Why is SBASK opposing teaching testing?

She told Radio Free Europe that such a test would have a negative influence on the educators, arguing they would feel worthless and useless to the educational institutions where they work.

A.D., who did not want to be published the full name, said that she would personally refuse to be tested in writing about her knowledge of the fields she teaches.

I would never [have to accept the written test]... A teacher to the diary has done enough tests... I think it's humiliating to update a teacher after completing an educational level”, this teacher said.

Even the United Education, Science and Culture Union of Kosovo ( The SBASK has repeatedly stated that it would not allow teachers to undergo tests for knowledge, as they deemed it unnecessary, even offensive if such a written test is approved.

According to SBASK head Beftman Jasharaj, if such a test is approved, university preparation and other qualifications of Kosovo teachers would also be questioned.

“We do not change attitude and are sometimes mixing two terms, testing written knowledge and assessing teacher performance. We were, we are, and we remain against writing down knowledge of teachers, because it is derogatory and degrading and questions, for no reason, the knowledge they have received at Kosovo universities. Even questions, for no reason, even the work respected professors have done with these students who have prepared them for the education sector”, Jasharaj told Radio Free Europe.

The debate over whether knowledge and performance of teachers, currently employed, should be tested, seems still ongoing, as a draft administrative guidance for licensing teachers is recently cited under the package of legislative changes.

Teachers, who want to be promoted with advanced, permanent and career licenses, would have to undergo certain assessments that would be determined after administrative instruction for teaching licenses became effective. In a response to the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MASHTI) for Radio Kosovo, the teacher, who moves from his career license to his advanced career, said that an addition to pay for it is provided.

In this regard, SBASK leader Jasharaj said it is not against the UNI draft guidance, because teachers are offered the opportunity to submit themselves to testing voluntarily and that they have repeatedly asked professional inspectors to look closely at the commitment of every teacher in class with students.

The “is prepared almost overall and remains at the end of the minister [of education] Arberie Nagavci, so let the minister sign it and then launch the promotion procedure. What Kosovo teachers need to know is that it will be a voluntary issue, namely [for those] Kosovo teachers who feel themselves prepared”, Jasharaj stressed.

The REL has attempted to contact AugustI with the written test on teaching knowledge, to find out what the purpose is, and when it's supposed to be realized, but from this institution there's no response to publishing this text.

Under the administrative directive for the license and development system of career teachers, the teacher performance assessment system consists of the internal assessment of teaching performance, self-esteem and assessment from the school led by the director and the performance's external assessment led by the Education Inspectorate.

For the possibility of a writing test of teaching, sociologist Flalle Ymer told REL that it's not necessary, because, according to her, it's ungrateful, there may be consequences in society depending on the outcome of those tests if applied.

“I hope that such a request is not approved because it can wake up a shift in students and in all populations, and put in madness knowledge and all those diplomas”, Ymer said.

Socially, except that it's going to be an emotional breakdown and lowering the teacher's motivation, certainly even a contempt for them, and students will also see with a different eye... It creates some kind of chaos, then there may be revolts that may be reasonable on the part of teachers and with this issue we only contribute to negative”, she added.

In the question of who the initiator of writing testing for teaching, Jasharaj from SBASK said former Deputy Education Minister Dukagjin Popovci himself has declared such a test to be no idea of August.

There was no one to initiate the case by writing, but it was mentioned in times past by other ministers at certain times, as the idea that we've argued rationally, and I'm saying neither Nagavci nor Popov, as the deputy minister, they haven't mentioned it directly... and we've agreed, and August has said at the time that the writing test is not in their plan neither, Jasharaj said.

According to Kosovo Statistics Agency data (ASK), in Kosovo's 2021/22 school year there were 611 teachers for the pre-school level, 17,211 teachers for the pre-level, primary and lower level, as well as 5,211 higher education teachers.

The quality of education in Kosovo's pre-university system has often been criticised by international institutions. In two tests of the international student evaluation programme, P I SA, Kosovo is nearly at the end of the world ranking.

How do teachers qualify and licensed in Kosovo?

The administrative directive to the licensing system and development of career teachers is said to be applied to the career development system.

The same direction explains that development and qualifications are realised on the basis of the Law on Higher Education, Accredited Programs, and other educational policies regulating this aspect.

The license system defines four types of regular license: career teaching licenses, license for advanced teachers, license for mentors and license for well-deserved teachers. / REL/