Kuzman Šapkarev Primary School (Dračevo)

Kuzman Šapkarev Primary School (alternative spellings include Kuzman Shapkarev or Kuzman Šapkarev; Macedonian: ОУ „Кузман Шапкарев“) is a state-owned primary school in the suburb of Dracevo (Macedonian: Драчево), located 10 km south from the downtown of Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia.

The entrance in the Kuzman Shapkarev Primary School

Pupils following a lesson in Kuzman Shapkarev Primary School

The school was established in 1971 (first opened the doors on January 1, 1972), when the older schools located in Dracevo, Rayko Zhinzifov Primary School and Kliment Ohridski Primary School, became overloaded, mostly due to the newcomers in the suburb after the 1963 Skopje earthquake. Kuzman Šapkarev Primary School is located in a renovated (2006–2011) building. Facilities include a kitchen, a sports hall, and a dentist office.

Kuzman Šapkarev Primary School bears the name of an ethnographer, folklorist, and textbook writer, Kuzman Shapkarev, from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The date of his death, March 18, is celebrated as the school day with a ceremony and sports and cultural tournaments.

The students of the school regularly participate in the regional math competitions and quizzes, national chemistry, history, Macedonian language competitions, etc. The teachers were active in promoting the school. The most active sports clubs are the ones from the handball and basketball school teams.

A few years ago, the school started a tradition of choosing the laureate of the graduating class. Laureates from past years include:

• Angela-Aleksandra Ivanovikj (2007)
• Karolina Ilievska (2008)
• Filip Simeski (2009)
• Martin Bibovski (2010)
• Jovana Sajkovska (2011)