As a result of the on-going co-operation and in line with the discussions and proposals expressed in the course of the its latest steering committee, the Sida-funded CoE Project “Strengthening democratic citizenship education in Albania* was invited to take part in the working group on the development of the new education sector strategy that is lead by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth.

The Project was also requested to provide expert support and advice on the draft document, which was prepared in time for the meeting that took place on 11 June 2021.

In the course of the meeting, which brought together the principal national stakeholders as well as major international partners, Ms Evis Kushi, Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, presented the current draft and indicated possible directions as to its further development and linkages with other sectors.

In her remarks Minister Kushi thanked the representatives of the Council of Europe Office in Tirana and the international partners for the support provided so far in the improvement of the education system in Albania, expressing institutional readiness for further developing the on-going cooperation, in particular, as concerns new projects that focus on inclusion and increasing the quality of education.

An expert assessment report with concrete and detailed recommendations will be submitted officially to the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth in Albania in due course. This invitation and request for the expert assessment of the draft confirms, once again, the commitment of the education authorities not only to the project but also to the Council of Europe’s standards and values and their further incorporation into the new national educational strategy.

*The project “Strengthening Democratic Citizenship Education in Albania” is implemented by the Council of Europe and funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency