Inclusiveness in Education (AL0093)

Brief description of engagement

A quality, comprehensive and equal education creates conditions for all students, without any distinction, to develop knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in accordance with the requirements of a democratic society, to face constructively the challenges of life, as well as to contribute to building personal well-being. It is therefore important to improve quality, equity, inclusion and success through equal access to the education system for all.

Identification of the problem

1.What problem does the engagementaim to address? Inclusion in education means creating conditions for all boys and girls, regardless of abilities and other characteristics, to attend classes together, taking care of their individual needs. Inclusion has been the focus of educational policies in Albania in the last decade, aiming to increase the participation in education in early childhood, as well as the participation in education of children from vulnerable groups.

2. What are the causes of the problem? Awareness of inclusiveness is important as inclusiveness is a necessary prerequisite to ensure the development of all individuals to their full potential and to narrow the educational achievement gap between different social groups.

Description of Engagement

3.What has been done so far to solve the problem? Some of the achievements of MAS: - Approval of the document "Education and training of teachers for inclusiveness - Profile of the inclusive teacher" in order to highlight the essential skills, knowledge, attitudes and values that every teacher should have, as one who is preparing to join the ranks of the teaching profession , as well as the one who is in the service, as a comprehensive professional. This has made society aware of the need to include children from vulnerable groups, which has led to an increase in the participation of children with disabilities, as well as children from the Roma and Egyptian national minorities. - The awareness of parents and the community about the importance of pre-school education is done through well-planned activities at the level of local pre-university education offices (ZVAP) and pre-school institutions, as well as basic education schools to which preparatory classes are attached, in cooperation with with the local government. - The signing of Cooperation Agreement no. 7522 prot., dated 12.07.2018, between the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth (MASR), the Ministry of the Interior (MB) and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MSHMS) "On the identification and registration in school of all children aged of school obligation". - The issuing of the joint Order of MASR, MB and Ministry of Education and Culture no. 292, dated 28.05.2019 "On the approval of the regulation for the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement between three ministries "On the identification and registration in school of all children of compulsory school age"". In the school year 2022-2023, we enabled a new service for the online registration of all students in the first grade and in the tenth grade, facilitating and speeding up their registration procedures and performing the service in a shorter time and more effectively. - Coordination has advanced between MAS, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and local self-government units, reevaluating the entire system of legal and by-laws in force for early childhood education, based on evidence and studies. The measure includes a study that will be carried out in cooperation with the international partners of the government and is expected to offer recommendations for a better coordination of activities between the ministries responsible for preschool education and local government, for the advancement of the management of this sector. - Creation of a system for prevention and response to non-registration in school and dropping out of students in primary, lower secondary and higher education. In basic education institutions and in ZVAP, groups are created for prevention and response to non-registration in the first grade and dropout, composed of teachers, representatives of the community of parents and local self- government units. For this, special work plans are drawn up for these groups and a reporting system is built for cases of non-registration and dropout. Dropout for the year 2021 - 2022 for primary education is 0.59% and in lower secondary education 0.65%. In total, it is 0.62% in basic education. Scholarship support from the state will continue to reduce the dropout rate for students who are enrolled in basic education, but who, due to financial difficulties, they do not attend basic education. With VKM no. 511, dated 28.07.2022, "For some changes and additions to the VKM no. 666, dated 10.10.2019, "On financial quotas for food in canteens and dormitories, determining the criteria for benefiting from scholarships and payments for students of pre-university education in public educational institutions, for the school year 2019-2020", as amended, students from vulnerable groups, in addition to scholarships, textbooks and free transportation, they will also be supported by special employees in the role of mediator, who will follow them in order to raise awareness, access and attend the learning process. - Providing transportation for students and teachers of basic education, but also for students attending upper secondary education (AML) of the needy strata who meet the defined criteria. The goal is to increase participation in upper secondary education, so students of this level who meet certain criteria will be offered free transportation. It is believed that such a measure will influence the increase in the participation of girls from rural areas in AML. - In implementation of the Education Strategy 2021-2026 and in the framework of multilingualism, the Ministry of Education and Sports introduced the English language as a subject in the first and second grade of primary education, as well as a second compulsory foreign language in basic education - 250 assistant teachers for students with disabilities have been added in the 2022-2023 school year to the pre-university education system, bringing their number to over 1,650, with the aim of meeting as best as possible all the needs of these students for development full of their intellectual, socio-emotional, developmental and physical potential. - The psycho-social service has been strengthened year after year. Currently, one psycho-social service worker covers 300-499 students and two psycho-social service workers work for each school with 500 or more students. In the National Education Strategy 2021-2026, special attention is paid to the education of Roma and Egyptians. - The inclusiveness of Roma and Egyptian children and youth in education is guaranteed by legislative, administrative and institutional reforms. The result of these reforms is the creation of data for the registration of Roma and Egyptian children in kindergarten and school. - In the field of education, priority has been given to facilitating the integration of Roma/Egyptian children and young people in kindergartens, schools and universities, with the aim that every Roma child goes to school, attends it with successful results and finishes it in age. An important aspect for fulfilling the priorities for the education of the Roma and Egyptian minorities is the cooperation of MAS with line ministries, with local self-government units, with interest groups, with NGOs and Roma/Egyptian associations, etc., the support of projects of different ones with a focus on Roma children and youth, the involvement of the Roma/Egyptian minorities themselves in the daily activities of educational institutions, making Roma/Egyptian parents part of the solution to the problems of education and education. - Educational policies have created equal opportunities for these minorities for a positive approach to school. Some of the main legal and sub-legal documents, drawn up in 2013 and following by the MAS and by the line institutions, which serve the integration of this layer of the population, with a focus on providing and improving opportunities for children's education and Roma and Egyptian youth, are: - National Education Strategy 2021-2026. - National Action Plan for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma and Egyptians in Albania (2021-2025). - National Action Plan for the Integration of Roma and Egyptians 2016-2020. - With the changes made in VKM no. 666, dated 10.10.2019 (with VKM no. 511, dated 28.07.2022, in order to regularly attend education, some social categories such as students, children of needy families, who are enrolled in basic education, but, financially unable, do not attend basic education, students of the Roma and Egyptian minorities and students with one parent, when one of the parents is not living. Vulnerable groups of students will benefit, support from designated staff from local educational institutions, responsible for pre-university education, in the role of mediator for these groups, to support them in terms of raising awareness and improving their access to education. Mediators will serve to improve communication and cooperation between vulnerable groups and institutions of pre-university education, in order to increase the attendance of the learning process. Roma and Egyptian students will be offered special after-school programs to complete coursework or take supplementary lessons. - Based on the law no. 96/2017 "On the protection of national minorities in the Republic of Albania", 9 national minorities are recognized in Albania. On the basis of legal and bylaw acts in the pre-university education system there are special educational institutions where they teach students of the Greek national minority and the Macedonian national minority, while students belonging to the Roma and Egyptian national minorities are not in separate schools, but are integrated into normal educational institutions, where they have their residential centers. - In Article 10 of Law No. 69/2012 "On the pre-university education system in the Republic of Albania", as amended, it is provided that persons who belong to national minorities are given opportunities to learn and be taught in their mother tongue, to learn their history and culture, according to lesson plans and programs. For this, based on the new curriculum, instruction no. 20, dated 19.07.2022, "On the definition of teaching subjects taught in the Albanian language and in the mother tongue by students of national minorities in basic education in Albania" was approved. - Based on this instruction, it has been possible for 70% of the teaching subjects for students of the Greek and Macedonian minorities in basic education to be developed in their mother tongue

4.What are the proposedsolutions? Engagement of civil society in raising awareness of inclusiveness in education.

5.What are the expectedresultswithin the implementation of the commitment? This commitment will support MAS's vision of building a quality education system that successfully addresses the individual needs of all children, treating them equally and with respect, based on their diversity.

Activities/Milestones | Expected products | Expected completion date

Measure 1.1: Awareness of the general public on the importance of inclusiveness in education

1.1.1. The improvement of social networks which are not inclusive are open spaces where the language of hatred, discrimination, bullying is not controlled | Publication Remember Information meetings with parents and the community about the importance of inclusiveness in preschool education; Publication on social networks of videos, sensitization materials on bullying, non- discrimination, etc | S II 2023 - S II 2024; S II 2023 - S II 2024

1.1.2 Creation of programs on national TV for public awareness of the importance of inclusiveness in education and the change of the current culture to an inclusive culture for building an inclusive society | TV shows with a focus on inclusiveness | S II 2023- 2024

1.1.3 Assistance to schools in 3 regions Elbasan, Gjirokaster and Mat (3 schools for each region) in the review and drafting of comprehensive plans in the framework of meeting the standards of schools as community centers | Plan for Inclusion | S II 2023- 2024

1.1.4 Training of teachers in the use of methodologies that stimulate inclusive education in early childhood and basic education in 3 regions Elbasan, Gjirokaster and Mat (3 kindergartens and 3 schools for each region) | Trained teachers | S II 2023- 2024

1.1.5 Organization of information sessions with parents about inclusiveness in 3 regions Elbasan, Gjirokaster and Mat (3 kindergartens and 3 schools for each region) | SSE Information sessions in 6 educational institutions | S II 2023- 2024

1.1.6 Encouraging the inclusiveness of children through sports in 12 regions (120 9- year public schools) | 12 sensitized regions | S II 2023- 2024

1.1.7 Discouraging school dropout through the inclusion of diversity in teaching programs and providing economic assistance to Roma families. | Number of Roma children supported with scholarships referredVKM no. 666, dated 10.10.2019, "On financial quotas for food in canteens and dormitories, determining the criteria for benefiting from scholarships and payments for students of pre-university education in public educational institutions, for the school year 2019- 2020". | S II 2023-2024

1.1.8 Participatory information sessions on intercultural dialogue and minority diversity for teachers | NEW Minority teachers informed/trained on the importance of cultural dialogue and exchange of experiences | S II 2023- 2024

1.1.9 Presentation of the Romani language in the educational system | Draft modules in the Romani language | S II 2023-2024

Priority measure 1.2.: Educating the general public on the importance of inclusiveness in education

1.2.1 To strengthen all schools as community centers for the spread of education, where you can work for an inclusive culture, the establishment of parents' clubs. | Empowerment of schools as Community Center School | S II 2023- 2024

1.2.2 Strengthening the structures of institutions within the school (parents' councils, school board) and involving parents in as many activities as possible. Strengthening the democratic spirit in these structures. | Realization of activities with this purpose | S II 2023- 2024

1.2.3 At the moment when we draw up the plans for a school, we set up working groups to draw up plans for everyone, i.e. Designing for the whole community of the area where the school is located. | The number of working groups established for the design of lesson plans | S II 2023- 2024

1.2.4 The role of psychosocial services in the education of the school community for the importance of creating an inclusive culture. | Psychosocial service protocols | S II 2023- 2024

1.2.5 Illiteracy and life skills courses for Roma women and girls | Informative meetings with the aim of educating mothers, mandatory training for several hours a year, for the rights and duties they have with regard to the inclusion of their children in school activities. | S II 2023- 2024

1.2.6 Provision of after- school programs for students and the Roma minority with the aim of reducing functional illiteracy | Implementation of after-school programs with the inclusion of students belonging to the Roma community | S II 2023- 2024

Action Plan Review

Commitment 20. Public awareness about inclusiveness in education