During the signing ceremony of the agreement between the MAS and the AADF for the reform of the QSHA with international expertise, the Minister of Education and Sports, Ogerta Manastirliu, said that the regulation will be changed very soon to facilitate the procedures of diploma unifications for students who have graduated abroad, reducing the waiting time from 45 to 5 days for diplomas obtained in EU countries, USA, Canada, etc., while for other countries the waiting time will be reduced from 45 to 30 days.
The agreement for the reform and modernization of the Educational Services Center (QSHA) is signed between the Ministry of Education and the Albanian-American Development Fund, with the expertise of the Cambridge Assessment Center.
This agreement was signed by the Minister of Education and Sports Ogerta Manastirliu and the Co-Directors of the Albanian-American Development Fund (AADF). The agreement will be implemented immediately and will fundamentally change the way QSHA delivers educational services.
“Through this new partnership, we are transforming the Educational Services Center into an autonomous agency that will not only allow for transparent and meritocratic evaluation based on standards and methodologies that are consistent with international evaluations and adapt them to the local context but will also make it possible that from these evaluations, whether national or international, we will have the database from which to start improving the quality of education in all Albanian schools,” said Minister Manastirliu at the ceremony held at TUMO, one of the most innovative learning and technology structures for children and youth.
The process of transformation of QSHA will be divided into three phases, which include increasing capacities and skills, implementing the new legal and sub-legal framework, and monitoring the organizational and financial stability of QSHA in cooperation with international organizations and prestigious institutions, such as the Cambridge Assessment Center and the British Council, whose experience and practices will be essential for the reform of QSHA.
“We intend to create an effective structure of educational services with qualified staff, modern equipment, technology, and information. Based on this agreement, we intend to extend the digitalized tests from the state exams to university admission tests and also to expand the range of services offered by the Educational Services Center. Through the three phases of this reform of the QSHA, we will increase the capacities of human actions, and processing capacities and include innovative mechanisms of technology and evaluation of the achievements of students, and students in our educational system. The second phase will go to the drafting of the legal framework and by-laws, and here we will have the support of the Cambridge Assessment Center; to move towards the third phase, where the Educational Services Center will become an autonomous agency,” said Manastirliu.
The Educational Services Center offers services ranging from the organization of national examinations, the registration of graduates and students, the administration of state examinations, including medical and teaching, to the legalization of school documents, including the unification of higher education diplomas.
Regarding the latter, Minister Manastirliu said that the procedures for the recognition and unification of diplomas will be facilitated for all Albanian students who have graduated abroad.
“We are working with the Center for Educational Services and together we have just finalized changes in the rules for the recognition and unification of diplomas of students and professionals who have studied abroad, reducing the time of recognition and waiting for diplomas from 45 days to 5 days for those who have studied in the countries of the European Union, the United States of America, Great Britain, Canada, Japan, Israel. As for other countries, this procedure will be reduced from 45 to 30 days”, said the Minister of Education and Sports, Ogerta Manastirliu.
Through this agreement, QSHA will be transformed into a more effective service structure with qualified staff, modern infrastructure, and advanced technology.