Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski announced that all stakeholders will be heard in the preparation of the new exams in the higher education system, and the goal will be to improve knowledge and creativity in university students. Gruevski spoke after students protested on Monday, against the proposed exam that will measure whether professors give arbitrary grades, but would also affect the final grade for the students.

- The Government's thinking were shared with the public and it is in the direction of improving the knowledge students obtain and the quality of higher education, to help them gain a diploma that they will find useful in their future lives, Prime Minister Gruevski said speaking at the ceremony to commemorate 13 years since the foundation of the South East Europe University in Tetovo.

The Prime Minister underscored that his intentions are good, but that the reform will be prepared with a wide debate that will include the students.

- The students were in fact already involved, and the Education Ministry had organized a number of events, that brought together students and professors. We will involve all stakeholders and carefully hear and analyze every opinion, Gruevski added. The initial "external exam" proposal would involve two tests, in the 2nd and 4th year of study that will show if the student really has the knowledge that the grades received from the university professors indicate. The tests would include penalties for professors whose grades vary widely from the results shown in the external test, but, according to Education Minister Abdulakim Ademi, it could also mean that the student would be expelled from the University if he fails the test. The Government pointed out that the proposal is not final yet, and Prime Minister said that there was a lot of untrue rumor and speculation released in the public about the proposal.

- It is not true, as some have speculated, that there will be no possibility to take the test multiple times in the second year of study, Gruevski said, adding that students will be given the right to take the test until they pass it. "Our goal is to have the students, who come to take the test without having the necessary knowledge, to go study and come back again. That is the only goal".

Similar reform was already introduced in the high school education, comparing grades from professors and the actual knowledge shown by the students.