SPASH Vice President Isa Halilaj: Deep reform in education is needed, increasing funding is essential

Vice President of the Education Association, Isa Halilaj, considers reform in the education system essential.

From the “MCN Economy” studio, he emphasized the importance of increasing funding for education.

Halilaj stated that the time has come for a deep intervention in the budget and a precise reform, not experiments, since until now there have only been patches rather than a clear reform.

According to him, a teacher’s salary is insufficient for a normal life, which is why young people are not choosing to enter teaching programs.

To build a clear strategy for education, it must start with funding. If current spending on education is claimed to be 3% of GDP, European Union countries allocate over 5%. Today, certain areas of Albania, especially villages, are experiencing depopulation, and the main cause is the lack of schools, teachers, and proper education.

Currently, every Albanian family pays 250,000 lek for afterschool programs per child because they cannot take care of them due to work. There is a shortage of teachers, and worryingly, combined classes are emerging rapidly in many areas of Albania. Teachers need to be trained for these combined classes. In small schools, some teachers do not meet normal teaching hours. Intervention is needed starting from university training hours.

In Albania, preschool children are taught science, reading, and math skills, while globally, early childhood education is based on play and nature. It is time for a deep intervention in the budget and a precise reform, not experiments.

Teacher salaries remain insufficient for a normal life, discouraging young people from choosing teaching careers. So far, the Albanian education system has only been patched up, not truly reformed.

Vocational education is the weak point of Albania’s education system. Education must be a national priority. Without an increased education budget, European standards cannot be achieved. Halilaj envisions school operating until 16:00, integrated with afterschool programs. The Albanian state should provide children with meals and accommodate schedules aligned with parents’ working hours.

Currently, afterschool programs are undermining the Albanian education system, as many centers only help with homework while parents pay. Strategies cannot remain only on paper while reality is different. Very soon, there may be no teachers left.

There is a shortage of primary school teachers in Tirana.

“KORÇA BOOM”