There she stated that her campaign will focus on every neighborhood, every residential block and every corner of Tirana, with the aim of talking with the citizens.

During her talk with the local residents of the area, about her vision and priorities for Tirana, Manastirliu emphasized one of the main commitments of the program: the clearing up and restore of the public spaces to the community.

“This plan will be implemented in all municipal units of Tirana, including not only the main streets, but above all the spaces within the residential blocks,” Manastirliu said.

She emphasized that her vision is to transform Tirana into a city where shared spaces improve the quality of life and the well-being of the communities.

“We want every space to become a green, healthy and relaxing place for families, young and old. Therefore, we are working closely with entrepreneurship and architectural groups, so that Tirana has more and more beautiful, functional and modern corners,” she emphasized.

With the launch of this campaign, the candidate for the Municipality of Tirana expressed her determination to be close to citizens in every neighborhood of the capital, turning meetings into open forums where there are discussed the challenges, needs and opportunities offered by Tirana of the future.

“We have a clear, structured and intensive plan for the transformation of Tirana. I am convinced that, together with the citizens, we will make a reality a greener, more beautiful and more community-friendly city. This is Tirana we want and this is Tirana we will build together,” stated the Socialist Party candidate for the Municipality of Tirana Ogerta Manastirliu.

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Manastirliu said that she was born in a simple Tirana family where her mother was a dancer at the Folk Ensemble and the father an army officer. There was harmony in the family that was composed even of a brother. She said she had attended the classic lyceum in Italy for a year, but was back to stay with the family because of the 1997 turmoil.

Manastirliu shared memories from her high school and university years, indicating that her first dream was to study law, but the time led her to natural sciences.

She said that her studies at the Faculty of Natural Sciences gave her not only scientific knowledge, but also a perspective, which she now sees as fundamental principle in working for the city of Tirana.

After graduating, she said that she began working as a specialist in Tirana Municipality in the project coordination unit with donors and the community. Then, in 2005, she took over the chair of social services and housing until 2011.

“The first social care system was established at the local level: centers for street children, support for single mothers, for the elderly, as well as social housing programs,” she recalled, mentioning the model project with 419 social housing units in Shkoza.

Manastirliu spoke further on about her husband Ermal and their two daughters, Altea and Emili.

Manastirliu admitted that the intensity of her work has taken a lot of time from her family, but her husband’s support has been crucial.

Manastirliu said that despite her high positions and duties, the family remains the cornerstone.

“My family, small and large, is my greatest strength. Serving others is a mission, but service begins with the family,” said Manastirliu. /k.s/p.s./

Speaking at the opening of the SP Assembly meeting, Rama said Tirana has been in a state of emergency for seven months following the imprisonment of its elected mayor, a situation that must be addressed urgently.

The government head called for new elections in the capital and proposed Manastirliu as the candidate to restore stability and governance.

Rama announced the choice at the party assembly, praising her record in government and calling the overhaul urgent.

“Ogerta Manastirliu represents the calm strength of Tirana. She is a former social affairs official in Tirana municipality, a devoted mother who has raised exemplary daughters in this city, and a skilled manager needed now to heal the open wounds left by a troubled governance in this extremely challenging year for the capital,” Rama said. “She will lead our transformative work towards Tirana 2030 – the capital of the Balkans in Europe.

Addressing Manastirliu directly, Rama acknowledged the sudden nature of the announcement but emphasized the urgency: “Albania needs Tirana like a train needs its locomotive, and Tirana needs the Socialist Party as its driving engine. There is no more time to wait; it’s time to put the right driver in control.”

Rama concluded by pledging full party support to Manastirliu as she seeks the capital’s vote of confidence in the upcoming mayoral elections.

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Minister of Education and Sports Ogerta Manastirliu, alongside Kamza Mayor Rakip Suli, visited the newly built “Angela Merkel” nine-year school in Kamza Municipality, where she extended her best wishes to students, teachers, and parents.

“This project has created fantastic learning spaces for over 1,100 schoolchildren,” Manastirliu said. “It’s more than a school – it serves as a community center, offering facilities for sports, culture, and the arts, including gymnasiums and outdoor athletic fields.”

The “Angela Merkel” school is one of 30 educational institutions opening this year, adding to a total of 450 schools and sports facilities built or renovated across the country in the past decade.

Education Minister emphasized the government’s ongoing commitment to modernizing school infrastructure while ensuring access to science and technology labs for all students. “This school offers some of the best-equipped labs, aligned with our goal of expanding STEM education,” she noted.

The school features around 40 classrooms and covers over 10,000 square meters, providing space not only for teaching but also for extracurricular activities.

A four-year national plan envisions 200 new schools and sports fields, all equipped with smart and STEM labs. By 2027, Albania aims to have 1,000 smart labs nationwide, along with smartboards and laptops for every teacher.

The new school year also began with free textbooks for 236,000 students and scholarships for 3,800 children from vulnerable social groups. The Ministry of Education has also expanded school safety measures, psycho-social services, and support staff.

Around 345,000 pre-university students began classes across Albania on Monday, including more than 26,500 children attending school for the first time.

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The improvement of work protocols is part of the School Safety Plan undertaken by the Ministry of Education and Sports.

Speaking about the significance of strengthening the structures dealing with school safety, Manastirliu said that, “It is important for us that the figure of the school security officer, the psychologist and the social worker be further strengthened. We are working so that, within the framework of the Action Plan for School Safety and the preventive mechanisms against any form of violence and bullying in schools, we can increase the number of security officers and strengthen the support mechanisms for these important units that guarantee protection and safety for our children inside and outside the school perimeter”.

Minister Manastirliu focused on the improvements made to the modules and protocols as well as to the digital work tools, emphasizing the role of the SMIP electronic platform in managing cases and information in real time.

Minister Manastirliu also noted the strengthening of the presence of security officers in educational institutions and the extension of the psycho-social service in the pre-university education system.

Speaking about the changes in work modules and protocols, Manastirliu underlined the need for expanded cooperation with the community and supporting institutions:/k.s/j.p/p.s./

Education Minister Ogerta Manastirliu presented the code at a meeting with teachers in Tirana on Thursday, describing it as a comprehensive document that goes beyond administrative guidelines.

“The new Code of Ethics is more than just a regulatory instruction – it is a moral and professional compass for every teacher,” Manastirliu said. “It was drafted through an inclusive process, incorporating input from teachers, school leaders, parent councils, and education stakeholders.”

The code sets out clear principles of professionalism, integrity and cooperation. It also aims to strengthen respectful relationships among teachers, students and parents, and introduces measurable standards for teaching quality.

Manastirliu said the code reflects both traditional respect for the teaching profession in Albanian society and European standards of ethics and integrity. She called it “a new social contract” between teachers, students, parents, and the state.

“The teacher is not just an educator, but a leader, a role model, and a source of inspiration for society as a whole,” she said.

The Code of Ethics is based on three main pillars: personal and professional integrity, student safety and well-being, and transparency and engagement with parents and the community.

Education Minister concluded by reiterating the central message of the new code: that teachers play a vital role not only in the classroom, but also in the broader community.

“The code empowers teachers as leaders, role models, partners to parents, and strong voices in society,” she said, adding that it is essential for shaping not only skilled professionals but also responsible and equal citizens.

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At the ministerial roundtable, held within the framework of this activity, Minister Manastirliu engaged in an important discussion on the role that artificial intelligence (AI) will play in the future of education.

Manastirliu highlighted some of the important steps that Albania has taken to integrate technology and artificial intelligence into the education system.

She also emphasized that with the Digital Agenda for Education 2030, Albania is building an education system where every student gains digital skills and every teacher is empowered with modern teaching techniques.

“With these concrete steps, Albania is moving hand in hand with other countries to build a more advanced and equal educational future for all,” said Manastirliu. /r.e//a.f/p.s./

Minister of Education and Sports Ogerta Manastirliu wrote in a post today in the social media that, “These 30 new schools will welcome over 8 thousand students and teachers”.

Minister Manastriliu emphasized that, “The government will continue to invest in the construction and rehabilitation of educational facilities, schools, gyms and sports fields, to guarantee the same standard, everywhere in Albania”.

In all 9-year and secondary schools in the country, there are preparations underway for the beginning of the new school year.

Registrations for the first and tenth grade students for the new school year will be open on the “e-Albania” platform until September 1.

Meanwhile, there is going on the distribution of free textbooks to 236 thousand students across the country. There are about 9 million euros, which the government has made available to guarantee that students have free textbooks from the first to the 9th grade. There are also 16 categories of students in high schools who benefit free textbooks. /k.s/r.e/p.s./

“The Ministry of Education and Sports is working intensively to complete, together with the municipalities, the new schools, newly rehabilitated this year, to open their doors on September 8. On the first day of school, there will be 30 schools and educational facilities that will open their doors to students this school year,” said Manastirliu.

Manastirliu inspected the new “Gaqi Karakashi” school in Kuçova, which will develop the teaching process in modern facilities thanks to the investment of 1 million euros by the Ministry of Education and Sports.

“The students and teachers of the “Gaqi Karakashi” school will have improved infrastructure conditions, but the community of the area will also have the opportunity to use these modern facilities, in order to develop the well-being of children and young people in Kuçova. It is a new school supported by state budget financing worth about 1 million euros. The added values in this school are the sports facilities, the gym and the terrain, which will also serve the community, turning this school into a community center”, said Manastirliu.

In addition to improving infrastructure, Minister Manastirliu emphasized that the professional development of teachers and the review of curricula remain priorities for this school year, bringing new teaching programs, extracurricular activities and national competitions. Meanwhile, the distribution of free textbooks for 236 thousand students in basic education and for certain categories of students in high schools continues.

Mayor of Kuçova Kreshnik Hajdari and the political leader of the Socialist Party for Berat region Ervin Demo emphasized the significance of this investment for the city of Kuçova, while noting that work is also progressing well on other investments in education in this region.

The 9-year school “Gaqi Karakashi” in Kuçova is one of 30 new or reconstructed schools that will reopen its doors to its students and teachers on September 8. Over 8 thousand students in these schools will start the new school year in new facilities.

In Berat region alone, three important investments are being made in this budget cycle: the “22 Tetori” school, the Havaleas Unified High School and the one in Dimal. The total value of investments in this region amounts to around 3 million euros, financed by the Albanian government, in cooperation with the local government. /k.s/j.p/p.s./

Minister of Education and Sports Ogerta Manastirliu was today at the “Isa Boletini” school in Paskuqan, where there is going on the distribution of free textbooks, a convenience for families on the threshold of the new school year.

Minister Manastirliu stated that in total there are about 236 thousand students who are supported each year through the “Free Textbooks” program.

“We are working to distribute the free textbooks for all levels of basic education, but also for the high schools, where there are about 12,500 high school students who benefit from the government program. In total, there are about 236 thousand students who are supported through the “Free Textbooks” program each year”, she said.

The minister emphasized that by 2026, more than 600 schools will also have the smart laboratories, with the purpose of developing children’s digital skills. “Three years ago, we launched an ICT program from the first grade, but with technological developments, we have been able to track in real time the achievements of students learning coding during the past year and continuing into this year. We have taught about 35 thousand children how to code, but on the other hand, we have also approved the new curriculum for the fourth grade, which for the first time will bring the basics of knowledge about artificial intelligence,” said Manastirliu. /j.p/p.s./