Prishtina, 21 November, 2023
With the main goal of investing in our most valuable resource, the youth, the campaign for the image of Education and Vocational Training was launched today, an event in which the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated.
The growth and diversification of our economy, the doubling of foreign direct investments, the reduction of inflation and the increase in employment figures, are proof of the stability, work and joint commitment of Kosovo’s institutions, enterprises and workers.
Being at the intersection of global changes and economic growth in our country, where a skilled, adaptable and innovative workforce is required, Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that Education and Vocational Training is essential for social well-being. Thus, our cooperation with the German Government shows the importance of international cooperation in linking education with the labor market.
“Learning from the German model, our government aims to integrate best practices with our unique context; a system which responds to the needs of our economy and society, but also to the potentials of our country. Here, close cooperation between companies, relevant associations, professional schools, students and our parents is a prerequisite for any institutional effort to build the dual system”, said the Prime Minister during his speech.
In addition to filling vacancies, by developing and piloting the dual system, already in 12 profiles, in 21 schools and in 14 municipalities, we are simultaneously building the foundation for lifelong learning.
Through this campaign, the prime minister recommended that the companies address their proposals to the Ministry of Education and to the relevant schools in their municipalities, while the odas help the member companies in collecting the requests from the school year 2024/25 to have spaces sufficient in vocational schools to prepare students.
On the other hand, for students and parents, this campaign is a call to recognize learning and the dual system as a sustainable and valuable path to personal and professional success, since as the prime minister said, the dual system also means a career, not just training.
The implementation of VET, i.e. providing the opportunity for every young man and woman to attend vocational education and learn the trade of their choice, is a key promise of the Government, which promises a skilled workforce for our industries that it consequently serves economic and social growth in Kosovo.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Dear Ms. Arbërie Nagavci, Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation,
Dear Ms. Rozeta Hajdari, Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade,
Honorable Ambassador Jörn Rohde, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kosovo,
The honorable Mr. Stefan Thomas, Senior Human Capital Expert from the European Training Foundation,
Honorable Taulant Kelmendi, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation,
Dear participants, ladies and gentlemen,
The Republic of Kosovo, full of youthful energy and potential, is at a key moment in its development journey. Our young population is one of our greatest assets, so it is our duty and privilege to equip them with the tools, skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the dynamic marketplace.
We are living in a time of unprecedented changes. The economy and technological developments are evolving rapidly. These developments require a skilled, adaptable and innovative workforce. Right here, at this intersection of global changes and economic growth in our country, Education and Vocational Training become not only important, but also essential for social well-being.
Today, while we are gathered here for the launch of the campaign for the image of Education and Vocational Training, it is essential to reflect on the economic developments in Kosovo, which highlight the importance of this initiative.
The turnover of our economy has seen a remarkable increase, from 12.56 billion euros in 2019, to 18.15 billion euros in 2022, an increase of 44.5%. Tax revenues in the period 2020-2022 increased by 47%, without changing the fiscal policy. In the field of international trade, our exports in 2022 reached 920.4 million euros, almost doubling compared to 2020. We are on track to exceed 1 billion euros in exports this year, an achievement that underlines the dynamism of the economy and our export. Our export-import ratio has improved significantly, going from almost 1:9 in 2019 to less than 1:6 today. This is a clear indicator of the growth and diversification of our economy.
Investments in our country have been strong, with foreign direct investment doubling in two years. In 2022 alone, we recorded 772 million euros in Foreign Direct Investments, a total of 1.2 billion euros for the last two years.
Our economic growth in 2022 was 5.2%, and for 2021 at an impressive level of 10.7%. Meanwhile, it seems that we will be able to close this year with an economic growth of 3.8%.
Inflation, a global challenge, has been effectively managed in time. From an extraordinary peak of about 12% in January of this year, we managed to have inflation of 3.3% in October, which is the lowest in the Balkan Peninsula, within only 10 months. This is a proof of our sound fiscal management and economic sustainability.
But the main thing in these last three years is how freedom has become development, while anti-corruption has become growth. At least 1 billion euros have been added to the economy every year, while earlier it took three years for 1 billion euros.
The vitality of the economy is also reflected in the employment figures because an increase should not be left to the state, it should be reflected in society as employment and well-being. From February 2021 to August 2023, we saw an increase of about 60,000 jobs, or more than 16% in less than 32 months. Our services sector, which accounts for 71.8% of the gross domestic product, has been an important contributor to this increase in employment.
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
These indicators are not just numbers, figures, but evidence of sustainability, work and joint commitment of enterprises, institutions, and workers of Kosovo. Therefore, even launching this campaign today, I do so with confidence that our country is on the path of sustainable growth and development. Our investment in education, especially in vocational training, is a strategic component for our country and our people.
By developing and piloting the dual system – already in 12 profiles, in 21 schools, in 14 municipalities – throughout Kosovo, we will not only fill vacancies; but at the same time we are building the foundation for lifelong learning. With this, we are opening the doors to creativity in our country, preparing our youth for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
The state wants to help entrepreneurs, because let the state, the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade take the cost that entrepreneurs pay for the training of workers. So that for a school degree we have a job, with a skilled worker according to that school degree and for that job.
It happens to all of us in Kosovo that sometimes we meet a non-professional academic, but we as a society need non-academic professionalism. So, for people who work for economic growth, family well-being and individual dignity.
Our cooperation with the German Government emphasizes the importance of international cooperation in linking education with the labor market. Learning from the German model, our government aims to integrate best practices with our unique context; a system which responds to the needs of our economy and society, but also to the potentials of our country. Here, close cooperation between companies, relevant associations, professional schools, students, but also our parents, is a prerequisite for any institutional effort to build the dual system. Therefore, I make a special call to all parents in Kosovo to consider the possibility of encouraging their children for the dual system, in order to create this stable bridge, important both for the state and the economy, as well as for the family and the citizen between the labor market and vocational training.
Let this forum today and this campaign serve us for these partnerships, which:
– Companies should express and address their needs and proposals to the Ministry of Education, but also to the relevant schools in their municipalities. It is not enough for the state to go to the entrepreneur, we encourage the entrepreneur to come to the state. It is not only the faculty, college, and university that can tell the private sector what is good and how it should be, but also the other way around. We need a common but two-way direction.
– Chambers should help member companies in collecting requests and ideas in order to have sufficient spaces in vocational schools to prepare students from the 2024/25 school year; AND
– For students and parents: This campaign is especially for you: It is a call to recognize learning and the dual system as a sustainable and valuable path to personal and professional success. The dual system also means a career, not just training.
As we launch this campaign today, we are investing in our most valuable resource, our youth. We are committed for our youth to develop professionally and for our country to be more economically stable. We are creating opportunities for young people to learn, work and contribute to and for their country, Kosovo.
The dual system is economically beneficial for the individual and for the state. But we must make and affirm the dual system as a social value. People who enter the dual system should be proud to be in the dual system. Only in this way do we make the dual system a social value in addition to economic benefit.
Dear attendees,
Thank you all for being a part of this very important journey of ours together. Your support and your faith in this process will propel this campaign to success. So, let’s continue to work together to create a brighter future for Kosovo, for this generation, and for the generations that come after us.
Last modified: November 29, 2023