Education in Albania facing financial challenges: A discussion on investments and standards

Albania has made significant steps toward improving its education system, but it still faces major challenges in meeting the standards of European Union and regional countries. In 2024, the education budget represents only 2.6% of GDP, a figure that remains far below the EU average, where education spending ranges from 4% to 6% of GDP.

The average spending per student in Albania is around €785 per year, highlighting a significant gap compared to EU countries such as Germany and France, where spending per student exceeds €5,000 annually. In the region, North Macedonia and Serbia also allocate more funds to education, positioning Albania among the countries with the lowest education financing.

In this context, AL-TAX aims to encourage a public discussion based on its analytical study:

“The Current State and Challenges of Public Education Financing in Albania: A Comparison with the Region and the European Union.”

The discussion aims to address key questions such as:

• How can investments in public education be increased?
• How can funds be better managed to improve the quality of education?
• What can we learn from the practices of regional and EU countries?

Education is the key to the future, and today’s investments are the guarantee for a stronger Albania tomorrow.