Why handwriting should not disappear from school desks

The use of digital technology in recent years has significantly influenced the way people write and communicate.

As a result, handwriting is being used less and less, especially by children and young people. In this context, UNESCO has proposed a special project to protect handwriting, aiming to preserve it as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Handwriting plays a very important role in the development of students, especially in primary and lower secondary education.

Adelina Kraja, an Albanian language teacher at the lower cycle of “Vaçe Zela” school in Tirana, explained to ATA how handwriting affects a child’s development.

“Handwriting greatly helps in the motor development of students, in critical thinking, memory development, and strengthens the connection between thought and expressive skills such as reading and spelling, especially in primary education,” she emphasized.

According to her, replacing the pen with a keyboard risks creating gaps in children’s motor and language development, as it reduces their focus and patience.

Kraja suggests that handwriting should be practiced more often, and more writing hours should be added.

“This is a call to all students, teachers, and parents to protect and practice handwriting in schools as much as possible, especially in grades I–IV. I believe dictation hours in the language subject should be increased, more writing practice should be added, and a balance should be created between technology and traditional writing,” Kraja said.

She recommends more training on the importance of handwriting, including involving parents, so they understand its significance for their children’s motor development.

Kraja stated that every handwriting style is unique and carries traces of an individual’s personality.

“Only in this way can we ensure a higher quality education for future generations,” she said, adding that handwriting should be preserved as a cultural asset, contributing to the preservation of knowledge and learning processes.

Meanwhile, Brunilda Kondakçiu, Albanian language teacher at the upper cycle of the same school, praised UNESCO’s initiative, saying that “handwriting is not only a skill, but it also helps brain development, concentration, and memory. I believe it is also part of one’s identity.”

Kondakçiu pointed out that handwriting should be given special attention, especially in primary education, as it forms the foundation of learning and motor development for children.

“On one hand, technology has increased communication and learning, but on the other, it has reduced handwriting practice. I think to practice handwriting as much as possible, students should be given more handwritten assignments, combining handwriting with technology,” Kondakçiu said.

Experts and UNESCO emphasize that preserving handwriting is essential, not only for cultural heritage but also for the quality of education and the development of future generations.

For UNESCO, handwriting is not simply an important skill, but a key element of human identity, learning, and the transmission of knowledge across generations.

“KORÇA BOOM”