TIRANA, July 16 /ATA/ – Education Minister Mirela Kumbaro said on Thursday that the national “Smart City” project would introduce intelligent security systems in schools across Albania, with cameras aimed at preventing incidents rather than only investigating them after they occur.
Speaking at the presentation of the project, attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama and Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari, Kumbaro said school safety and ensuring a secure, inclusive environment for students were key priorities for her ministry.
“The camera footage will not serve only as an investigative tool after incidents happen, but above all as a mechanism to prevent them,” Kumbaro said.
She said the project would create a system capable of monitoring public spaces and helping identify and address potential problems before they escalate.
Kumbaro stressed that technology would complement, rather than replace, the existing network of school security officers, psychologists and social workers. Albania’s education system currently relies on 329 security officers and 1,183 psychologists and social workers to support students, she said.
“Technology will strengthen this support network by providing professionals with the information they need to intervene earlier, prevent conflicts and make communication a stronger tool for education,” she said.
Kumbaro added that the government’s vision was not to create schools where children were constantly monitored, but environments where they were educated and supported through broader programmes involving extracurricular activities, arts, culture and sports.
The “Smart City” initiative, part of Albania’s wider digitalisation and public safety strategy, aims to establish an integrated system for intelligent monitoring of school security, public spaces and road traffic. The initial phase will equip 20 schools with cameras.
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