Binjaku: Education in Albania severely deteriorated, young people easy targets for criminal and radical groups

Professor of Sociology at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana, Entela Binjaku warns that a disturbingly large number of young people in Albania are not in school or employed, and she tells Kosovo Online that this makes them easy targets for criminal groups and radical religious networks.

Binjaku explains that, with adequate education and stable employment, these young people could be an active and valuable workforce for Albania. Unfortunately, she says, criminal groups easily lure them in by exploiting their poverty, low educational levels, and lack of job skills.

"Statistics show that most prisoners are young people. These young individuals are involved in drug distribution, possession, trade, and the use of firearms or knives. Many have also engaged in theft," she explains.

She points out that many young people who have left compulsory nine-year education have also been drawn into radical religious networks.

"In this case, it’s the spiritual allure these networks exert over them. They find themselves in these networks because they don’t feel a sense of belonging in society. They identify with the extremist ideas of these religious groups. Let’s not forget that young people have ambitions and dreams. They want proper education, employment, and they hold high expectations for themselves, but they lack the opportunity to fulfill these aspirations. This makes them increasingly prone to violent behavior," the sociologist from Tirana explains.

She further explains the inconsistency between their aspirations and the opportunities offered by the labor market and education system.

"We see young people eager to progress in life but failing due to the poor quality of the school system. This is one of the main reasons why so many young people emigrate," Binjaku says.
She adds that the educational system deteriorates year after year.

"In Albania, there is a very high level of functional illiteracy. Young people know how to read and write, but they lack the education and intellectual level required by the labor market to understand and use the information they receive. The standard of education in Albania declines each year. Although children attend school, they are not reaching the level they should be," Binjaku notes.

She believes that such a low level of education prevents young people from changing their lives, leading them to turn to crime, believing it offers greater benefits.

"This issue affects all parts of Albania. The lack of education and employment results in a loss of strong family ties that once shaped Albanian values, leading them increasingly toward criminal behavior. This is reflected in the high number of young people imprisoned and in the almost daily criminal incidents involving young protagonists," she warns.