Important visit of German Education Trade Union, GEW, delegation in Albania

After a successful collaboration since some years ago and after the support  for the implementation of a Project regarding keeping children in school and eliminiation of child labopur in Bathore area, a delegation of German Education Trade Union, GEW, headed by its President, Mrs. Marlis Tepe, aslo with participation of her Adviser, Mrs. Elina Stock, payed a visit in Albania, during the period, 7 to 9 December 2014, invited by both Albanian education trade unions, FSASH and SPASH.

Some activities were organised on this occasion, as the offical meeting with FSASH and SPASH leaders, special meetings in “Ahmet Zogu” and “Halit Coka” schools, where the Project on prevention and elimination of child labour is being implementing, meetings with representatives of FSASH and SPASH Durresi region, as well as a meeting in the Ministry of Education and Sports, with the Director of Staff Cabinet, Mrs. Adriana Berberi.

Since the beginning of the meeting with FSASH and SPASH leaders, Mrs. Marlis Tepe expressed her staisfaction being among FSASH and SPASH representatives in this important visit in Albania. She repeated the committment of GEW to continue supporting FSASH and SPASH in their mission of social and economic protection of teachers, progressive development of educatioin system and keeping all children in school and eliminating child labour.

Following, chairmen of FSASH, Xhafer Dobrushi, and SPASH, Nevrus Kaptelli, informed about the actual situation, activities of their trade unions, problems they are facing, challenges they are confronting, being foccussed especially on negotiations about the new collective agreement, as well as the intention of the Ministry of Education and Sports to test all teachers, for which both FSASH and SPASH are against, takingt into consideration that this methode is not stipulated by Law and it is not an efficient approach for teachers qualification.
New developments regarding the relations bewteen FSASH and SPASH, the new phase of their collaboration, through the establishment of Education Trade Unions Alliance, which was hailed by GEW representatives, as an imprortant step forward for Albanian trade union movement and for the future of FSASH and SPASH.

Partnerity with the Ministry of Education and Sports, relations between GEW and FSASH/SPASH, as well as they joint engagement and support to each other in the framework of European and world level, were also subject of discussions in this important meeting.
Mrs. Marlis Tepe appreciated the committments of FSASH and SPASh considering some of them as an example also for other trade unions in the region and wider and promised continuous collaboration and support for FSASH and SPASH.

Really important were meetings organised in both schools, “Ahmet Zogu” and “Halit Coka”, with participation of teachers, pupils and parents engaged in the activities of Project implementation and in concrete work with pupils to realise Project objectives.
Heads of Monitoring Groups, Bukurosh Hoxha, “Ahmet Zogu” school, and Hysen Kodashi, “Halit Coka” school, informed widely on measures taken, activities organised, results achieved and the main challenges to realise this Project objectives. Teachers, pupils and parents who took the floor, brought their experience in their concrete work with individual pupils dropped out from school and working and those at risk to drop out from school.

Headmasters of the schools, Azem Kovaci, « Ahmet Zogu » school and Mahmut Ajazi,  « Halit Coka » school, appreciated the support from GEW and thanked GEW President, Marlis Tepe for the visit and for the support of teachers, pupils and parents work to keep all children in school and eliminate child labour.
GEW President , Marlis Tepe, appreciated the work that teachers, pupils and parents are doing in both schools and promised that GEW will continue to support their committment also in the future.
In the Ministry of Education and Sports, GEW delegation was met with the Director of Staff Cabinet, Mrs. Adriana Berberi, who informed about the engagement of this Ministry to make possible a deep reform in education system in Albania, also in collaboration with education trade unions, facing some problems, especially regarding teachers training, quality education and so on.

GEW President, Mrs. Marlis Tepe, spoke about GEW experience in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and explanied the way how teachers are supported to be trained and to progress in their career, expressing, at the same time, their opinion about the aim of the Albanian Education Ministry for testing all teachers, as a way which not only doesn't have any effect in teachers training, but,  in contrary, can have a negative impact regarding teachers role in providing quality education.

During its stay in Albania, GEW delegation, was also met with representatives of FSASH and SPASH Durresi Sections and paid visits in Durresi Amphitheater and Scanderbeg Castle and old Bazaar in Kruja.