Author: Dallandyshe Xhaferri
LK, a special education teacher, denounces on the "Sinjalizo" platform that she was prevented from registering, although she followed all the instructions of the Ministry of Education.
"After the file was uploaded to the system and I was told that it was processed successfully, "APPENDIX 4" was not downloaded with the absurd and illegal reasoning that it was necessary to apply no longer with an ID card, but with a Notification number...!!??", the teacher writes for "Signalizo". Dozens of her colleagues have sent complaints to the relevant DRAPs for issues related to Appendix 4.
According to data from the Ministry of Education, 11 teachers were registered on the "Teachers for Albania" portal between June 895 and 15. But hundreds of them were disqualified for lack of documentation in the first stage of the competition, which would pave the way for practicing the profession.
On the condition of anonymity, another teacher from the city of Fier indicates that from appendix 4 she was declared disqualified in the first stage of the competition, while she is not found to be so in the list published for the second time.
"I competed for DRAP Fier where I have been keeping file points and test points for 3 years. I saw that in the first lists I was disqualified. Reason: 'Appendix 4' is missing, but in the meantime they have extracted the information of the appendix 4 that I want to keep and file point and test point",- she says, adding-"I filed a complaint and sent appendix 4. I was disqualified on the list dated June 25, my name was not on the second list of disqualifications. Now, how to get this? Why do they make us look like idiots because since we have years with the portal, we believe we know quite well what we should and shouldn't send?"- says the teacher for "Signal".
The Fier Regional Directorate of Pre-University Education (DRAP) through the official response to the request for information tells "Sinjalizo" that only in this directory "690 cases were identified with missing documentation that should have been submitted online",- adding that,-"out of the number of disqualified applicants, about 28% have sent their complaints". In other words, out of 690 disqualified teachers, only 193 have complained, while the total number of applicants for DRAP Fier is 2.
Ministry: We have taken measures
The Ministry of Education has officially informed "Sinjalizo" that "from the relevant instances (Regional Educational Directorates) all measures are taken so that every complaint or request is handled and answered in the shortest possible time",- adding that this method avoids penalties for the teachers concerned, "if this could have come because of the employees of our institutions."
Meanwhile, DRAP Fier has announced that "for the continuation of the candidate qualification procedure, the KVD has considered all the complaints registered in DRAP Fier",- adding that out of 690 complaints, "only 98 candidates or 4% of them were disqualified at the end of the process, for non-compliance with the obligations arising from the legal and bylaws in force",- it is said in the answer given in the information request for "Signalizo". Among the main problems encountered in the applications of teachers, DRAP Fier has highlighted the fact "that there are candidates who are not qualified due to the lack of the state exam, as they have a diploma before 2009 and have not uploaded documentation to the system to prove seniority in accordance with Law No. 10171"- in which it is determined that the following are exempted from the obligation to take the state exam: the professional who, at the time of entry into force of this law, practices or has practiced a regulated profession.
Professionals ask: why should an exam be given every year?
Alma Lama, President of SPASH (Independent Education Union of Albania) for the Tirana branch, explains to "Sinjalizo" that "This method of repeated employment almost every year overwhelms the teacher, since the number of teacher applicants is much greater than the number of vacancies. A number of teachers state that they have less and less confidence in employment", - Lama points out, while explaining that they are part of the portal "even teachers who want to make parallel moves within the respective Local Education Offices."
Also, she expresses skepticism regarding the recruitment of teachers through the portal, adding that "this way has a lot of paper bureaucracy and low transparency". But according to MAS, this year there is an increased interest of teachers, as compared to last year where 10 candidates applied, in other words, 394 more applicants applied this year.
Meanwhile, Alma Lama points out that "the competition is unequal among teachers as it somewhat favors teachers with more experience in education".
The Ministry of Education has listed for "Signalizo" the most frequent problems encountered in the complaints or requests made by teachers during the application on the portal. Among them is also mentioned the fact that "The candidates have been disqualified due to the lack of the state exam, or for not fulfilling the legal criteria". Meanwhile, according to MAS, there were also cases where the candidates were not equipped with the state exam license, or were not informed and forgot the teacher's ID, etc.
Information problems. Teachers start "school"
During the research, "Sinjalizo" came into contact with a group of 25 teachers, who, in order to successfully pass the portal exam, whose questions cannot be accessed before as is the case with the license, have started training from experts in the field against payment . They admitted to "Sinjalizo" that they were not trained or informed by the school directorates enough about the exam on the portal, only receiving as an answer that the instructions are on the official website of MAS.
In the group that these teachers have on ëhatsapp, it is clarified that 2 sessions that have a duration of 3 hours each cost 30 thousand old lek, while the payment can be made physically or online. To prove the payment they send the photos of the paid mandate to the bank.
Alma Lama regarding this issue says that "several accredited training centers, seeing the need for orientation in the Portal 'Teachers for Albania' program, have engaged innovative teachers in the system",- she says, pointing out that teachers pay privately for these trainings to receive service "that guide, create, apply possible questions about school documentation, teaching techniques and methods, teachers' professional standards, as well as sometimes, as necessary, scientific program questions... especially for new teachers who have not passed the program" ,- concludes the president of SPASH, adding that registration on the ``Teacher'' portal is difficult, but not unattainable, "it is enough to increase the culture of reading the application manual as well as work/read carefully and understand instruction no. 12 of the Portal".
