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

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

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

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

…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

More education  93 per cent of respondents request more education  want more than youth  high percentage of those who have dropped out from school reqeusted more education

…  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.

…  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

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

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

 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

 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

 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

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

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.