Adolescent and Youth Perspectives on Education Quality - Case study from Kosovo - Presentation held in Geneva, 19 October 2011

1. KOSOVO CASE STUDY
Aferdita Spahiu, UNICEF Kosovo
19 October, Geneva

2. About Kosovo
 Kosovo newly declared independent country
 Political status pending on UN recognition
 83 countries recognize Kosovo, including 24
EU member states
 Population almost 2 m:
87 per cent K-Albanian
7 per cent K-Serb
1.8 per cent Roma, Ashkali & Egyptian
4.2 per cent Bosniak, Turks, Gorani & others

3. Some figures on education
 Net enrolment rate for primary schools 88%
 Less than 10% of children 3-6 y have access to early childhood
education
 Only 10 % of children with special needs attend school
 Less than 75% of children who complete compulsory education
continue to enrol in upper secondary school
 55% of K-Albanian girls and 40% of non-Serb minorities. Almost no
Roma girl continues secondary education
 70% youth unemployment rate

4. Key findings of the study
 Most of the Kosovar youth have rated
education above average or better
 Very small percentage rated poor or somewhat
poor
 Older youth are less enthusiastic about quality
of education comparing to the younger ones

5. …most of Kosovars highly value education,
because education is important:
 for all aspects of life
 preparing for a job
 ensuring a better status in society
 good citizenship and helping me develop this
country
 widening my perspectives

6. More education
 93 per cent of respondents request more
education
 13-18 want more than 19-24 youth
 high percentage of those who have dropped
out from school reqeusted more education

7. …
 Main factor that contributed to achievement of
their desired level of education was "personal
interest and motivation“
 For Serb youth: financial means is the main
factor.

8. …
 Neither of the subgroups mention politization
as a factor that influenced their education
attainment
 Youth very often expressed their concerns on
the frailer to fully implement educationrefoms
throughout Kosovo

9. How to achieve quality
education
 Their priorities are diverse and range from
addressing the lack of space to school safety
 A frustrating mismatch between the curriculum
and exam content at the secondary level

10. Call for practical skills
 Extreme poverty is twice the regional median
 youth unemployment more than 70 percent
 Kosovo’s labor market cannot absorb
graduates

11.  a higher proportion of youth have no
confidence in government to deliver high
quality services
 youth dissatisfaction with government
outpaces their dissatisfaction with education
quality

12.  Youth in both Albanian- and Serbian-majority
areas express curiosity about one another’s
lives
 They suggest more forums for youth to discuss
and compare their education concerns within
and across communities

13.  Youth across Kosovo want increased youth
involvement to urgently address their concerns
and ideas and meet their strong demand and
expectations for high quality education

14. advocacy messages
 The demand of the Kosovo adolescents and
youth for improved quality of education is the
last call for all stakeholders to strengthen the
support in secondary and higher education
 The economic growth and social inclusion are
pending on investments in education,
empowerment and participation of youth

15. Follow up plans
 The Kosovo Case Study will be translated into
local languages
 Publication and dissemination of the study
 Round table discussions on the findings of the
study and recommendations
 Opportunities for review of the existing and
ongoing programmes: CFS, Violence
Prevention in Schools, Youth Innovations Lab
etc.