New school year starts with 345,000 students amid falling enrollments
After the summer break, 345,000 students across Albania’s pre-university system began the new academic year on Monday. Among them are 26,500 first graders, nearly 2,000 fewer than last year.
Why is this important: For decades Albania was among Europe’s youngest nations, but in the past five years declining birth rates and emigration have reversed the trend. Falling enrollment numbers are now visible in classrooms across the country.
Context: The city of Korçë alone registered nearly 4,000 fewer students this year. In 2024–2025, the district counted 21,080 pupils in pre-university education; this year, the number has dropped to 17,354.
In Elbasan, three schools in Gramsh and one in Librazhd face possible closure due to low enrollment. Other municipalities have seen steep declines in first-grade registrations:
What else: While student numbers are shrinking, school infrastructure has been improving. This year begins with 30 new or fully rehabilitated schools, many equipped with smart laboratories = 340 in total across the country. For the first time, schools with more than 500 pupils will also have designated security officers.
The Education Minister in a video message, highlighted that special attention this year will go to digitization and school safety. A new directive strictly bans mobile phones in schools, with tighter controls and penalties for violations.
Next steps: Despite infrastructure upgrades, the steady decline in student numbers remains a pressing challenge for Albania’s education system. Policymakers face increasing pressure to address the demographic shift while ensuring quality education for those who remain.
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