IN THE WORLD DAY OF DOWN SYNDROME, THE ALBANIAN COALITION FOR EDUCATION BRINGS IN ATTENTATION THE PROBLEMS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES!

Tirana 21 March 2018 – Today, in the framework of the World Day of Down Syndrome, the Albanian Coalition for Education took part in the sensitizing hearing session held by the Labour, Social Affairs and Health Commission with the interest groups and representatives of state institutions.

The Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Petrit Vasili in his opening speech greatly appreciated the interest of CSOs in organizing this public hearing and the returning to a good practice of the work of this commission the organization and the involvement in the hearing session of the actor’s of interest.

During this hearing session, Mr. Klaudio Pulaha representative of the Albanian Coalition for Education (ACE), focused his speech on the situation of the 64.2% of children from 6-15 years old who are currently out of the education system. Referring to the high number of children with disabilities who are outside of the pre-university education system, Mr. Pulaha on behalf of ACE once again requested from the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth and by the line ministries to: a) Ensure access for every child to attend public education; b) Provide quality education for every child in Albania; c) Become a partner with teachers in order to improve the quality and participation of all children in the education system; d) To contribute to the realization of the inclusion of all children without distinction in the education system in Albania.

The Albanian Coalition for Education focused in one of the most important achievements thanks to advocacy with the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth to increase the number of auxiliary teachers in public schools. Referring to this, ACE praised the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth for doubling the number of auxiliary teachers for 2018 by bringing it to 600 auxiliary teachers, but ACE required their empowerment and capacity building as well!

At this hearing session, ACE again asked the relevant ministries and institutions: a) to strictly enforce Law 69 of 2012 on the pre-university system! b) Improving of the statistical data on children with disabilities.

In conclusion, the Albanian Coalition for Education invited all members of the commission to take into consideration the solutions to any issues that will be addressed by two reports that ACE is working on, the Monitoring Report on the Functioning of Schools as a Community Center in the City of Tirana, as well as the Monitoring Report for Special Schools throughout Albania.