This is indeed a very important moment, because it is about a new phase and a radical transformation in the approach to schools, but also in the relation between teachers, students and parents, as well as in the relation of these three fundamental components with knowledge, which school should guarantee to every child and student.

This is a first phase of a transformation that, let me remind you that when was proposed by us in view of new ideas for schools, was viewed by many people a lot of scepticism, while others didn’t hesitate to show the same old cynicism.  But here we are today, in front of a fait accompli, which means that work has started for real and 60 schools will be involved in this totally revolutionizing program, approximately 47 thousand students and over 2 thousand teachers will the first part of this inclusive project for students and teachers, and within three years every high school across the country will go from the phase where they are today to this new phase that we presented along with innovations and challenges.

Of course, this is not easy and there is a major problem, but I believe that for the first time the problem is not students, nut teachers. Because for students it is much easier to absorb new technology, while for teachers this is more difficult. Therefore, teachers’ training in this process is a big challenge, as it is having them available and equipped with the necessary knowledge for this process.

Then there is the other side, justly highlighted by the minister, because the problem of technology is not how much we invest in computers, how much we invest in infrastructure, but how much these investments are connected to knowledge and to the skills to use this infrastructure. Actually, it is sad to acknowledge that investments made in technology not only have had zero impact, but it has been a negative impact because of the budget pits in the Ministry of Education and in the state budget, as a consequence of the lack of training and necessary skills for those who would use these means at the service of knowledge.

I believe that this radical transformation will bring very good things, but what I see as the biggest and main good thing is the fact that it will create a new and very transparent connection in student-teacher relations, class-teachers relations, in the relations among schools and so on, and of course in the relations between the school and parents. This way, this new technology gives us the opportunity to have in front of our eyes a very big transparent mirror of the complexity of connections and interconnections in the entire system of knowledge, it gives us the opportunity to have a clear of the overall level, to have a clear view of the individual progress of each student, to have a clear view of teachers’ ability and skills to convey knowledge, and to have a clear view also of how parents are involved in this process.

So, this is not a technological project, but without any doubt it will have a very big impact in the human relations of all those who make the education system live. In addition, it will provide on real time extraordinarily voluminous information, which otherwise would take a lot of time to be extracted and elaborated.

The excellent presentation about this showed us exactly that the system creates the conditions to gather and elaborate an extraordinary amount of information, that will have a direct impact not only on how teaching will be improved, but also on how to improve the process of knowledge acquisition, on how institutions, education departments and the government itself will understand and act, being based precisely on this very large amount of information we will obtain.

Undoubtedly, this project will enable every high school student in Albania to remove all lines of demarcation between the wealthy and poor areas, between the centre and periphery, because everyone will be equal in front of the resource of knowledge and opportunities for knowledge, in order to be ready to go on with the rest of their studies and to decide themselves on the expertise and knowledge, which will not be imposed by the conditions in various areas of the country.

I believe that we have a reason to be very proud for launching today this new, historical phase  of the educational transformation in Albania, and I am confident that with the completion of this project within the coming three years, we will have the opportunity to say that we are experiencing a transformation never occurred before which without any doubt will enable us to see further and will bring transformations that today probably we cannot even imagine.

Thank you very much!

***

The Ministry of Education launched today the project for the digitization of teaching. The presentation of the project, of its objectives and scope, was attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama, Minister of Education Lindita Nikolla, and government partners in this process.

The project aims at making the historical transition from traditional teaching methods to intelligent class. The integration of technology in education will bring a radical transformation of the educational process, in addition to streamlining and improving the quality of teaching and learning.

The project, successfully piloted since December 2013 in several schools across the country, will be extended to 60 secondary schools in the first phase of its implementation, with approximately  47 thousand beneficiary students. Every school will be equipped with 2 digital laboratories that include interactive projectors and tablets for students and teachers, etc.

The focus of the project is the interaction between students, teachers, institutions and parents, through the use of management operating systems. Foreign languages and science subjects will be taught through e-learning platform. In addition, interaction through the use of online education portal, the class registry through which parents will keep track of their children’s  performance are other important components of the project.

The project will bring radical changes in the management of pre-university education system, such as improvement of the electronic system for generating students’ IDs, personnel files, school administration etc.

Minister Lindita Nikolla assured that the Ministry of Education is highly committed to the success of the project.