Bujanovac – Over the past six years, more than 60 new textbooks were provided for primary schools in the municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja where classes are held in the Albanian language,” said Shukri Imeri, the President of the Albanian National Council, and added that, upon the approval of the Ministry of Education, the textbooks were either procured from Albania or translated.

Mr. Imeri said for the “Beta” news agency that elementary schools needed around 40 more textbooks, as well as that there was a much larger problem with textbooks for secondary schools, which had, until then, received only four new textbooks, which were for the Albanian language and literature from the first to the fourth grade.

“The missing elementary school textbooks include those for music and arts, as well as those for biology, chemistry and IT for the seventh and eighth grade. We have a far larger issue with textbooks for secondary schools, for which there are not any new textbooks at all. The Ministry of Education has, since 2012, given approval for the import of only four textbooks from Tirana, those for the Albanian language and literature, "Mr. Imeri said.

According to Mr. Imeri, although the textbooks are imported from Albania, they are largely in line with the curriculum for primary schools in the Republic of Serbia.

“There are some difficulties with the fact that the curriculum in Albania is scheduled for a nine-year primary school, while the elementary school in our country lasts eight years, "Mr. Imeri said.

Mr. Imeri said that "primary school teachers could work fully in accordance with the curriculum of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia."

Source: “Beta” news agency and Coordination Body