Education should be declared a national emergency in Kosovo after PISA results

Following the publication of the PISA 2025 results, the Network of Civil Society Organizations for Pre-University Education called for education to be granted national emergency status. According to ROSCAP, the data from this assessment must be followed by concrete and measurable measures.

The request was made during a roundtable held in Pristina, attended by representatives of institutions, municipalities, schools, the trade union, parents and civil society.

Education Minister Hajrulla Çeku said that attention should focus on solutions rather than on determining who is responsible for the problems in education.

“For a long time, we have focused on the question of who is to blame. Now we must ask: What do we do now?” Çeku said, according to a statement from ROSCAP, as reported by KosovaPress.

Çeku called for an examination of how the education budget is used and stressed the need to protect employment in schools from political-party influence.

He also announced the introduction of a state examination for entry into the teaching profession and called for the role of the profession to be strengthened.

According to the minister, the shortcomings of the education system become more apparent in the classroom. He said the curriculum is overloaded and that students still rely mainly on memorization.

The minister announced a gradual transition to full-day learning, as well as changes to improve the curriculum. He called for a social agreement on education that would stand above political parties and government mandates.

Participants said that the PISA results should not be viewed as an objective in themselves, but as a reflection of the state and problems of the system. Their demands included a review of the curriculum, improvements to the assessment process and the development of reading skills.

The roundtable also called for advancing the professional development of teachers, increasing attendance and improving school infrastructure.

ROSCAP urged institutions to also take into account the demands of the twelve thousand five hundred and twenty-six citizens who had signed the Petition to Save Education, submitted to the Assembly in March 2024.

As a conclusion to the discussions, a document containing recommendations and conclusions for central institutions, municipalities and schools will be prepared. According to the statement, the document is expected to be published soon.