UNICEF and Ministry of Education Present Study on Reforming Digital Education

UNICEF in Kosovo, the Ministry of Digitalization and Public Administration, and the Ministry of Education and Science today presented a study entitled “From Digital Access to Digital Competence: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Development of Digital Competences in Kosovo’s Pre-University Education System, Roadmap for Digital Education Reform.”

According to the study, although digitalization is a strategic priority for education in Kosovo, its implementation continues to be hindered by a number of problems. These include weak institutional coordination, inadequate infrastructure, limited teacher preparedness, insufficient financing, and the lack of a clearly defined approach to new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence.

Representatives of the partner institutions spoke about the project, including the acting Minister of the Ministry of Digitalization and Public Administration, Lulëzon Jagxhiu.

Jagxhiu said that students and teachers, rather than technology itself, must be at the heart of digital transformation in education. According to him, the aim is for the use of technology to contribute to higher-quality and more inclusive education that prepares young people for the future.

The acting Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education and Science, Përparim Kryeziu, also said that the Digital Roadmap provides a sound basis for decision-making, allowing the opportunities created by digitalization to be fully exploited.

Kryeziu said that digitalization is considered both a necessity of the times and an opportunity to improve quality and access, as well as to promote greater equality and inclusion in the education system.

The head of UNICEF’s Office in Kosovo, Veronika Vashchenko, emphasized that children and young people in the country are already growing up in a digital reality. For this reason, she said, digitalization should not be limited solely to ensuring access to technology.

Vashchenko stressed that every child should be given the opportunity to develop critical digital competences, supported by teachers who have the confidence to use technology meaningfully and by education systems that create safe, inclusive, and effective learning environments.

The report commends the steps taken to align with European standards, while calling for stronger implementation, monitoring, and accountability. In conclusion, the Roadmap calls for a joint commitment from government institutions, municipalities, schools, universities, development partners, and the private sector to invest in the digital competences that will shape Kosovo’s future.