A new report by the Ombudsperson has highlighted the failures of Kosovo’s education system to provide deaf children with proper education and the use of sign language. According to the findings, students with hearing impairments continue to lag behind even after completing high school.

The investigation was launched after alarming signals from citizens and non-governmental organizations, which showed that many deaf young people, despite high academic success in school, cannot read or write at the expected level. This situation called into question the true quality of education they receive.

During the process, the Ombudsperson’s institution contacted the “Mother Teresa” Resource Center in Prizren and sought explanations from the Ministry of Education and Science. The questions focused on curricula, teacher qualifications, availability of sign language, and concrete strategies to ensure inclusive education for these students.

The report concludes that, although the Constitution and laws in force guarantee the right to education, deaf children face deep barriers in practice. The pronounced lack of teachers trained in sign language, support specialists, interpreters, as well as the absence of adapted textbooks and fair assessment systems, is seriously harming their educational development and exposing them to the risk of discrimination.

To address these problems, the Ombudsperson has directed several key recommendations to the Ministry of Education. Among them are: full implementation of inclusive education policies, engagement of a multidisciplinary team at the “Mother Teresa” Resource Center, increased professional training for teaching staff and interpreters, and the establishment of a regular inspection system to closely monitor the quality of teaching.

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According to a press release, during the meeting the parties shared views on the issues that the Ombudsperson has addressed and continues to deal with, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Labor, Family, and Values of the Liberation War.

Appreciating the contribution of the institution in strengthening the rule of law, institutional accountability, and protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, Minister Hoti expressed commitment to cooperate with the Institution of the Ombudsperson, the announcement states.

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According to him, during inspections he offers detainees the opportunity for private and confidential meetings. “As part of the inspections, I offer meetings to detainees, in a private and confidential manner. Some of them have met with me, some have not.”

Spera also wrote that in the past week he carried out his 11th inspection and that he is satisfied that the detention conditions meet the highest standards.

Earlier, Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, who are facing war crimes charges in The Hague, sent a letter to Ombudsperson Pietro Spera.

In this letter, the former KLA leaders emphasize that the Specialist Chambers were established to provide an adequate response to the allegations in Dick Marty’s Report, while complaining that the proceedings against them are being accompanied by irregularities.

The former senior state and KLA officials mentioned “prolonged delays in the process, delayed materials, excessive redactions,” assessing that these slow down the judicial process and endanger the principle of equality of arms in the proceedings.

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