“We are here today as four ministers to provide 360-degree protection and safety for children across the country,” Demo said at the meeting, attended by Education Minister Mirela Kumbaro, Health and Social Welfare Minister Klodiana Spahiu, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Andis Salla and Kamza Mayor Rakip Suli.

Kamza has around 20,000 students and has developed a modern school infrastructure network through recent investment.

Demo said school safety extends from the interior of educational facilities to their surroundings, as well as food safety and students’ physical wellbeing.

The School Safety Package is now being implemented nationwide, with the State Police taking measures to strengthen security around schools.

“There is zero tolerance for any act or action that could endanger the wellbeing of our children,” Demo said, adding that the aim was to provide a safe environment where students can focus on their education.

He described the package as a coordinated prevention system involving security officers, psychologists, teachers, police and parents to identify and address potential problems at an early stage.

Demo also stressed the need for continued cooperation between central and local authorities to improve school safety.

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The government head said the investment in new security technology followed the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old near Fan Noli School in Tirana. Existing camera systems had not provided sufficient information to clarify the circumstances of the incident, he said.

The new systems can send real-time alerts to school administrators, security staff and state police, allowing them to identify potentially dangerous situations and respond more quickly, Rama said.

“When a terrible tragedy at a school in Tirana left the whole of Albania holding its breath, the cameras were not enough to help us understand what had happened. I made a commitment then to bring Albania to the highest level of technology to strengthen security in schools,” Rama said.

“Today, that commitment has begun to become a reality. Tirana now has the first 20 schools equipped with smart cameras,” he added.

Rama said the new cameras had been installed in the same locations as the previous systems but offered additional capabilities for monitoring and detecting suspicious situations.

He described the 20 schools as the “vanguard” of a programme that would gradually be extended to schools across the country.

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The government head pointed to the project’s concrete impact through real-time monitoring of school premises using intelligent camera systems.

Citing the United Arab Emirates, where such a system is already in place, Rama said the technology is strategic in nature and has led to a sharp decline in crimes of all kinds.

“There has also been a drastic drop in school absenteeism, cheating and cases of classrooms turning into play areas. This is because the entire system works for teachers, parents and schools, and of course for the Ministry of Education as well,” Rama said.

On security, the Prime Minister said that whenever state police need to carry out checks of any kind, all activity is recorded.

“Likewise, the moment a suspicious person approaches a school entrance or when unwanted individuals loiter around schools to sell narcotics, police officers can see it in real time,” Rama said.

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Speaking at an event unveiling the country’s new Digital Identity platform at the Pyramid of Tirana, Rama highlighted the Smart City initiative, which includes the deployment of intelligent surveillance cameras to monitor traffic and enhance data collection.

“This system will help us gather real-time data on law enforcement, public order, and crime prevention, and will also give us a live view of daily life in schools,” Rama said.

The government head voiced confidence that the project would significantly improve safety in educational institutions.

“Parents will be able to monitor their children’s behavior in school. This will greatly impact school attendance and help reduce bullying, while also increasing teachers’ engagement,” he said.

Rama added that with the combination of the Smart City initiative and the Digital Identity program, Albania is positioning itself for a major leap forward by 2030.

“These efforts will empower citizens in ways previously unimaginable, making daily life simpler, faster, and far less stressful,” he said.

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“Under the slogan ‘The battle not started is a battle won,’ this program equips young people with knowledge and values to make safer choices,” Koçiu said in a social media post.

The initiative involves over 60 police officers providing educational sessions in around 850 schools, reaching an estimated 120,000 students.

The program is a joint effort between the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Education.

Project Director Ansi Shundi noted the program has been running for more than a decade, emphasizing its role in building trust between schools and law enforcement, and fostering a culture of safety from an early age.

Koçiu stressed the importance of school safety officers as key figures in ensuring a secure environment for children and teenagers.

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Kumbaro made the remarks during the certification ceremony of 112 new security officers, held in the presence of Interior Minister Albana Koçiu, Police Director General Ilir Proda, and the Rector of the Security Academy, Ilirjan Mandro.

“The certified officers are distributed across all regions of Albania, ensuring a wider presence of security staff in many schools,” Kumbaro said.

She noted that the role of school security officers, introduced in recent years alongside psychologists and social workers, is vital for early prevention and coordination with law enforcement.

“No one – not even teachers – can be successful without daily assessment and documentation of every incident or warning sign that may seem important,” she said.

Kumbaro added that 367 schools are currently required to have security officers, with seven generations of officers already trained and active. “We still need more. We must remain fully attentive to those who are the light of our eyes – every student in our schools,” she said.

Health Minister also announced that the ratio of students per officer has been reduced to 350, while schools with over 800 – 900 students will be assigned two officers. She underlined that certification courses will continue, supported by dedicated salary funds for new recruits.

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Addressing an expanded meeting with teachers, psychologists, social workers, security officers, representatives of the National Parents’ Council and civil society, Education Minister noted that the Digital Communication Notebook will provide real-time information to teachers, social workers, parents and security officers via the platforms SMIP and e-Albania.

Manastirliu underlined that the project is part of the National Action Plan that is being implemented in all schools across the country, aimed at strengthening school security mechanisms and ensure healthy and safe environment for our children in every educational institution.

The Minister of Education and Sports Ogerta Manastirliu said that the National Action Plan had been compiled in collaboration with the teachers and parents community, civil society representatives and international partners, emphasizing the importance of continued communication between stakeholders in schools.

Education Minister announced the plan on increasing the number of security officers, psychologists and social workers at educational institutions.

Manastirliu also focused on the national network for online protection and safety, saying “it will include all schools countrywide through online safety ambassadors and the teacher training platform for digital education, as well as through a new role in schools, namely the digital education specialist, who guides students and teachers on what to access online and which online sites truly provide valuable and safe information.”

She highlighted the importance of using the Digital Communication Notebook as a tool that would help increase parents’ confidence in schools and safety of their children.

The Ministry of Education and Sports is working on full implementation of the National Action Plan and strengthening security in educational institutions throughout the country.

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“The new action plan will be implemented over a three-year span of time and it is an ambitious plan and initiative that reflects our shared responsibility as a state, as institutions, as parents and citizens,” Education Minister remarked at a meeting with parents and teachers.

Manastirliu said that actions, including the tragic death of a student at “Fan Noli” school in Tirana, as well as the most incident in the village of Cakran, southern Albanian region of Fier, are a wakeup call for immediate and responsible actions to boost security measures in schools through enhanced cooperation between teachers and parents.

According to her the new system will also allow parents to monitor their children’s behavior in school. Under the plan, parents will be able to view live video feeds of their children’s classrooms, giving them more control over their children’s safety at school.

“The new plan includes all the findings and recommendations during the consultation process. Civil society experts and UNICEF have also contributed to the new action plan designed to tackle issues like violence, bullying and safety online, as well as to strengthen prevention mechanisms in view of safety in schools in a bid to reduce and even eliminate any forms of violence in schools,” she stated.

Education Minister Manastirliu provided details over a set of measures to improve safety in schools, including the ban of TikTok social platform.

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The government head stated that the new measures will help the efforts for a better and safer education system across Albania.

“Today’s meeting integrates the whole national consultation process we held throughout the territory of Albania and which yielded a new action plan aimed at strengthening safety and security mechanisms in schools. This is about security as a set of elements, not just physical security and safety. It took a tragedy for a whole society and communities to act throughout the territory of Albania. On the other hand, a destructive force within the society itself, best embodies in the parliament of Albania and in the media, also was set in motion,” PM Rama said.

He criticized politics and the media craze aimed at inciting a feeling of insecurity and making people feel unsafe following the tragic death of a 14-year-old student Martin Cani, who lost his life in a knife attack by a peer last month.

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In her remarks at a public meeting with Prime Minister Edi Rama and parents at “Halit Coka” secondary school in Kamze Municipality to discuss plans to completely ban Tik-Tok and Snapchat, Education Minister highlighted concrete steps and measures aimed at providing security and strengthen protection mechanisms in schools.

The public meeting with parents and local residents focused on new projects, technology and community inclusion in learning process to boost safety and increase teaching quality in schools.

A series of public meetings are designed to tackle effects of social media platforms, including TikTok and Snapchat, to children and young people, in a bid to raise awareness about their risks and consequences.

“Around 250 public consultation meetings have taken place to date with participation of over 7000 parents, whose suggestions have been very valuable. We will strengthen legal instruments to limit or even completely ban platforms like TikTok,” Manastirliu said.

Education Minister highlighted the fact that over 240 security officers are now serving in schools across the country and their number will increase to over 270 soon, adding that more psychologists and social workers will be hired to help prevent incidents and any form of violence or bullying in schools.

She also said that school curricula will further modernize to include digital education, underlining that continued dialogue with parents would help enhance efficiency and protection mechanisms in schools.

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