The Ministry of Education has started the consultation process for the law on pre-university education with teachers, experts, representatives, and leaders of various educational institutions from throughout the country.
The consultation process will continue over the coming days with the National Council of Pre-University Education, municipalities, the Parliament of Students, civil society, and the National Council of Parents.
Education Minister Evis Kushi said the changes were a response to identified issues from the past years with the current law.
The proposal includes provisions to unify the curricula for high schools, expand non-academic programs at schools, and increase institutional support for disabled students.
The law could also change to allow children who turn six before the end of 2022, to have the option to enter the first grade of school in September as they are already advanced and know how to read and write.
In addition, any individual convicted of a criminal offence related to minors or educational institutions is prohibited from inclusion in the educational system. The does not however include individuals convicted for other crimes.
While the potential changes to the law are welcomed, issues with funding the Albanian education sector prevail.
According to INSTAT, the public expenditure for the education system in 2021 accounted for just 9.8% of total public expenditures and just 3.1% of the total GDP.
In the last budget, the Ministry of Education requested around EUR 16 million of additional funds that it says is needed to purchase electronic devices, computers, laptops and tablets, to improve the standard of teaching. Meanwhile, in schools in rural areas, some do not have proper toilets or adequate, safe structures.
According to INSTAT data, in the 2021-2022 school year, 577,869 pupils and students were enrolled in official education, with a decrease of 2.0%, compared to the 2020-21 school year.
In pre-university education, 453,989 students and children, marking a decrease of 2.5%, compared to the 2020-21 school year.
