The cost of a job in education: From 5 to 10 thousand euros in bribes to become a teacher in Albania

Appearing on Tuesday on the “Now” show with Erla Mëhilli on Euronews Albania, journalist Bledian Koka addressed the deteriorating state of the Albanian education system. He highlighted that teaching quality is undergoing a sharp decline and the reality inside schools is alarming.

According to Koka, to secure a job in education, a teacher must pay a sum ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 euros. He clarified that the fee varies based on location; for example, in Manëz or Durrës around 5,000 euros are required, while in Tirana the amount can reach up to 10,000 euros. This means that an educator is forced to sacrifice an entire year’s salary before starting work.

Citing the three most recent PISA reports, Koka underscored that Albania ranks last in the region for education quality. He called this ranking another deep sign of the crisis that has engulfed the sector.

Further, he drew attention to OECD data, according to which 56% of Albanian students face major difficulties in reading and writing. Koka explained that these individuals are not fully functional illiterates in the strict sense, yet they lack basic reading and writing skills, which constitutes a real tragedy.

Regarding the teacher recruitment method, the journalist called the dedicated portal for this process a “big farce.” He asserted that the current system essentially operates through informal payments that candidates must make to get into the education directorates.

In the final part of his commentary, Koka extended his criticism to Albanian diplomacy, mocking the idea of its “certification.” According to him, it consists merely of asserting that the political class is pro-European Union, pro-United States, in favor of integration, good neighborliness, and avoiding conflicts, which is enough to be recognized as a successful foreign policy.