TIRANA, October 22 /ATSH/ — For the first time, Albania is hosting the PISA Governing Board meeting in Tirana, bringing together representatives from 91 countries. This landmark three-day event features a series of high-level meetings, panel discussions, and roundtables focused on the future priorities and development of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

Minister of Education Mirela Kumbaro delivered remarks at the opening ceremony, which was also attended by Andreas Schleicher, the OECD Director for Education and Skills.

Kumbaro emphasized the importance of quality education in developing the skills to express ideas and find solutions through dialogue—a point she made with reference to recent events in the capital.

“Like many European capitals, Tirana is facing a wave of civil unrest. In these public clashes, the line between constructive social activism and mob mentality is dangerously thin. Therefore, we must employ every available means to understand what needs to change in our approach—including within our educational bureaucracy, which moves far more slowly than the adrenaline coursing through our students,” she said.

Kumbaro added that, “We share one principle: children and young people must have the space to express their opinions, ask questions, demand change and even disagree.”

However, the minister continued, their safety, well-being and right to learn must always remain at the core of our responsibilities.

Furthermore, Kumbaro highlighted efforts such as the modernization of curricula, the development of training modules on the sustainable use of technology and artificial intelligence for both teachers and students, the “After School” program, and the “National Reading Movement 2.0”—all of which are initiatives designed to foster critical judgment, creative thinking, and a curiosity to learn more. Albania showed significant improvement in the results of the international PISA 2025 test compared to 2022. According to OECD data, Albania’s scores increased by 65 points in mathematics, 59 points in science, and 50 points in reading. /p.s./