First Albanian school opens in Manchester

The initiative to open this school is Albanian Erisa Isufaj, who had this idea since 2018, but six years of work resulted in the opening of the school “28 November”, November 30th.

I mean first we set November 30th, because the name of the school we have is “28 November”... The organisation went very well, many Albanians were present, along with their children who supported me. Also, some locals were invited who decided to support us...

The idea of having an Albanian school in Manchester, I think it's inside a lot of Albanians living here, it's not like I'm the only person I've ever wanted. Albanians have come to the minimum Manchester 25 years ago or more, and there have been people from that moment who have been willing to open an Albanian school”, Isufaj said.

It shows that there are many exiles who want their children to learn in Albanian, not forgetting the language and traditions of Kosovo and Albania. Students will begin learning from January 11, 2025.

This is an alternative school, which means that it's schools that aren't from Monday to Friday, are only once a week. It's going to be 11: 00 p.m. every Saturday, we're going to try that kids being different ages of this one teacher, some students in three different groups.

It will be an hour and a half of instruction to write, read, help children speak Albanian. We will talk about the history of Albania, Kosovo, so they can get acquainted with their country and normally the last half hour will be dedicated to culture, where we will include it in arts, in clothing, in traditional dances”, he said.

Isufaj tells of the challenges he faced during the opening procedure. It shows that the hope of learning in Albanian for her children and of the Albanian community in Manchester has not stopped her on this journey.

We have chosen to have children here or bring them to a certain age. I think we're bringing them here and we have a minimum obligation to teach them Albanian, but parents normally have commitments. Life is not simple, and learning Albanian is an extra task, and not everyone has time, opportunity, or patience. I think that by having an Albanian school, everyone finds the time that once a week they have the opportunity to bring the kids there.

Children are excited, all children here have a community where children or adults gather, while Albanian children living in Manchester do not have a community where they can get together, where they can learn Albanian because we'll talk about our history, we'll talk about traditions, we'll learn our dances, so they'll have some kind of identity”, she said.

Although only a few days have passed, the students' interests and applications have only arrived. It shows how parents can register their children.

This is the first year and I expected less students. Right now we've created a class of 20 students, who are of different age groups from 5 to 15 years. Normally I have a staff, I won't be alone, there are some teachers who will help me with the school, and we'll divide them into different groups. We also have the opportunity when children can't come to school physically, we've offered the opportunity to carry out online and online instruction from Monday to Friday from 5:00 to 8:00. It's a Facebook page where they can write me, we're on the Web site of the school site, and I believe that in a month it's going to be active, my number is at”, she said.

Why it's Albanian school, the books you use won't be the books they use in Kosovo and Albania.

“From the part of the Kosovo state, what I have been able to have is that the Kosovo Embassy has offered us the books. Books that are for children in diaspora are books and packages which are only for diaspora books”, she said.

Isufaj expects to start the year as well and grow years as the first Albanian school in Manchester. / KP/