School Textbook Application Deadline Closes Tonight, More Than 181,000 Parents Have Applied for Subsidies

Parents and legal guardians have only a few hours left before the extended deadline to apply for the school textbook subsidy expires. The Ministry of Education has renewed its call for them to take advantage of this final window, which closes at midnight tonight, to secure the funds before the start of the new school year.

Initially, the application process was scheduled to close on August 9, but following appeals from many families who were experiencing difficulties, the authorities decided to extend it. According to the latest official figures, more than 181,500 applications have been registered on the platform for students from first through ninth grade. Of these, 95,388 applications have already been approved, while 96,098 are under review and another 710 have been rejected.

Anita Kadriu, director of the Department of Pre-University Education, explained the verification mechanism being applied to each request. According to her, a coordinator at each school verifies whether the student is actually enrolled at that institution and in the relevant grade. The application is approved only after this confirmation; otherwise, it is rejected. This measure, which is being implemented nationwide for the second consecutive year, aims to eliminate any attempt at misuse. Kadriu stressed that the Ministry of Education is continually refining the process to make it as secure and transparent as possible.

As for the specific benefits, the state budget has allocated 14 million euros to this support scheme. However, the exact amount each family will receive remains unclear, as it will be calculated only after applications close and the full verification of the data is completed. The Ministry says the verification process is expected to be completed next week, with bank transfers to begin immediately afterward. The ultimate goal, the authorities emphasize, is for every student to have their schoolbooks before September 1, when the school year officially begins.