groups by a group leader.
• The heads of the departments, heads of the sections and group leaders plan, direct and supervise the smaller internal units and carry out the most complex tasks that fall within the jurisdiction of the internal unit.
• The heads of departments, heads of sections and group leaders are accountable to the minister for the their work and the work of the units – if the units are not part of the sectors or Secretariat, to the Minister and Assistant Minister if they are part of the sector, and to the Minister and Secretary of the Ministry if the units are part of the Secretariat.
• In addition to rights, duties and responsibilities, the head of the school administration office, in cooperation with the head of another school administration office, is authorized to issue orders to the education advisor, or another employee, to carry out professional teaching supervision, or other tasks, in the jurisdiction of the other school administration.