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 teaching profession after completing the necessary psycho-pedagogical training, which will be provided 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 term `reform` itself means a new form. But this new form, these new forms that are so frequent and have not yielded the desired results, should not be repeated again. So when you make a reform, it should be a studied reform, as was once done with pilot classes, whether it yields 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`, just to finish the job. Things are not repaired like that without doing a good study. I don't know what program such a teacher will have with these courses. He must definitely have teaching pedagogy or psychology, since you are dealing with young people. He must also know the methodologies, since they are important. I think this is an emergency solution, not a long-term one. Long-term ones are the faculties specialized for this purpose, which prepare future teachers " - concludes Professor Doko.
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 used to happen that students who were failing or had to repeat a year would pass directly in the exam, and due to a lack of staff, they would pass directly to teachers. They would send teachers to the villages because there were no teachers. However, these were not teachers, these were teachers who knew the multiplication table or something else. For me, this course work, I don't know what to say, but to become a good teacher, it is not the right choice."
The same position is held by education expert Ndricim Mehmeti, who states that this instruction is contrary to 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 quite precisely that: `A teacher in an educational institution must have obtained the following diploma in the field of education or an equivalent diploma: a) Pre-school education teacher: first-cycle university diploma of university studies “Bachelor”; b) Primary education teacher, lower secondary education teacher and high school teacher: second-cycle university diploma. So there is no mention anywhere of similar diplomas, but in the field of education or equivalent .'”
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. Since a teacher had to do 3 years of Bachelor studies, 2 years of Master and 1 year of internship and a teacher now or in the future needs a 4-year Bachelor degree, 3 months of psycho-pedagogical course, 3 months of internship and becomes 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 of 10, 20, 30 or even 40 years to understand how many teachers we produce and how many we need, and how many students we will have, since Albania is being abandoned at a dizzying speed, precisely because of the wrong policies of the government in all fields and 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 is difficult 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 at the beginning of the time, the portal "Teachers for the Party", we have young people who are studying in teacher study programs and I do not believe that we have a great need. Reforms should not be undertaken because someone saw them in a dream, or went on a 4-5 day visit somewhere and wants to adapt the model of the country we are going to. If we really need teachers so much, then the Ministry of Education and especially the Prime Minister of the country, should admit 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 stated; " For the year 2022-2023, 10394 candidates who meet the legal criteria to be employed at pre-university education institutions have applied on 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 who wants to become a teacher will take 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 is trampled. Our teacher is paid 20-40% less than his colleague in Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia. He is only equal to the teacher in North Macedonia. "
Professor Doko holds the same position.
" Another profession is better paid than a teacher and from here it seems that he has a better reputation than a teacher. In fact, the figure of the teacher should increase with the value of the teacher, that is, to be paid as an IT engineer or an economist is paid, who have a salary of around 1 thousand euros. If we do not get to this point, even the selection that students or graduates will have to choose their branches of study, they will not like, 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 300 euro pension. That's how much I got, because I have many years of experience, over 48 years in education, but others receive 200 euros or less. What can you do with such an amount. 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 have become teachers. This is because the level and figure are not at the right height. However, something like this depends. If the evaluation is at these levels, I would not 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 by profiles or subjects results in the majority of them in the profile: special education, English language, primary education ."
