Prishtina, 20 December, 2023
After the Annual Conference of the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the 2023 Youth Conference organized by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. This conference is the closing event of this year where the new central youth policy was presented, and during which there were interactive sessions, demonstrations and discussions.
Remembering the Youth Month in August this year, the Job Fair and the successes of our youth in film, art, sport, business and technology, Prime Minister Kurti said that the role of the state is to convey talent and potential with direct support, such as and the State Strategy for Youth.
“With the State Strategy for Youth, we have drawn up the main long-term orientation document for the government regarding youth, where each ministry and institution has defined its own role. In addition to being a strategy that orients us towards development, it is also a reform tool for cross-sectorial policy-making for youth, for the first time in our country”, said the Prime Minister.
Despite the difficulties and defects in the education system, the prime minister said that we are working on reforms, such as education and vocational training, free education at the public higher level and the granting of scholarships for high average grades, five thousand other scholarships for studies at home and abroad country, as well as scholarships for girls in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Further, the prime minister mentioned that at the beginning of 2021 there were 28,293 young people employed, while at the end of July 2023, the number of employed people was 60,884, this achievement also made possible through the SuperPuna employment platform, the “Kosova Generation Unlimited” program, and “Communities for young people” program. Meanwhile, he called the Innovation and Training Park in Prizren and the Digital Technology Park in Bernicë special spaces for creativity and innovation.
Kosovo’s membership in the International Organization EYCA will bring benefits inside and outside Kosovo for all our young people, without distinction, under the age of 30, said the Prime Minister, adding that with the liberalization of visas, and progress in the process of membership in the Council of Europe, we are on the verge of increased mobility and closer connection with Europe, and through programs in public schools, we are extending art, sports and volunteering to the new generations in the municipality of Pristina, Gjilan, Skenderaj, Peja, Mitrovica , Prizren, Ferizaj and Kamenica.
“I am convinced that there is nothing more important that we can do as a Government than to prepare the next generation for the development and leadership of our country”, concluded the Prime Minister, calling on young people to take care and work together to help themselves, each other and the state.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Dear young girls and young boys,
Dear Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Mr. Hajrulla Ceku,
The Honorable President of the European Youth Card Association, Mr. Miguel Perestrello,
The Honorable Ms. Nona Zicherman, Head of the Unicef Office,
Honorable Ardian Gola, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Education, Culture and beyond,
The Honorable Deputy Ministers and members of the State Commission for Youth,
Dear youth activists and workers,
Representatives of various organizations,
Welcome and hope to find each other at this important event for our youth.
In August of this year, during the Youth Month, I had the opportunity to meet hundreds of young men and women of my age throughout Kosovo. For many of us who were present, the Youth Fair, as the closing event, once again testified to the success of our girls and boys. Handcrafted by young people, the products exhibited at the fair were not just mundane objects, but work manifested in long days and late nights.
The successes of our youth in film, art, sports, business and technology are beyond the ordinary, while the role of the state is to convey talent and potential with direct support.
For this generation of young people, the challenges both in Kosovo and the world continue to be great. The results of the PISA test for our country have already shown structural and chronic defects in the education system. They have shown that there is still a lot to be done, that there are issues that are having negative and accompanying effects on the labor market and the economy. But the difficulties that we call challenges are not here for apathy, they are not a cause for despair, but on the contrary, for will, optimism and enthusiasm.
We are working to reform the education system, to make our schools and universities places where children and young people, together with teachers and parents, work, learn and research. Addressing systemic problems requires the commitment of the entire society. It is a fact that there have never been better tools to make a difference – to choose the path of work and contribution, both for the country individually and for our society collectively.
Early on in our government, we made public higher education free. So students will have to pay for housing and living, but not for studies. In addition to thousands of regular scholarships for high average grades, we awarded about five thousand other scholarships for studies at home and abroad, and we are especially happy with the results of scholarships for girls in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. From 2021 to 2023, we awarded 4,630 scholarships to girls in STEM. Thanks to our incentive measures, the participation of girls in STEM at the University of Pristina has reached 50%, and this should be compared with the European Union average of 17%.
For education and professional training, we are developing and piloting the dual system – already in 12 job profiles, in 21 schools, in 14 municipalities – all over Kosovo. The dual system serves not only to fill job vacancies, but also to build the foundation for lifelong learning.
In addition to the growth of the economy and export and the record state budget, we have seen concrete benefits for our youth, with more than doubling the number of employees. At the beginning of 2021, there were 28,293 young people employed, while at the end of July 2023, the number of employed people was 60,884.
So, for young women and men under the age of 25, for two and a half years, we have more than doubled the number of employed people.
Through the employment platform “SuperPuna”, for nine months, around 8,500 young people between the ages of 18 and 25 were employed, in a total of 6,400 businesses.
For practical work, with the “Kosova Generation Unlimited” program of the Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers, in cooperation with UNICEF in Kosovo and the CSR network, we are offering opportunities for 10 thousand young men and women until the end of 2024.
Similarly, through the Ministry of Local Government Administration and the World Bank “Municipalities for Youth” program, in addition to providing direct grants to youth, project management and soft skills training was organized for more than 1,500 youth.
For more space for creativity and innovation for young people and new companies, we have the Innovation and Training Park (ITP) in Prizren, which has been supported with 8 million euros, as well as the Digital Technology Park in Bernica, which we inaugurated together. We also established the center for digital excellence, within which 3D printing and scanning laboratories were created, as well as classrooms equipped for training in the field of Technology, Information and Communication.
Last week we announced the news that Kosovo has joined 30 European countries, becoming a member of the International Organization EYCA, which will bring benefits inside and outside Kosovo for all our young people, without distinction, under the age of 30.
With the liberalization of visas, and progress in the process of membership in the Council of Europe, we are on the verge of increased mobility and closer connection with Europe. And through programs in public schools, we are expanding art, sports and volunteering for the new generations in the municipalities of Prishtina, Gjilan, Skënderaj, Peja, Mitrovica, Prizren, Ferizaj and Kamenica.
Meanwhile, with the State Strategy for Youth, we have drawn up the main long-term orientation document for the government regarding youth, where each ministry and institution has defined its own role. In addition to being a strategy that guides us towards development, it is also a reform tool for cross-sectorial policy-making for youth, for the first time in our country.
So, investment in education, employment, and youth training, with the dedication and energy of a new, good, democratic government of a new country, with a new population.
I am convinced that there is nothing more important that we can do as a Government than to prepare the next generation for the development and leadership of our country.
We are seeing in the region, in Europe and in the world, that democracy, freedom, equality should not be taken for granted, as facts given once and for all in our society, but they should be protected all the time, everywhere, at any cost. To achieve this, we need your help and our cooperation.
To develop yourself and society, you will have the permanent support of your state, because it is yours. Therefore, do not allow yourself to be influenced by indifference or individualism. Whenever there is competition, let there be cooperation, so that the competition is constructive and productive and does not turn into hostile rivalry. Share hope, love for work and justice with others.
I want you to have a good day today, but also every remaining day of this year, to discuss and meet, to work and have fun with different initiatives and various joint activities.
My advice would be that as you look ahead, always look to the side and make sure you haven’t left anyone behind. So take care of those close to you and see how you can work together to help yourself, each other and society, the people, the state and our prosperous nation.
Happy holidays and I wish you much success in your future, wherever you go and whatever you want to do.
Thank you.
Last modified: December 21, 2023