EDIT NIKOLLI
The educational system has been affected by a domino effect since the earthquake of November 26, 2019 which was followed by the Covid-19 pandemic that emerged in March last year. Faktoje has made several investigations regarding the issues of online and blended learning, but when we required knowing how many teachers have passed away due to Covid, official sources including MESY have not provided us any figures, not even on teacher’s day on March 7.
It has been almost a year since the announcement of the pandemic of Covid-19 and we still have not been provided with the official figures of the infected teachers and teachers who have passed away during this period. This community as well has been on the front line, facing all-round challenges to succeed in the learning process.
Faktoje has continuously followed the issues caused by online and blended learning, also addressing requests for information to the Ministry of Education on the results of surveys on this process, as well as the Institute of Public Health on the health consequences and death rates due to the pandemic in the ranks of this community.
Request for Information addressed to the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, March 3, 2021
Information request addressed to IPH, January 8, 2021
Considering the lack of response from the institution on the number of infected teachers and death rates among them due to Covid-19, on March 5, Faktoje addressed the Minister of Education Mrs. Evis Kushi through WhatsApp.
Screenshot of the communication on WhatsApp with Minister Kushi, March 6, 2021
Further on Faktoje reached out to the cabinet of the Ministry of Education, which provided us with the following response:
“It is the educational institutions which in cooperation with the regional office of pre-university education from which they depend on, follow up the legal procedures regarding the replacement of teachers who are absent for various reasons, including those who are confirmed positive or are quarantined as contacts of infected individuals. The official gathering and processing of data on infections or death rates due to Covid-19 is not carried out by educational institutions. These institutions inform about the progress of the teaching process and other elements related to the pre-university education system.”
Faktoje also required accurate information from Professor Tritan Kalo, who resigned a few days ago from the Committee of Experts, but he suggested that we turn to the IPH.
Screenshot from the WhatsApp communication with Dr. Tritan Kalo, March 5, 2021
Screenshot from WhatsApp communication with the Expert of the Institute of Public Health Silva Bino, March 4, 2021
Faktoje also turned to the independent teachers’ union requiring a response whether they have been provided with data on the pandemic situation in the education system, but so far we have not received a response from this organization either.
On March 7, Teacher’s Day, during meetings with teachers Minister Kushi did not mentioned any official data regarding this situation:
“The pandemic period changed our lives, we have been deeply saddened for every teacher infected by Covid-19 and unfortunately we have lost some of our beloved teachers.”
Prime Minister Rama also applauded teachers on the occasion of March 7, but he also did not mention any data on the situation caused by Covid-19 infections and the losses suffered by the army of teachers during the pandemic.
