During a meeting with the staff of the Quality Assurance Agency for Pre-University Education (ASCAP), Kumbaro said that there is being done a voluminous work, with the best experts, for 140 textbooks that are being revised for the next school year, including 44 textbooks in foreign languages, but also for completely new textbooks such as Citizenship and Albanian Language in grades I, VI and X.

“It is up to this agency the quality of the school, the preparation of all curricula, subjects, the education of our children, but also the training of our children’s teachers”, said Kumbaro.

The minister affirmed that after a 10-year period, it is high time to revise the new curricula in pre-university education.

“There are 140 textbooks that will be revised; it is a work that does not have a schedule. It is a work that is done by the best subject and curriculum experts in Albania. This year, for the first time, we will introduce new subjects, such as Civic Education for the first, sixth and tenth grades”, she continued. According to Kumbaro, there will also be an update in the Albanian language subject and information technology subjects from the first grade of primary school, up to the secondary school-leaving. /e.i/a.f/r.e/p.s./

According to Spiropali, a total of 117,138 textbooks have been provided this year alone, marking the sixth consecutive year the government has backed Albanian language learning outside the country.

She praised the active role of the Diaspora Coordinating Council (KKD) in promoting the Albanian language, culture and traditions, and highlighted the involvement of Albanian-American model Emina Çunmulaj, a KKD member, in the initiative.

Spiropali also announced preparations for another Diaspora Summit, aimed at strengthening cooperation and encouraging greater engagement of the Albanian diaspora in the country’s development.

“We are preparing for another successful Diaspora Summit soon, where we will welcome contributions and exchange experiences that inspire stronger involvement of the Albanian diaspora in Albania’s growth,” she said.

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The government program provides support for about 236 thousand students throughout the country, guaranteeing equality in education and ease in family budgets.

Minister of Education and Sports Ogerta Manastirliu attended the distribution of books at the 9-year school “Prizren League” in Tirana. She said that, “For this program, the Albanian government has made available 9 million euros, providing free textbooks for all students from the first to the ninth grade, as well as for special categories in secondary schools, who are in economic or social difficulties”.

Speaking about the start of the new school year on September 8, Manastirliu said that in addition to the distribution of textbooks, the works are also being finalized for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of several schools that will open their doors for the new school year.

Minister Manastirliu highlighted the expansion of digital programs in smart labs in schools, including coding and the first lessons in artificial intelligence in the fourth grade curriculum.

Another priority for the new year is the school safety plan, which foresees the training and increase in the number of social workers, psychologists and security officers, to guarantee a safer and more inclusive environment for students. /m.m/j.p/p.s./

There are about 20 thousand students who attend Albanian language courses all over the world, and who can choose to use the digital text in addition to the hard copy.

FM Hasani expressed grateful thanks to the 719 teachers who teach in these courses.

In May of the current year, under the auspices of Prime Minister Edi Rama, there was launched the “Teachers for Greece” program, with the aim of extending to other countries where the diaspora lives.

“By proposal of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Sports, there were followed legal steps to regulate the teaching process and the selection of teachers in the diaspora, in accordance with international bilateral agreements and in accordance with the legislation of the host country of the Albanian diaspora”, said Hasani. /k.s/p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama shared today in the social media moments from the distribution of free textbooks, an initiative that aims to ease the financial burden for thousands of Albanian families.

“With the gratitude of the parents and the joy of the children who these last days before the beginning of the new school year are getting the textbooks for free, thanks to the government’s funding with a direct support for the families”, wrote PM Rama.

For their part, the parents appreciated that the initiative of free textbooks is a relief for their family budgets.

Also, thanks to this initiative, 12,500 high school students receive free textbooks.

This free textbook support program is focused on students who come from families with social and economic problems, as well as those who need special support, including children with different abilities and those from the minorities.

The distribution of the textbooks is realized according to a set schedule in coordination with teachers and parents, ensuring that all students receive their textbooks on time. /m.m/j.p/p.s./

“This is an important investment in the educational infrastructure in the city of Vlora. The newly reconstructed Isa Boletini high school will welcome back more than 350 students at the start of the new school year in September. The school now features four chemistry, physics, biology and informatics laboratories, sport grounds. The school will also serve as a community centre that will allow local community to engage in sport activities,” Manastirliu said.

The newly reconstructed school is part of a larger investment program on the educational infrastructure in the southern coastal municipality of Vlora, where six schools and three kindergartens have been already constructed through funds from the state budget funds and the European Union under its EU4School programme, benefiting more than 1,700 pupils and high school students and 127 teachers.

Education Minister said that construction of 25 educational facilities has completed and will open their doors at the start of the 2024-2025 school year, whereas work is underway to build more schools set to complete this year.

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This year, more than 238 thousand pupils will benefit from free textbooks, thanks to a budget of over 9 million USD granted by the Ministry of Education and Sports.

There are about 227,000 pupils from class I to class IX who will be provided with free textbooks and about 12,500 pupils from class ten to class twelve who belong to certain categories and who benefit support with free textbooks.

This free textbook support program is focused on pupils who come from families with social and economic problems, as well as those who need special support, including children with different abilities and those from the minorities. /k.s/p.s./

In a social media post, Foreign Minister Hasani  that over 5000 copies the joint textbook called ‘Albanian Language and Culture Level I and II have been distributed to Albanian embassies to be taught to Albanian and Kosovo children in the diaspora, based on an agreement between Albania and Kosovo.

Hasani added that the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs is committed to finalizing the unification process of the joint Albanian language textbooks.

Foreign Minister also said that additional language textbooks can be accessed and downloaded via the official website: www.qbd.gov.al.

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The Education Minister noted that schoolchildren from first to third grade will receive textbooks for free and will not have to hand them over by end of the school year.

The Education Minister announced via a post on the social media that the process of distributing textbooks will begin on September 1 and that schoolchildren in the first to third grade will be exempted from having to submit their textbooks by the end of the school year.

“The decision was made following the constant request from the parents and teachers community. All education institutions are already making preparations to distribute textbooks to children, who can withdraw their books at schools or at the authorized distribution centres starting as of September 1,” Education Minister said.

Kushi noted that all schoolchildren in the public institutions of the nine-year education system and 16 categories of high-education students will benefit their books for free.

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They committed themselves together with the specialized staff to review in detail all the textbooks in our pre-university education.

“A few years ago we carried out a profound reform, giving our students the opportunity to learn with better textbooks, but the work will continue to guarantee high standards and quality in all aspects of the learning process”, said Kushi.

The minister stressed that the meeting also discussed extensively the professional development of teachers, their ongoing training, exchange of positive experiences, as well as timely information on innovations in the field of teaching. /m.m/j.p/p.s./