Dibër, Investments in vocational education, modern dormitories and new opportunities for the youth of the area

Dibër, Investments in vocational education, modern dormitories and new opportunities for the youth of the area

The modernisation of educational infrastructure across all schools in the country remains one of the government's main priorities for ensuring contemporary conditions for both learning and living for students. The investments carried out aim not only at the reconstruction of existing facilities, but also at the construction of modern spaces that meet European standards, creating dignified conditions for the education and professional training of young people in every region of the country.

Within this framework, during a visit to Dibër, Prime Minister Edi Rama inspected the new dormitory of the "Nazmi Rushiti" Vocational High School, an important investment that improves living standards for students and supports the development of vocational education in the area.

Deputy Minister of Economy and Innovation, Olta Manjani, stated that the new dormitory has a capacity of 120 places and offers modern accommodation conditions, ensuring a good gender balance among students. "The capacity is 120 students, 60 boys and 60 girls. We have a very good gender balance in Dibër, as always. Out of the 240 students in the school, 122 are boys, and 118 are girls. I believe this is one of the few vocational schools where we have such a good gender balance," she said.

The Deputy Minister also announced the establishment of a new youth centre, which functions as a space for innovation and remote employment.

"We have created this centre here, which is the third after Tropoja and Kukës, for youth employment. All training and employment are carried out online. Currently, we have 15 young people who have started working for a month, and we aim to further develop it as an innovation hub for small startups," Manjani stated.

This centre is part of the "Digital Roots" initiative, supported by the Startup Albania Agency, which directly connects young people to the global market through practical training and employment in the digital sector. The office in Dibër aims to become a regional Creative Hub, supporting entrepreneurship, the development of new businesses, and the provision of digital services for both the domestic and international markets.

Following this, the Prime Minister closely inspected the internal facilities of the dormitory, including cooking areas, service spaces, accommodation rooms, as well as dedicated spaces for supervisory staff, all fully equipped with the necessary conditions.

"This is the kitchen, and there are staff who have worked here for 30 to 40 years. These are the appliances, which are very modern. Here is the infirmary, the office, and there are many service areas. Upstairs, we will go to the dormitory rooms. The rooms are very well equipped with all comforts. These are the supervisors' offices, fully furnished," explained Deputy Minister Manjani.

The "Nazmi Rushiti" Vocational High School offers a wide range of profiles, including economics and business, information and communication technology, hospitality and tourism, and geology and mining. It cooperates with 36 businesses, and around 95 per cent of students complete their professional internships with them, strengthening the link between education and the labour market.

The school is also part of the dual system and international projects, including cooperation with Swiss partners in the field of hospitality and tourism, a profile of growing interest for both young people and local businesses.

During the visit, the Prime Minister also inquired about the completion of other dormitories in the area, emphasising the importance of continuing investments to further improve conditions in vocational education.