Speaking at the inauguration ceremony at AKSHA’s new premises, attended by AADF Board Chairman Michael Granoff, representatives of the Ministry of Education and AADF board members and executives, Minister of Education Mirela Kumbaro highlighted the importance of strengthening institutional capacity and investing in an education services system that meets contemporary needs, with quality, transparency and public trust at its core.

“Strengthening the AKSHA institution is a noble decision aimed at ensuring public trust in public services. We will review our portfolio of services, not only in terms of the range of public services we offer, but also their quality. Just a few years ago, we could not have imagined state examinations shifting from paper to screen, and from doubt to trust. We have chosen to undertake this journey with AADF because you have provided us with the right model,” Minister Kumbaro said.

The investment, worth $2.7 million and supported by AADF, includes the construction of new premises, the installation of modern technological infrastructure and the provision of adequate facilities for administering national examinations and examinations for regulated professions.

“The reform of this institution aims to strengthen trust in institutions at a time when distrust is rising worldwide across all sectors. However, through the new AKSHA, testing and certification will be backed by guarantees of authenticity. We will be confident that a teacher or a doctor has genuinely earned the certification issued by the state to qualify them for their work. The same will apply to every profession for which AKSHA grants the right to practise,” said Michael D. Granoff, Chairman of the AADF Board.

Cooperation with Cambridge University’s Assessment Centre has also played an important role in transforming the Educational Services Centre into the National Agency for Educational Services. The centre has provided assistance in analysing challenges within the system, including test quality, data use and exam administration standards.

The new building will cover an area of approximately 3,500 m², compared with the 740 m² of the current premises. Capacity for digital examinations will increase from 57 to 213 testing stations, while the new workspaces will allow staff numbers to grow from 35 to around 90 employees.
The new facilities will include five digital testing rooms, five monitoring rooms, dedicated spaces for the preparation and secure storage of examination materials, as well as training rooms, support facilities and infrastructure adapted for people with disabilities.
These improvements aim to create the conditions for more efficient and secure assessment management, bringing the examination system into line with more modern standards.

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