To Greisi and Rein, and every first to fourth-grade schoolchildren in the primary education system, the new school year is set to begin with a novelty. For the first time, they will get their textbooks for free. Greisi and Rei, the two kids of Karaj family in the capital city, third and fourth-graders respectively, were handed the new textbooks by the Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Minister of Education Lindita Nikolla in person, who were the guests in their home.

Gresi and Rei thanked Prime Minister Edi Rama for the textbooks and the government head reminded the two that they should exercise caution when using the textbooks, which must be returned in satisfactory condition at the end of school year. “You should look after the textbooks as you should return them again. In order for you to keep receiving textbooks next school year, so that younger schoolchildren can use the textbooks you are receiving today. So, you should keep them very fondly and carefully. The books pages and covers should not be scratched and damaged, but should be preserved and closely kept as they are the best food for children to grow and become strong, ” Prime Minister Rama said.

A new phase in the children’s education is to begin this year as both students and teachers will be banned from using mobile phones anywhere on school grounds. “This is the very first moment to usher in a new era of the children’s education, but during the whole process we need your critical eye on what goes on not only when doing homework and studying at home, but also during the classroom learning. Because these children deserve the best and we will do our best,” Minister of Education Nikolla said.

Replacement of the old textbooks with the new ones from the Oxford, Cambridge and Person is set to complete next year, ensuring there will be a continuity in the learning process and preventing from crossing from a system to another. The new school for principals and head teachers is another project due to kick off soon and which will ensure higher quality in the process of management of the education institutions. “We have developed a very good project as the teachers training system has changed significantly to become more effective, but we still face a problem when it comes to the head teachers and their new school will help to increase their management capabilities and take the school principal’s role into another level,” the Premier said.

Highlighting this year’s novelty, Prime Minister Rama expressed his government’s ambition to make sure that textbooks are provided for free to children in grades 1-9, or in the entire primary education system of the country, voicing confidence this objective will be achieved by the end of the second term in office. “This was the new opportunity we were provided under the state budget, but according to the projections we have made, we are confident that all schoolchildren in grades 1-9 will get their textbooks for free within the next three years,” he said.

The Premier also called upon teachers and school principals to conclude the textbook delivery process on time in order to ensure that the new school year begins as scheduled and without problems.