Early childhood education will be included as one of the pillars of the new Education Strategy 2035+, Deputy Minister of Education and Science Përparim Kryeziu said. He said that this field remains one of the main priorities of the Ministry of Education and Science.

Kryeziu made the remarks at the roundtable “Closing the Gender Gap in Care Services: More Choices for Women,” organized by the Riinvest Institute in its capacity as the Secretariat of the Women’s Economic Forum. The discussion focused on expanding care services for children and the elderly, as well as their connection to employment and women’s economic participation.

“We aim for every child, regardless of background, place of residence or socioeconomic circumstances, to have the opportunity to use quality services close to where they live and at a cost the family can afford,” Kryeziu said.

Speaking about expanding the network of nurseries and involving more children in early education, particularly over the past five years, he said that around €44 million had been invested in physical infrastructure. The investments included new construction and adaptations in a total of 27 municipalities.

He also mentioned the adoption of the Law on Early Childhood Education. According to Kryeziu, the Ministry of Education is continuing its work on implementing the new Curriculum, ensuring quality, providing professional development for educators, strengthening inclusion, and fostering partnerships with families and the community.

As indicators of progress, the deputy minister cited the results of the 2025 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, published by the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) in partnership with UNICEF in Kosovo. The data show that children’s participation in early childhood education has more than doubled over the past five years. Kryeziu attributed this increase to the policies implemented and the contribution of institutions and other stakeholders in the field.

The GAP Institute’s report, “Care Institutions in Kosovo: Capacities and Geographical Distribution in the Context of Women’s Employment,” was also presented at the roundtable. It examines the capacities and geographical coverage of care institutions, as well as their connection to employment opportunities for women.

Municipal-level data show a link between the presence of care services and women’s inactivity in the labor market. In municipalities where these services are more widespread, the rate of inactive women is lower; where services are more lacking, more women remain outside the labor market.

The panel also included Mentor Morina, director of the Ministry’s Department for Labor, Family and Values of the Liberation War; Visare Mujko-Nimani, head of the UNFPA Office in Kosovo; Saxhide Mustafa, coordinator of the Women’s Economic Forum; Arta Gashi, deputy mayor of the Municipality of Suhareka; and Luljeta Demolli, executive director of the Kosovo Centre for Gender Studies.

Kryeziu thanked the organizers for the invitation and open discussion, as well as for the report presented and the recommendations and suggestions that emerged from it.

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