Author: Aurora Shpataj
The lack of teachers in the education system is one of the main problems of Albanian education. During a video publication on social networks, the Minister of Education and Sports, Evis Kushi stated that now graduates in fields related to the field of teaching can exercise the profession of teacher.
"Graduates in a field similar or close to the field of teaching, such as engineering, economics, arts, linguistics, translation, etc. will have the opportunity to practice the profession of teacher after completing the necessary psycho-pedagogical training, which it will be made possible by the faculties of education in higher education institutions.”- said Minister Kushi, on February 17 of this year.
Meanwhile, Professor Qerim Doko, now retired, claims that the new reforms so frequent show failure.
"The very term `reform' means new form. But this new form, these new forms so frequent and which have not given the right result, should not be repeated. So when you make a reform, it should be a studied reform, just like it used to be done with the pilot classes, whether it gives results or not. "
Experts: The new guidance is chaos and ambiguity
Professor Doko tells "Sinjalizo" that this reform takes him back 50 years.
"Of course, this law sets education back many years, 40-50 years. This course work is like those courses at ``Plepat e Durrës'', enough to finish work. You don't repair things like that without doing a good study. I don't know what program such a teacher will have with these courses. It should definitely have teaching pedagogy or psychology, since you are dealing with young ages. He should also know the methods, as they are important. I think this is an emergency solution, not a long term one. Long-term are the specialized faculties for this purpose, which prepare future teachers"- Professor Doko concludes.
This instruction reminds the professor of the period of communism, which no longer brings any value to society.
"When you ask me this question, I think back to the 70s, when I first started working. In those years, it happened that students who failed or had to repeat the year passed directly in the exam and due to lack of staff, they passed directly to teachers. They sent teachers to the villages because there were no teachers. These weren't teachers anyway, these were teachers who knew the multiplication table or something. For me, this coursework, I don't know what to say, but in order to get a good teacher, it is not the right choice."
Education expert Ndricim Mehmeti holds the same position, who says that this instruction is against the law.
"The instruction issued by the Minister of Education violates Law 69/2012, "On Pre-University Education in the Republic of Albania", as Article 57, points 1, 2 and 3 define precisely that: ``The teacher in the educational institution must have obtained the diploma the following in the field of education or a diploma equivalent to it: a) Preschool teacher: university diploma of the first cycle of university studies "Bachelor"; b) Primary education teacher, lower secondary education teacher and gymnasium teacher: diploma of the second cycle of university studies. So there is no mention anywhere of similar degrees, but in the field of education or the same. "
Mr. Mehmeti says to "Sinjalizo" that the instruction is discriminatory for teachers and the study done by the minister comes out without any data on what the needs for teachers are in the coming years.
"The instruction is discriminatory. After a teacher had to do 3 years of Bachelor's studies, 2 years of Master's and 1 year of practice, and a teacher now or in the future needs a 4-year Bachelor's degree, 3 months of psycho-pedagogical course, 3 months practice and become a teacher. Finally, this study comes out without any additional data, which in this case would be a study on the needs for teachers today and in a period, 10, 20, 30 or even 40 years from now, to understand how many teachers we produce and how many do we need, and how many students will we have, since Albania is being abandoned at a dizzying speed, precisely because of the government's wrong policies in all areas, especially in education. "
The decrease in the number of students is also confirmed by an INSTAT report for the 2021-2022 school year, where it is reported that there is a decrease of 2,0%, compared to the 2020-2021 school year. Specifically, in secondary education there is a decrease of 4,2%, compared to the previous school year, in pre-university education, a decrease of 2,5%, in 9-year education 2,9% fewer students. According to this report, there are 2021 teachers in primary, secondary and higher education for the year 2022-28.809.
The education expert, Mehmeti, states that the new instruction does not bring anything other than chaos and uncertainty. He suggests that if we have a very great need for teachers, the minister together with the prime minister should apologize and start implementing reforms that produce results.
"It's hard to predict, but one thing is certain: chaos and uncertainty. It is not known who will graduate as a teacher, how they will be licensed, and as I mentioned, we have many teachers in the system who are waiting for the famous portal "Teachers for Albania" or as I called it from the beginning, the portal "Teachers for Party", we have young people who are studying in teacher study programs and I don't believe that we have a great need. Reforms should not be undertaken, because someone saw them in a dream, or went to visit somewhere for 4-5 days and wants to adapt the model of the country we are going to. If we really need so many teachers, then the Ministry of Education, and more so the Prime Minister of the country, should accept and apologize for the wrong policies and the abandonment of study programs by young people. "
Asked by "Sinjalizo" about the number of candidates who have applied on the portal, the Ministry of Education says; "For the year 2022-2023, 10394 candidates who meet the legal criteria to be employed at pre-university education institutions have applied to the "Teachers for Albania" Portal.".
Ministry of Education: Vacancies in English language profiles, primary education
Mr. Mehmeti shows the reasons why we have fewer and fewer students who continue teaching.
"A student to become a teacher will need 6 years, then he will wait for the Portal and when he thinks that the ordeal of suffering is over, his job is insecure. The teacher's salary is miserable and his social status trampled. Our teacher is paid 20-40% less than his colleague in Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia. He is equaled only by the teacher of North Macedonia. "
Professor Doko holds the same position.
"Another profession pays better than the teacher and from here it seems that he has a better reputation than the teacher. In fact, the figure of the teacher should increase with the value of the teacher, that is, he should be paid as an IT engineer or an economist, whose salary is around 1 thousand euros. If we don't get to this point, even the selection that the students or graduates will have to choose the branches of study, they will not like it, because it is other branches such as medicine or IT, that absorb and are preferred by young people. "
Another phenomenon is that many retired teachers continue to teach. This is also accepted by Professor Doko, who even after retirement continues to teach in a private school.
"In general, there are many teachers who have returned to private schools, of course those who are accepted. The main reason is the low pension. Specifically, I receive a pension of 300 euros. That's how it turned out for me, because I have many years of experience over 48 years in education, but others who receive 200 euros or less. What can you do with such a sum? This forces them to start working again. "
But despite having over 48 years of work, the professor does not recommend it as a profession to young people today.
"I have 4 children and none of them became teachers. This is because the level and figure is not at the right height. Anyway, something like that depends. If the rating is going to be at these levels, I wouldn't suggest it. "
"Sinjalizo" turned to the Ministry of Education with a request for information about the profile of teacher shortages. In its response, the ministry indicates that the shortages are in primary, special, English language education.
"Referring to the data sent and the vacancies announced in September 2022, it is found that the largest number of vacancies according to profiles or subjects results in most of them in the profile: special education, English language, primary education. "
