New law for education

“The Prime Minister’s adviser, Mr. Fatbardh Musai, is author of textbooks and as consequence a clear interest conflict, with your consent. I notice that you have left a space also for private agencies. Can you explain to this Commission why have you simplified the work of a Prime Minister’s Adviser who has more than 6 years that offers trainings to teachers and directors, while you have no platforms for the director? He has applied for a license, has received it and you will announce it after two weeks. You are responsible, together with the people around you, for the further destruction of education, by using it as a political instrument”, declared the Socialist MP, Ledi Shmaku.

Minister Tafaj declared that there is a regulation for the conflict of interest which is followed with rigor.

“According to this regulation, all Ministry employees and depending agencies have no conflict of interest. You can demand explanations for this and it will be provided to you through a written form”, Tafaj declared.

The “altertext” reform was criticized by the opposition MPs, who have asked how is it possible that a deputy Minister and a Prime Minister’s Adviser are both publishers of school text books.

“Most oft he texts that prevail today’s market and are considered as ‘chosen ones’, are texts made by these people who are very close to the staff of the Albanian state. One of them is author of five text books, he is deputy Minister of education and obviously his texts will have a priority in the management of 4-5 million EUR of school text production. Now even more, due to the alternative texts. They can create an entire network of libraries with the chosen school titles throughout the country”, declared the Socialist MP, Fatmir Toci.

After the presentation of this project, the opposition declared that it has no financial bill and the Commission’s Socialist Chairman, Valentina Leskaj, considered it as not real.

“You know that a draft law cannot pass in Parliament without a financial bill. That law has a cost. I believe that if you are not able today to give a financial bill for this draft law, it cannot pass in Parliament. I will make available to you a letter that was sent by a boy who had been graduated in a university. If you are able to read his name, I would thank you. He has been graduated in a university, which means that the key of this reform will be the quality. How would you face the pre-university education additions, the oriented-education additions, and how will you face the training part, now that the budget has gone so low. A training without a budget is very difficult to be realized. If you are able to give an answer, you will avoid the politicization”, Leskaj declared.

Articles 55 and 60 of this draft-law that predict the appointment and discharging of school teachers and directors, have also spurred many debates.

“In fact, the director cannot discharge a teacher without the Commission’s consent, as law dictates. They need the Commission’s consent and this is a status that is similar to that of the civil employee”, Tafaj declared.

The discussions about this draft-law will continue in the days to come, with propositions of civil society and syndications.

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