Kosovo: Education Digital Readiness Assessment 2024 Kosovo: Digital Readiness Assessment of the Education System June 2024 i © 2024 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank. 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA. Telephone: 202–473–1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org. Some rights reserved This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages the dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Please cite the work as: Rajasekaran, S., Jena, N., Rillo, K., Uka, A., Wang, K. Olszak-Olszewski, A. (2024). Kosovo: Digital Readiness Assessment of the Education System. World Bank. Cover Photo: © Valerii Honcharuk / Adobe Stock. Used with permission. All queries on rights and licenses should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: 202–522–2625; e-mail: pubrights@ worldbank.org. ii Table of Contents List of Figures.............................................................................................................. iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................ v Abbreviations ............................................................................................................. vi Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... vii Executive Summary .................................................................................................. viii 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 2. Kosovo Basic Education Context ............................................................................... 2 3. Country and Sector Vision on Digital Transition ........................................................ 6 4. Methodological Approach ........................................................................................ 8 5. Digital Skills Analysis (DiSA) ................................................................................... 13 5.1 Digital skills of learners .................................................................................................................... 13 5.2 Teachers and teaching—Digital skills and pedagogical practices ................................................... 15 5.3 School management/administration .............................................................................................. 16 6. Education’s Digital Readiness Assessment (EDRA) .................................................. 18 6.1 Summary of Overall Assessment ..................................................................................................... 19 6.2 Pillar 1: Leadership and Governance ............................................................................................... 20 6.3 Pillar 2: Enabling Infrastructure ....................................................................................................... 26 6.4 Pillar 3: Human Capacity .................................................................................................................. 33 6.5 Pillar 4: Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity ................................................... 40 6.6 Pillar 5: EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models ............................................................ 47 7. Key Recommendations for the Implementation Roadmap ..................................... 52 Annex A. Summary of Recommendations and Actions ............................................... 56 Annex B. Basic Education in Kosovo—Background ..................................................... 59 Annex C. Education Strategy 2022-2026 ..................................................................... 63 Annex D. Detailed Methodology and Framework ....................................................... 64 Annex E. Stakeholder Mapping .................................................................................. 73 Annex F. Glossary ...................................................................................................... 74 References ................................................................................................................. 78 iii List of Figures Figure 1. Overview of EDRA for Kosovo: Levels of Readiness by Pillar and Sub-pillar Assessment............. ix Figure 2. PISA results over time, Kosovo and comparators, 2015-2022....................................................... 3 Figure 3. PISA mathematics scores by SES, Kosovo and OECD, 2022 ........................................................... 3 Figure 4. PISA scores by quantity and by quality of school digital resources, Kosovo 202 .......................... 3 Figure 5. Population projections for ages 0-4, 5-9, and 10-14 years, 2022-31............................................. 4 Figure 6. Education spending as percent of total government spending and GDP, 2021 ............................ 4 Figure 7. Strategies leading and facilitating digitalization in education and skills development ................. 7 Figure 8. Digital skills that are addressed at school (student self-assessment).......................................... 14 Figure 9. Students confident in using digital resources (student self-assessment).................................... 14 Figure 10. EDRA framework ........................................................................................................................ 18 Figure 11. Overview of EDRA by pillars ...................................................................................................... 19 Figure 12. Readiness scores for Leadership and Governance pillar and sub-pillars ................................... 21 Figure 13. Readiness assessment of Leadership and Governance pillar and sub-pillars ............................ 21 Figure 14. Definitions of sub-pillars under Leadership and Governance ................................................... 21 Figure 15. EDRA indicator assessment on Leadership and Governance..................................................... 22 Figure 16. Readiness scores for Enabling Infrastructure pillar and sub-pillars ........................................... 27 Figure 17. Readiness assessment of Enabling Infrastructure pillar and sub-pillars .................................... 27 Figure 18. Definitions of sub-pillars under Enabling Infrastructure ........................................................... 28 Figure 19. EDRA indicator assessment on Enabling Infrastructure ............................................................ 28 Figure 20. Household internet connectivity, Kosovo, comparator countries, 2024 ................................... 30 Figure 21. Median internet speed, Kosovo and Western Balkans, and EU, 2022 ........ Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 22. School internet connectivity and device availability, Kosovo and OECD, by location, 2018 ..... 31 Figure 23. Readiness level: Human Capacity .............................................................................................. 34 Figure 24. Readiness assessment of Human Capacity pillar and sub-pillars .............................................. 34 Figure 25. Definitions of sub-pillars under Human Capacity ...................................................................... 35 Figure 26. EDRA indicator assessment of Human Capacity ........................................................................ 36 Figure 27. Readiness level of Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity .............................. 41 Figure 28. Readiness assessment of Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity pillar and sub-pillars .................................................................................................................................................... 41 Figure 29. EDRA indicator assessment on Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity .......... 43 Figure 30. Home digital learning environment: Overall, by location, and by socioeconomic status ......... 45 Figure 31. Digital learning environment and students’ average learning performance in 2022 (home) and 2018 (school)............................................................................................................................................... 45 Figure 32. Readiness level of EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models ....................................... 47 Figure 33. Readiness assessment of EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models pillar and sub- pillars ........................................................................................................................................................... 48 Figure 34. Definitions of sub-pillars under EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models pillar ......... 48 Figure 35. EDRA indicator assessment of EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models .................... 49 Figure 36. Kosovo’s level of digital readiness and requirements for next steps ........................................ 52 Figure 37. Education Budget Planning and Execution Process ................................................................... 61 Figure 38. Specific objectives of the strategy ............................................................................................. 64 iv List of Tables Table 1. Implementation Roadmap: Near- to Medium-term Actions to Achieve Education Objectives ...xiv Table 2. Strategic objectives, indicators, and 2030 target values related to digital education, by strategy 7 Table 3. Principles of digital development and World Bank principles for investing in EdTech................... 8 Table 4. EDRA Framework: Pillars, sub-pillars, and indicators ................................................................... 10 Table 5. Summary of recommendations and actions ................................................................................. 56 Table 6. Pre-University education system .................................................................................................. 59 Table 7. Career model ................................................................................................................................. 61 Table 8. EMIS governance and function ..................................................................................................... 62 Table 9. EMIS data collection, analysis, and report .................................................................................... 62 Table 10. EDRA Framework: Pillars, sub-pillars, and indicators ................................................................. 65 Table 11. EDRA analysis method................................................................................................................. 68 Table 12. Maturity level .............................................................................................................................. 71 Table 13. Stakeholder mapping .................................................................................................................. 73 v Abbreviations BYOD Bring your own device CIO Chief Information Officer COBIT Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies DESI Digital Economy and Society Index DiSA Digital Skills Analysis DigComp European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens DigCompEdu European Digital Competence Framework for Teachers DigCompOrg European Digital Competence Framework for Educational Organizations DGRA Digital Governance Readiness Assessment EDRA Education's Digital Readiness Assessment EdTech Education Technologies EMIS Education Management Information System ETCs European Training Foundation ETIs Educational and Training Institutions EU European Union ECA Europe and Central Asia GDP Gross Domestic Product HCI Human Capital Index HITSA Information Technology Foundation for Education IDA International Development Association ICT Information and Communication Technology IT Information Technology ITIL Information Technology Infrastructure Library KODE Kosovo Digital Economy project KREN Kosovo Research and Education Network LMS Learning Management System MEDs Municipal education directorates MESTI Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation NEET Not in Education, Employment, or Training NGOs Non-governmental organizations OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development PISA Programme for International Student Assessment PMO Prime Minister’s Office SES Socioeconomic Status SSO Single Sign-On STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics VHCN Very High-Capacity Network xDSL Digital Subscriber Line vi Acknowledgements This report was prepared by a World Bank Education task team led by Subhashini Rajasekaran and Nalin Jena and comprising Kristel Rillo, Antigona Uka, Kexin Wang, and Adrien Olszak-Olszewski, in excellent collaboration with the Digital Development team including Charles Hurpy and Nicola Bressan. This work is part of the Digital analytical support for the Western Balkans (P502126). The World Bank team thanks Minister Arbërie Nagavci, and Deputy Minister Taulent Kelmendi, Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation of Kosovo for their strong interest and willingness for a productive collaboration and engagement for advancing the digitalization of the basic education system. The team also appreciates very much the close collaboration with the KODE Project under implementation under the Ministry of Economy, with thanks to Minister Artane Rizvanollii. The team would like to thank key stakeholders in Kosovo who contributed to the development of this assessment, namely: Lulëzon Jagxhiu and Arben Damoni from the Prime Minister’s Office; Bora Shpuza, Avni Rexha, Lah Nitaj, Feime Llapashtica, Veton Alihajdari, Habibe Buzuku from the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation; Fatlum Berisha, Municipal Director of Education in Fushe Kosove; Nexhmedin Rexhepi, School Principal in Fushe Kosove; Agim Kukaj and Fjolla Restelica Ahmeti from the Ministry of Economy; Atif Basani from the Kosovo Research Education Network; Genc Hamzaj from the Agency of Information Society; Mevlude Shamoli from the Ministry of Finance; Blerim Saqipi from the University of Prishtina; Rrahman Jashari from the United Union of Education, Science and Culture; Vjollca Cavolli, from the Kosovo Association of Information and Communication Technology; Ismet Potera and Osman Buleshkaj from the Kosovo Pedagogical Institute; Dukagjin Popovci, Education Expert; Petrit Tahiri from the Kosova Education Center; Nona Zicherman and Kozeta Imami from UNICEF; Simon Floeth and Benjamin Cornils and from GIZ; Anne-Sophie Houée and Lucia Parducci from the EU Office in Kosovo; Blerta Thaqi of ODK; and Dardan Mehmeti of e-shkollori. The team deeply appreciates the guidance and support received from World Bank Europe and Central Asia Senior Management, including Xiaoqing Yu (Country Director), Massimiliano Paolucci (Country Manager), Rita Almeida (Education Practice Manager), Michel Rogy (Digital Development Practice Manager), Michal Rutkowski (Regional Director) and Nathalie Lahire (Program Leader). Valuable comments and support were received from peer reviewers and colleagues at different stages, including Venkatesh Sundararaman, Cristobal Cobo, T. M. Asaduzzaman, as well as Tigran Shmis and Mrike Aliu. The team would like to thank Elene Imnadze, Lindita Lepaja and Lundrim Aliu for country office support and guidance, and Mjellma Rrecaj and Lalaina Rasoloharison for excellent administrative and client services support. vii Executive Summary The objective of this report is to identify barriers, needs, and potential opportunities for Kosovo to digitally transform its basic education system to strengthen efficiency and improve student performance in foundational skills (including digital skills). High-quality and relevant public education is urgently required for Kosovo to enhance its productivity, innovation, and competitiveness, and to strengthen its European Union (EU) alignment processes. With automation increasing the demand for highly skilled workers, strong foundational skills underpin higher- order cognitive, digital, and socioemotional skills. However, Kosovar students’ foundational learning outcomes in PISA1 show a notable decline from 2015 to 2022 (OECD, 2022). The results are lower than expected, considering the country's development level and upper-middle-income classification. At the same time, there is a need to strengthen students’ digital skills early in the basic education cycle to minimize the need for extensive and expensive upskilling once youth enter the labor market and to limit both prevalent skills mismatches and labor outmigration. Currently, only 31% of the working-age population in Kosovo is employed. The labor force participation rate is among the lowest in the region, with a gender gap of 34.6 percentage points, and two-thirds of Kosovar workers require significant digital upskilling, the highest figure in the Western Balkans (ILOSTAT, 2024). Digitalization can help improve the quality and efficiency of education service delivery, presenting Kosovo with a valuable opportunity to deliver better outcomes. Given the declining demographic trends, growing outmigration, and aging, it is imperative for Kosovo’s basic education system to deliver efficient, high-quality, and relevant learning for all. The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the need for adaptive, equitable, and digitally enabled learning environments. The European Union's Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 recognizes the importance of digital technologies in learning environments for fostering foundational skills, as well as skills critical for an evolving labor market. Countries with high-performing education systems—such as Estonia, South Korea, and Singapore— embed digital in their core services, including comprehensive teacher professional development, high- quality educational resources and infrastructure, and fair and accountable management practices. For Kosovo, determining what is working well and identifying potential opportunities for making important progress is essential. Methodology This Education Digital Readiness Assessment aims to provide Kosovo with a systematic and holistic view of the current level of readiness for achieving its digitalization objectives in the education system, identifying key barriers, opportunities, and potential risks that need to be managed. The Education Digital Readiness Assessment (EDRA) methodology is anchored in five pillars: (1) Leadership and Governance, (2) Enabling Infrastructure, (3) Human Capacity, (4) Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity, and (5) EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models. The report exploits both rubric-based qualitative and quantitative indicators, which are scored systematically while also identifying and weighting for “de jure” policies against “de facto” practices. The findings and recommendations intend to (1) support a strategic policy dialog with policymakers to realize the digital transformation of Kosovo’s education system, with a focus on basic education (Grades 1-9); and (2) prioritize key policy actions for the near- to medium-term to make progress on education goals and indicators. 1The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), overseen by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), evaluates the knowledge of 15-year-olds every three years in participating nations. viii This report explores a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to understand the current state of play of digital readiness in Kosovo’s education system. In particular, it: (1) identifies institutions and organizations that are mandated, interested, and/or considered relevant in playing a role in education digitalization activities in Kosovo (See Annex D and Annex E for detailed methodology and stakeholder mapping); (2) conducts an in-depth literature review specific to the Kosovo context, including education system diagnostics, economywide digital readiness diagnostics, and key indicators; (3) conducts a review of policies and strategies in digitalization and in education in Kosovo; (4) undertakes data collection using both quantitative and qualitative methods, including key informant interviews and focus group discussions with relevant stakeholders; (5) triangulates findings with existing analyses, administrative data, and open-access data along with practical insights from the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI) and Ministry of Economy as well as a wide range of stakeholders to score the readiness level on the EDRA instrument; (6) provides findings, key insights and recommendations within each pillar, with a deep dive in the digital skills area (See next section “Key Insights and Recommendations from EDRA, by Pillar”); and (7) prioritize the above recommendations to inform a near- to medium-term policy action and implementation roadmap by mapping to strategic education objectives that can most benefit from digital advancements. Key Insights and Recommendations from EDRA, by Pillar Kosovo’s basic education system is at an emerging level of digital readiness with an overall score of 1.7 on a 4-point scale (Figure 1). Below are the key insights along with proposed recommendations gathered from the analysis conducted for each EDRA pillar. The EDRA assessment thus far helped determine the ‘as is’ state of emerging digital readiness and identifies critical gaps and recommendations for each of the pillars, which in turn can help in moving toward a ‘to be’ state of developing digital readiness. By making progress in each of the areas, the overall system will progress. Figure 1. Kosovo EDRA: Digital Readiness of Education, by Pillar 4 Level of Readiness 3 1.9 1.8 1.6 1.8 2 1.4 1 0 Leadership and Enabling Human Capacity Education Service EdTech Markets and Governance Infrastructure Delivery and School Innovative Business Digital Maturity Models Level 1 - Latent Level 2 - Emerging Level 3- Developing Level 4 - Advanced Digital solutions and There is an initiation of More strategic policy The education system services play a digital policies and a implementation and a exhibits a sophisticated negligible role, with tentative adoption of growing proficiency in interplay between digital educational practices digital solutions and digital solutions and solutions and services and and policies not yet services; it is still services among educators, pedagogy, underpinned by embracing digital supplemental rather than with pedagogical methods robust policies. Here, digital tools. transformative and/or evolving accordingly. There aspects are seamlessly implementation is not are notable efforts in place embedded into the learning notable. for developing digital skills process, driving innovation of different target groups. but also continuous improvement, leading to significantly enhanced educational outcomes. ix Vision and strategy Interoperability 4 Institutional Capacity Legislation, policy and Quality assurance of EdTech 3 compliance Edtech development and Education enterprise update 2 architecture and data… Capacity and culture for 1 Connectivity entrepreneurship School management and 0 Standards and services administration Teacher's digital skills and Policy pedagogical practices Digital skills of students School ownership Digitally empowered learning Wide Public environment Content standards and ICT professionalism instructional materials Source: World Bank Pillar 1 – Education Leadership and Governance. Even though some of the relevant digitalization policies are in place, or drafted, there is lack of strategic focus and alignment across different areas such as focus on results, roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders, implementation arrangements, financial and human resources, or adherence to planned timelines. These misalignments exist across institutions such as MESTI, the municipal education directorates (MEDs), the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Interior, and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) of Digitalization and schools. This has a trickle-down effect, with lack of clarity about roles and responsibilities across the various key stakeholders needed for enabling policy implementation in the digital area across stakeholders. There is also a noticeable gap in financial resources to meet the evolving demands for education modernization. The regulatory framework presently poses barriers to digitalization advancement. Currently, the activities and outcomes of the strategies for digitalization are not aligned in content, implementation modalities, or sequence. For example, the completion of whole of govt. interoperability and data governance framework and capacity development of public administration is a required precondition for undertaking follow-up education digitalization activities to advance, yet these alignments are not always in place. Overall, the country would benefit from a dedicated leadership to steer collaborative partnerships in this space. Recommendation Establish a steering and collaboration mechanism among key stakeholders from MESTI, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance, and MEDs for planning, strategic alignment and implementation of digitalization in (and for) education across the country, potentially x under the stewardship of the PMO on Digitalization. Some key actions that must be taken include improving the quality and interoperability of national registries to enhance decision-making efficiency; assessing and enhancing financing mechanisms; strengthening institutional capacity for both policy design and implementation; and appointing a Chief Information Officer in MESTI. Updating legislation, removing digital content barriers, and implementing relevant monitoring mechanisms of the strategy implementation are vital for change management in the digitalization of education. Establishing an ICT competence center for education with the mandate to facilitate and implement policies for comprehensive and structured digital infrastructure and skill enhancement is highly recommended, based on the best practices in Europe. Pillar 2 – Enabling Infrastructure. There is significant progress in internet connectivity, but quality and affordability could be strengthened; digital infrastructure for education remains inadequate. This affects teaching, administrative management, and data governance across schools. Establishing robust standards has not yet been prioritized to guide sustainable and interoperable development in hardware, software, digital content, and networking. Standardized protocols for school internet, iinformation technology (IT), and cybersecurity are severely lacking. If available and applied, these would ensure system compatibility, security, and cost prediction enabling decentralized and transparent decision- making. Fragmented and project-based efforts in infrastructure development risk unsustainable investments. The responsibility for developing the infrastructure of schools is unclear and fragmented between institutions. The current public procurement system poses challenges for procuring iinformation and communication technology (ICT) equipment. The capacity for data governance and management is low for operational efficiency and transparency in decision-making processes. Lack of coordinated efforts and non-adherence to standards indicates a lack of prioritization of education-specific needs and opportunities and might lead to technology-driven developments. Recommendation Prioritize developing an enterprise architecture plan to enhance digital capacity and data governance in education, aligning infrastructure with education goals to help optimize investments. A robust backbone digital infrastructure for schools is needed. A tailored framework for guiding digital infrastructure development in schools is recommended, promoting awareness of digital standards and interoperability for efficiency in education. Strengthening the national education registry (Education Management Information System or EMIS) is crucial, as is improving the national data governance policy and providing training for data-driven decision-making. It is also recommended to pay attention to the data analysis capacity of all policy fields and ensure high-level technological development of the system (not necessarily in the same entity, keeping roles separate in accord with the impartiality principle). An open data policy could be established for transparency, well-informed decision-making among core stakeholders and facilitating innovation for education. Improving school connectivity, while considering cybersecurity, and aligning with strategic plans for education are essential, keeping in mind the constantly increasing demand for quality and speed of digital services and learning content. It is important to introduce the relevant facilitating support measures along with the infrastructure to lay the groundwork for a resilient and adaptable educational framework. Pillar 3 – Human Capacity. The assessment indicates that there is a good level of professionalism in education leadership; yet, within MESTI, clear stakeholder responsibilities are lacking for digitalization. Proactive leadership in this space, and relevant competences would give this agenda an added momentum. The human capacity needed relevant for operationalizing the digital strategy in education is not assured. The ongoing decentralization of the education system underscores a pressing need for xi better-defined roles and improved collaboration among key stakeholders. There is insufficient agreement, guidance, and upskilling measures to support development and change management in the education sector, including at the central, municipal, and school levels. Furthermore, the involvement of parents and communities in digitalization efforts has not been prioritized for promoting digital inclusion. The limited level of digital skills among parents (who mainly use digital media) hinders their ability to support schools in fostering cybersecurity practices. Schools are not laying the groundwork to foster students’ awareness and career ambitions as ICT professionals, a field where supply is lacking in the country. Recommendation Enhance MESTI’s, local governments’, and school managements’ capabilities for digitalization in education by clarifying responsibilities, assessing skills gaps, and implementing relevant upskilling measures. Careful consideration and design of the scope and role of the proposed digital department within MESTI is necessary to align with the decentralized education system and assure a comprehensive approach to digitalization for education. Strengthening capacity across all education domains (teacher policy, curriculum development, assessment, inclusive education, etc.) at MESTI and developing support mechanisms for personnel are vital for improving performance. Designing and delivering tailored training for municipal officials, clear collaboration frameworks between central and local governments, and support mechanisms for school principals are all essential. To bridge the digital divide in the wider community and obtain parental engagement for education, actions targeting citizen- level digital competence are necessary. To address the need to increase the supply of ICT professionals, initiatives to implement advanced digital skills (e.g., ICT education) in basic education for career awareness and to encourage young girls to pursue STEM education are both recommended. Pillar 4 – Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity. The analysis reveals challenges in integrating digital infrastructure and content, teacher professional support, and fostering a student- centered methodology to learning. Basic digital infrastructure is not sufficient for facilitating the integration of digital culture into teaching and learning practices across school premises. The lack of IT and administrative support further hampers the benefits of digitalization in education. Absence of comprehensive digital learning environments at the school level and inadequate strategic management undermine the potential of digital pedagogies. Teachers are not equipped with sufficient digital tools and skills relevant for digital pedagogy or relevant administrative tasks. Basic schools in Kosovo have limited access to locally relevant digital learning materials. Although the development of digital infrastructure has been envisaged in the strategies, it has not been. Recommendation Prioritize investments of school digital infrastructure support, establish/update digital standards for educational infrastructure (e.g., connectivity, learning management system (LMS), equipment, instructional materials, and digital competencies) to improve learning outcomes. It is essential to provide teachers with technological support to seamlessly integrate technology into their daily practices. Equally important is offering upskilling measures for teachers to enhance their digital pedagogy, thereby improving accessibility, inclusivity, student-oriented approach for student performance and improved digital competence. Establishing a clear delivery model and quality requirements relevant for digital learning design with defined roles for digital content (including digital textbooks), developers (including authors), educational institutions, and oversight bodies, while assuring and revising financing mechanisms, is necessary. Sustainable development of high-quality digital content requires ongoing collaboration among sectors with strong expertise, emphasizing competence in pedagogy, digital learning design, subject matter, and technology. Creating and disseminating a digital repository as one-stop-shop aggregating information about digital learning materials can make these xii accessible to educators and students when and where this is needed for learning and teaching. Digitalization should also ensure that every student has the best chances to learn, including those with special education needs. Using digital tools can make learning more student-centered by offering different ways to learn including using accessibility tools to ensure improved access to learning for students with disabilities. Pillar 4 – Digital Skills “Deep Dive”. The report also looked into policies and practices for developing the digital skills of students, teachers, and school administrators in Kosovo in comparison with international examples. It highlights three key gaps: (1) a lack of shared standards for digital competencies for students, teachers, and education administrators combined with low level of digital competence of these target groups; (2) lack of a research-driven approach to inform and improve policies and practices as well as teacher education in a fast-evolving area; (3) lack of rigorous measurement and monitoring and evaluation systems for tracking progress for adaptive management. Addressing these issues can enhance education quality and the development of future-ready institutions. Recommendation Develop and implement a digital competence framework for students and teachers tailored to Kosovo’s current educational needs, as outlined in the country’s national education strategy, to guide further activities. Improvement of digital competences of students and teachers enables safe access to diverse online learning content and learning communities. Additionally, implementing a digital system for assessing learning outcomes is essential for continuously monitoring and evaluating student competencies and assessing other subjects’ performance, when relevant. Introducing digital assessment as part of digital learning resources is crucial to ensure coherence across the teaching, learning and assessment practices. As education integrates digital resources and services, student assessments must also adapt. Traditional methods may not fully capture the skills gained through digital learning. Real-time feedback and data analytics can offer insights into student progress, ensuring assessments are comprehensive and reflective thereby also supporting the student progress. Expanding ICT education to include programming, robotics, and web design will further prepare students for a digital future, enhancing their creativity and problem-solving skills. For teacher development, establishing a localized Digital Pedagogy Competence Framework is recommended. This ought to be continuously updated and integrated into preservice teacher education and training programs, including essential digital skills and pedagogical techniques, framed by an accreditation system. Conducting a detailed analysis of teacher capacity and needs within this framework would ensure the adoption and effective use of appropriate digital tools. Ensuring access to upskilling for all teachers and promoting research in the education sector will enhance the sustainable development of educational policy and practices for empowered learning and student performance. Pillar 5 – EdTech Markets and Business Models. Analysis of the education technology (EdTech) ecosystem indicates significant opportunities for developing a more evidence-based, contextualized and sustainable digital products and services relevant to education. Significant efforts are needed in regulation and policy, as well as co-creation platforms and financing to develop this innovation ecosystem. The sector lacks specific policies and guidelines to drive innovation in a direction congruent with education needs and to incentivize the development of the EdTech sector. Despite these challenges, there is an encouraging sign of interest from the private and startup sectors, indicative of a collective acknowledgment of the sector's potential. Recommendation Incentivize entrepreneurship within the educational technology sector, analyzing and streamlining business establishment opportunities for EdTech companies, addressing any specific xiii operational barriers as well as opportunities for improved uptake of EdTech solutions by schools and students. To develop a sustainable entrepreneurial and solution-oriented mindset, it is recommended to integrate entrepreneurship skills into relevant educational curricula. Strengthening higher order cognitive skills and socioemotional skills within the life and work syllabus in basic education can help systematically address entrepreneurship competence and encourage students for entrepreneurial thinking and active citizenship in later years. This also can enable co-creation of EdTech solutions in collaboration with private sector and academia, making learning also more practical. Advancing EdTech development and adoption could benefit from the establishment of innovation centers supported by the public, private, or the non- governmental organization sectors to create innovative, high-quality educational solutions. For quality assurance and interoperability in EdTech, quality criteria and guidelines should be developed. Furthermore, it is important to integrate digital competence, including that linked to emerging technologies, into the school curriculum, learning materials, and teacher training to effectively teach both about digital and with digital. Partnerships with the EdTech innovation ecosystem in Europe (e.g Digital Education Hub initiated by the European Commission) could offer valuable resources and expertise to support the setup and development of EdTech sector in Kosovo. Prioritized near- to medium-term policy actions The above pillar-wise recommendations to improve the digital readiness in basic education in public schools are further prioritized into near- to medium-term policy actions. These are organized around three strategic education objectives that will benefit from greater digital readiness: (1) Efficient education planning and management of the education system to improve transparency and accountability in decision making, (2) Digitally empowered learning and teaching of foundational skills through improved physical and digital learning environments for better and more equitable learning outcomes between urban and rural schools and across SES, and (3) Students with improved digital competencies to improve readiness for dynamic labor markets. These objectives are not “digitalization goals” per se, but education goals for Kosovo’s basic education system (Grades 1-9) that will benefit from digital enablement, recognizing that digital solutions are tools to be utilized effectively to affect outcomes and results. As critical next steps, these findings, recommendations, and proposed actions can be translated by authorities into a near- to medium-term investment and implementation roadmap. This could be done in close consultation with MESTI to enable more capacity and encourage proactive and strategic leadership. Overall, the pace and relevance of advancing digital maturity will be meaningful only when the policy design and implementation actions related to Digitalization in the National Education Strategy 2022-2026 are in service of addressing core educational reform issues with a laser focus on equitable, high quality, and resilient learning outcomes. Drawing from the EDRA analysis and recommendations, the table below outlines a concise overview of priority actions mapped to three strategic education objectives. Table 1. Implementation Roadmap: Near- to Medium-term Policy Actions Strategic Objective # 1. Achieve efficient education planning and management of education system. 1.1 Establish a steering and collaboration mechanism among key stakeholders from MESTI, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance and MEDs for comprehensive planning, strategic alignment, and implementation of digitalization in and for education across the country, potentially under the stewardship of PMO on Digitalization. Alignment is needed on expected outcomes, governance and implementation arrangements, allocation of requisite financial and human resources, and adherence to agreed timelines. xiv 1.2 Establish an entity within MESTI with a dedicated Chief Information Officer (CIO) with policy design and coordination functions accountable for the digital agenda and strategy across educational departments and other government bodies. 1.3 Review and redesign the financing mechanisms to prioritize the investments from national funding and opportunities for external financing regarding digitalization. Improve the reliability of data from national registries and updating legislation with the development of robust school digital infrastructure. 1.4 Develop an ICT Competence and Support Centre with implementation function and mandate, closely coupled with the national policy and coordination functions. Such competence center can be co-established/co-steered/co-financed by the relevant ministries sharing the objectives for digital transformation of education sector, e.g. MESTI, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Internal Affairs. 1.5 Conduct comprehensive institutional capacity assessments to tailor training and support for digitalization at all levels of education management. Enhance MESTI’s, local governments’, and school management’s capabilities for digitalization in education by clarifying responsibilities, assessing skills gaps, and implementing relevant upskilling measures. 1.6 Prioritize developing an enterprise architecture to enhance digital capacity and data governance in education, aligning infrastructure with education goals to help optimize investments. Enhance the EMIS as a tool for data-driven decision-making and secure data sharing. It is urgent to start building a robust digital infrastructure backbone for schools, taking a long-term perspective. Incorporate private sector as stakeholders into the concept of interoperability framework for education for seamless integration of learning management systems, student information systems, and other digital tools. 1.7 Enhance the provision and use of public digital infrastructure and related digital foundations: ensure the provision of meaningful connectivity (affordable, high speed, stable) across school premises and the availability of digital devices and projective technology as a minimum for each teacher. 1.8 Enhance MESTI’s, municipal and school management capacities through tailored training programs, emphasizing digital infrastructure planning, technology integration, data-driven decision- making, and change management tailored to the needs of the education sector. Strategic Objective # 2. Strengthen digitally empowered learning and teaching of foundational skills 2.1 Formulate a localized Digital Pedagogy Competence Framework that incorporates international best practices tailored to the local educational ecosystem. Assign responsibility for framework renewal to a competent authority. Integrate the framework into teacher career models, pre-service, and in-service training on basic digital competence, subject-specific skills, and digital pedagogy mentorship. Implement an accreditation system to motivate ongoing professional growth. 2.2 Develop instructional materials for teachers to integrate digital tools into their subject-specific teaching practices and provide diverse trainings to upskill for digital pedagogy, considerate of the different levels of digital skills of teachers, as well as specifics of subjects and topics (assessment, differentiated teaching, inclusive education, etc.). xv 2.3 Design and pilot an assessment tool to support teachers' development in digital competencies, providing structured feedback for supporting their professional development plans. This is also needed for improved knowledge of the training needs and financing predictions at the government level. Establish a robust mentorship system at the school level, supporting the teachers in integrating digital pedagogy practices into daily routines. 2.4 Empower and/or establish a community platform for educators to facilitate peer-learning, share resources, fostering collaborative culture for continuous professional development in digital pedagogy. 2.5 Create guidelines for digital learning materials, covering relevance, effectiveness, accessibility, technical standards, and user engagement. Establish a delivery model with quality assurance mechanisms, defining roles for content creators, educational institutions, and oversight bodies. 2.6 Establish a dynamic and centralized digital repository of high-quality learning and instructional materials enabling easy access for all students and teachers, adhering to accessibility and interoperability standards. This approach supports consistency and equity in education. Such repository can facilitate a quality assurance system, where materials are regularly reviewed, updated, and aligned with educational standards. 2.7 Enhance EdTech sector development, co-creation of edtech solutions and relevant research in collaboration of private sector, civil society, academia, and schools. To address the high costs of digital- enabled learning (especially high up-front costs), better collaboration is needed with the private sector, including the adoption of innovative financing models as well as school/municipal-level collaboration for enabling economies of scale. These efforts should aim to incentivize cost-effective, localized, but high-quality solutions that are beneficial and affordable for Kosovar public schools. Strategic Objective # 3. Support students with improved foundational skills, including digital competence 3.1 Localize and apply a clear digital competence framework for students, detailing the necessary skills, knowledge, and attitudes for relevant age groups, and embed these learning outcomes as more relevant cross-curricular subject areas. 3.2 Develop a comprehensive digital competence resource kit for teachers. Initiate the creation of instructional materials for subject teachers that include lesson plans guiding the development of digital competence of students within the development of subject-specific learning outcomes, enabling effective use of digital technologies across foundational subject areas. 3.3 Develop a digital assessment system to monitor and support student progress in both foundational and digital skills). 3.4 Introduce advanced ICT learning opportunities for students, including programming, web design, and digital arts, tailored to different proficiency levels. 3.5 Launch initiatives (student competitions, hobby clubs, etc.) to encourage and prepare young girls in Kosovo for STEM study programs. xvi Structure of the report The rest of the report is structured as follows. Chapter 1 offers a brief introduction, and Chapter 2 delves in greater detail into the basic education context, including recent reforms, learning outcomes, and overall governance. Chapter 3 presents the country and sector vision for a digital strategy. Chapter 4 details the methodological approach for this study, which unfolds over the two chapters that follow. Chapter 5 presents the DISA (Digital Skills Analysis deep dive), and Chapter 6 presents the EDRA (Education Digital Readiness Assessment), followed by a synthesis of key recommendations and actions in Chapter 7 and complemented by a series of relevant annexes. The annexes include a detailed summary of recommendations (Annex A), a short background on the basic education system in the country (Annex B), the education strategy for 2022-2026 (Annex C), detailed EDRA methodology and framework (Annex D), and the stakeholder mapping (Annex D), as well as a glossary of key terms (Annex E). For technical audiences, it may be helpful to review the detailed methodology described in Annex D as a prerequisite to reviewing the EDRA analysis in Chapter 6. xvii 1. Introduction Kosovo has experienced notable economic growth in the past 15 years, marked by a nearly 50% rise in per-capita income and, over the past decade, a 35% decrease in the poverty rate. Despite being classified as an upper-middle-income country, Kosovo has a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of US$5,340, making it among Europe's poorest nations (World Bank, 2023). Transitioning from heavy reliance on foreign aid, Kosovo has experienced growth in consumption and investment, aided by diaspora remittances 2 and public infrastructure investments. However, challenges such as unemployment and informality persist. Addressing these requires sustained governance reforms, entrepreneurship promotion, and economic diversification beyond remittances, along with fostering regional cooperation and actions for EU integration to access global markets and unlock Kosovo's full economic potential. The demographic landscape in Kosovo, characterized by a youthful population3 with a median age of 32 years, presents both opportunities and challenges for socio-economic development. Kosovo's large working-age population holds promise for economic growth. With the recent EU visa liberalization reforms effective from January 1, 2024, increased emigration of educated individuals is anticipated. This promises more remittances, but also may exacerbate skills shortages, including the shortage of teachers. In Kosovo, a child who starts school at age 4 can expect to complete 13.2 years of school by her 18th birthday. But factoring in what children actually learn, expected school attainment is equivalent to only 7.9 years (World Bank, 2020). Gender disparities exist, with boys in Kosovo having a lower human capital index4 than girls (0.55 versus 0.58). Enhancing Kosovo's human capital potential, especially in education, is essential to bridge this gap. The labor market faces challenges in low labor force participation and employment, significant gender imbalances, skills mismatches, and labor outmigration. In 2021, only 31% of the working-age population was employed. The labor force participation rate was among the lowest in the region, at 39.3%, with a gender gap of 34.6 percentage points. Youth who are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) make up 32.9% of the population, reflecting learning disengagement (ILOSTAT, 2024). Inadequate education policies, inadequate alignment of curricula with the labor market needs, and incoherent and inefficient implementation practices are key contributing factors, coupled with slow adoption of systemic digitalization reforms in education. Technological progress is reshaping Kosovar industries, creating a demand for workers not only with digital skills but also proficient in digital technologies, including coding and artificial intelligence . To bridge the gap between the skills offered by the workforce and those demanded by the labour market, it is crucial to invest in education and training programs that equip individuals with the relevant skills and competencies needed to succeed in today's job market. This requires greater collaboration between the government, educational institutions, and the private sector to ensure that skill development is aligned with the evolving needs of the labour market. Kosovo stands at a pivotal juncture to strengthen the 2 Kosovo has one of the highest emigration rates in the region, with 22% of its population living in OECD countries in search of better employment opportunities and higher living standards. US$ 1.5 billion (roughly 17% of its US$ 9.4 billion economy) consisted of personal remittances in January 2024. 3 In 2020, Kosovar children ages 17 and younger constituted 30% of the population (KAS). 4 Despite slight human capital development improvement since 2010 (0.56), Kosovo lags its regional peers in the Human Capital Index (HCI), reaching 0.57 in 2023, below the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) average of 0.69 (World Bank, 2020). 1 foundational skills, digital competence, and socioemotional skills of all students from the early years, for unlocking the full human capital potential of Kosovar youth. 2. Kosovo Basic Education Context Ten years of pre-university education in Kosovo are compulsory: 1 year in preschool and 9 years at the primary level. Compulsory pre-primary education (ICSED Level 0; 0-5 years) is planned as of 2024. Primary (grades 1-5) starts at age 6 and is mandated up to lower secondary until Grade 9. While upper secondary education (grades 10-12) is not mandatory, it is highly encouraged. This includes gymnasiums and professional schools of music and art and can last from 3 to 4 years. In academic year (AY) 2022-23, approximately 300,000 students enrolled in 1,044 schools, including 54 pre-primary, 869 primary and lower secondary, and 121 upper secondary schools. While 6,630 enrolled in private pre-primary, 6,611 were in primary and lower secondary, and 4,344 in upper-secondary education. The gender distribution is approximately 48.6% male and 51.4% female. Ethnically, 95.9% identify as Albanian, with the remaining 4.1% representing various other ethnic groups. The education system accommodates wide linguistic diversity among its student body, including students speaking the Albanian, Serbian, Turkish, and Bosnian languages. Kosovar students’ foundational learning outcomes are lower than expected, considering the country's development level and upper-middle-income classification. Kosovo has seen a notable decline in its PISA5 scores from 2015 to 2022, consistently lower than OECD average, Estonia, and Albania (Figure 2). The inequality in learning persists, with higher socioeconomic status (SES) linked to higher scores. Even the top SES quartile performed dismally low, while outperforming the bottom SES quartile by 39 points in math (Figure 3)6. Only 15% of students achieved at least Level 2 proficiency7 in math, one of the lowest rates among PISA participants. There appears to be a positive association between students with higher scores and schools with sufficient and high-quality digital resources comparable to peers (Figure 4). 5 The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), overseen by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), evaluates the knowledge of 15-year-olds every three years in participating nations. 6 https://www.oecd.org/publication/pisa-2022-results/country-notes/kosovo-1f99d575#chapter-d1e11 7 Meaning that these students cannot interpret and recognize, without direct instructions, how a simple situation can be represented mathematically (e.g., comparing total distance across two alternative routes or converting different currency https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisa-for-development/pisafordevelopment2018technicalreport/PISA- D%20TR%20Chapter%2015%20-%20Proficiency%20Scale%20Construction%20-%20final.pdf 2 Figure 2. PISA Figure results 2. PISA time, overover results Kosovo and Figure time, comparators, 2015-2022 3. PISA mathematics Figure 4. PISA scores by quantity Figure 3. PISA mathematics scores by SES, Kosovo and OECD, 2022 Kosovo and comparators, 2015- scores by SES, Kosovo and and by quality of school digital Figure 4. PISA scores by quantity and by quality of school digital resources, Kosovo 202 2022 OECD, 2022 resources, Kosovo 2022 600 400 600 500 500 300 PISA Score 400 400 200 PISA score PISA Score 300 300 100 200 0 200 Math Math Reading Reading Science Science 100 100 0 2015 2018 2022 2015 2018 2022 2015 2018 2022 0 Have adequate Have good Second Third Top Bottom quantity of quality of Math Reading Science digital digital resources at resources at Socioeconomic status school school Kosovo OECD Albania Estonia Kosovo OECD No Yes Source: OECD PISA database Source: OECD PISA, 2022. Source: OECD PISA, 2022. Note: “Digital resources” refers to desktop or laptop computers, internet access, learning management systems or school learning platforms Although government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP is broadly on par with the average for the EU and for middle-income countries, education is of inequitable and low quality, resulting in poor learning outcomes. The MESTI budget for 2023 was 82.8 million euros, with half allocated to pre-university education. While this level of investment aligns with comparator nations, systemic inefficiencies and fiscal limitations hinder educational efficiency (Figure 5). Most funds go toward recurrent expenses, neglecting essential areas like educator training, infrastructure, and teaching materials. This spending pattern hampers educational progress in Kosovo. In 2023, education spending in Kosovo accounted for 4.9% of GDP and 16.3% of total government expenditures. Declining demographic projections and rapidly changing education and labor market dynamics call for strategic planning informed by robust data, deeply coordinated efforts and strong political actions (Figure 4). Over the past two decades, Kosovo has made significant strides in enhancing its educational infrastructure by constructing new school buildings and renovating existing ones. However, there is a significant student population disparity between rural and urban areas, with 60% of schools having fewer than 250 students and over 200 schools (satellite classrooms) having fewer than 50 students. Urban migration worsens the gap between urban and rural facilities, leading to overcrowding in urban schools and declining student numbers in rural areas. Investments in school infrastructure need careful consideration and strong proactive leadership for school network optimization to enhance system efficiency.8 8 https://kec-ks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Raport-Konsolidimi-i-rrjetit-te-shkollave-ENG.pdf 3 Figure 5. Population projections for Figure 6. Education spending as percent of total ages 0-4, 5-9, and 10-14 years, 2022-31 government spending and GDP, 2021 145000 20 140000 16.3 15.7 14.9 15 12.9 13.1 135000 12 Percentage 10.4 130000 10 8.4 5.2 6 125000 4 4.3 4.7 4.8 5 2.5 2.8 120000 115000 0 110000 0-4 years old 5-9 years old % of total government expenditure % of GDP 10-14 years old Source: MESTI, 2022 Source: UNESCO UIS, 2021 Important policy reforms led to alignment of teacher qualifications in pre-service teacher education and in-service teacher licensing with contemporary standards and legal frameworks. Only universities are authorized to offer study programs for pre-service teacher education, emphasizing quality and consistency in teacher training.9 Since 2000, the qualification and professional development requirements for secondary school teachers have expanded beyond a bachelor's degree. It is stipulated10 that aspiring teachers must also obtain a professional teaching license, ensuring competence and proficiency in the teaching profession. Additionally, teacher qualification programs facilitated by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or other entities must undergo MESTI accreditation.11 Kosovo's education system has undergone significant reforms aimed at aligning with European standards and addressing contemporary socioeconomic challenges. MESTI plays a crucial role in overseeing policies and ensuring quality education at all levels. This includes efforts to transition to a fully decentralized system at the general education level, including granting decision-making power to local communities and schools. However, existing decentralization mechanisms and policies are inadequately implemented, revealing managerial capacity deficiencies at various levels and hindering efforts to enhance education quality. Despite these challenges, Kosovo remains committed to education to meet diverse community and student needs. Decentralization efforts are ongoing but existing governance arrangements have significant inadequacies to meet current challenges. The management of pre-university education is shared between MESTI, municipal education directorates (MEDs), and schools. MEDs, which tend to be understaffed, handle all procurement issues for schools and pay their bills. School management fully depends on MEDs without discretionary budget lines and lacks autonomous budget management systems. 9 Law No: 04/L-037 10Administrative Instruction No. 5/2017 11 Under the guidelines of Administrative Instruction 4/2010 4 Responsibilities and financial allocations for the delivery of general education are highly fragmented and incoherent between MESTI, MEDs and municipalities.12 There are significant and interconnected negative spillover effects of inefficient and inadequate investments in education, offering a compelling opportunity for integrating an effective education management system with data analytics to inform efficient resource management and decision-making. Two-thirds of public schools operate in shifts of 2.5 to 5 hours (65% in double shifts; 1% in triple shifts) leading to suboptimal instructional hours and time on tasks. There was a tripling of enrolments in private schools operating in full-day shifts between 2016 and 2022,13 while public school and overall enrolments continue to decline. The average student-teacher ratio is low at 13.4, with a high disparity in school sizes between urban and rural areas. Meanwhile, women tend to have main caregiver responsibilities and contribute a 22% of labor force participation. Kosovo's education system confronts significant challenges, notably a lack of reliable and updated data on system capacity, scarcity of qualified teachers in rural areas, and a lack of resources and support for imperative and ongoing professional development. The data from 2020/2021 indicate that there are 588 teachers working in pre-schools, 17,353 in primary schools, and 5,232 in secondary schools.14 However, in 2023 there was a surge in applications from Kosovo's educators for one-year work permits abroad, driven by suboptimal working conditions and comparatively low salary scales prevalent in the local educational sector, while in 2022 MESTI noted that there was an excess15 of 2,000 teachers in the system. Additionally, an increasing number of teachers are said to be taking unpaid leave to explore employment prospects in other European countries due to the relaxation of visa restrictions within the Schengen zone, potentially exacerbating the brain drain. Overall, governance reforms in education along with a clear framework for equitable resource allocation and finance flows are urgently needed, supported by digitalized data systems. These challenges highlight the need for stronger political will and a clear mandate with a realistic roadmap for implementing Specific Objective 4.1 (Increase learning opportunities to upgrade digital skills of citizens) and Specific Objective 4.2 (Transformation of the education system for the digital era), as outlined in the National Digital Agenda for Kosovo 2030, developed under the PMO and approved at the end of June 2023. Establishing requisite digital and data systems can provide the necessary impetus to the Government of Kosovo for enabling the digital transformation agenda of education while also preparing the ground for developing digital competence development of all students, parents and teachers. Amidst the challenges faced by Kosovo's education system, there is a pressing need to action a broader digital transformation agenda. The pursuit of greater digital maturity in pre-university education is an imperative and strategic solution to systemic challenges facing Kosovo's education landscape. Thoughtfully leveraging digital technologies for teaching and learning, as well as pedagogic and administrative management, can propel Kosovo toward greater productivity and competitiveness. By integrating digital solutions into school education and developing digital competence among students and the education workforce, Kosovo can enhance quality, efficiency, and resilience while enabling a clearer pathway to EU membership. 12 Law No. 03/L-068 delineates administrative competencies between the central government and local municipalities, facilitating decentralization. 13 The private enrolments increased from 6,467 to 18,130, i.e. from 1.7% to 5.5% of the total enrolments (KAS data) between 2016 and 2022. 14 https://ask.rks-gov.net/Themes/Education. 19.03.2024. Statistical Agency of Kosovo. 15 MESTI analysis in 2022 shows that 200 schools operate with less than 150 pupils, while more than 2 000 ‘surplus’ teachers are on the payroll without meeting the legal requirements of their position (in terms of clearly identified teaching functions and/or standard number of teaching hours). 5 3. Country and Sector Vision on Digital Transition Kosovo’s aim to embrace digital transformation is relevant as this is imperative for a small country’s national progress and competitiveness on the global stage. In the heart of this transformation lies the crucial role of education and skills development. The National Development Strategy 203016 for Kosovo identifies quality and accessible education as a cornerstone for equitable human development and the nation's overall progress. The strategy recognizes the interconnectedness of technology, education, and economic development, emphasizing digital skills as foundational for sustainable and inclusive growth by 2030. With a young population of just over 1.7 million, Kosovo's digital education push is crucial for equipping citizens with digital competencies for personal well-being and professional competitiveness in the digital economy. The objectives agreed within the National Development Strategy 2030 are further addressed and elaborated in sector- and topic-specific strategies, including the Digital Agenda of Kosovo 2030, which the Ministry of Economy approved in June 2023. While the National Development Strategy 2030 sets the country’s objectives and vision for development, the Digital Agenda of Kosovo 2030 elaborates on five specific objectives and interventions needed for digital transformation of the country under Strategic Objective 4: Digital Skilled Population and Innovative R&D Ecosystem. This includes Specific objective 4.1 (Increase learning opportunities to upgrade digital skills of citizens) and Specific objective 4.2 (Transformation of the education system for the digital era). The education digitalization agenda in Kosovo is grounded in a number of policies and strategies. A clear reference to the Draft Strategy for Digitalization of Education in Kosovo, in planning, is indicated in the Digital Agenda of Kosovo 2030 demonstrating efforts to align with the objectives set for and in education sector plan regarding digital infrastructure and digital skills development. Digital skills of adults and an increased number of ICT professionals are set as targets. Other relevant policies include: • The e-Government Strategy Kosovo 2023-2027,17 coordinated by the PMO, is a strategy focusing on the capacity of public sector digitalization to help fulfil the vision set out in the Digital Agenda of Kosovo 2030. • The Government of Kosovo also supports the Public Administration Reform strategy 2022-202718 (by the Ministry of Interior) within which digitalization is seen as part of better service delivery to achieve the main goal in service provision, shifting toward service-oriented public administration. The strategy states that the standardization and digitalization of public registers and standardization of services, including the creation of central online registry of administrative services, is expected to be carried out to ensure quality service delivery. The government’s core focus is on the capacity of the public sector to plan, implement, and monitor digitalization of public services and organisations. • The National Cyber Security Strategy 2023-2027,19 coordinated by the National Cyber Security Council, sets objectives for advancing the general and specific capacities of the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo in the area of cyber security. Next to the objectives regarding critical infrastructure, the strategy also aims to establish a STEM education program in schools, incorporating cyber security components to inspire more girls to choose this career path. • The Kosovo IT Strategy (currently outdated but cross-referenced) is focused on guiding the development of the ICT sector, whereby ICT education is expected to be provided in earlier grades so 16 https://kryeministri.rks-gov.net/en/national-development-strategy-2030/ 17 https://mpb.rks-gov.net/Uploads/Documents/Pdf/EN/2700/e-Government Strategy Kosovo 2023-2027.pdf 18 https://kryeministri.rks-gov.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/PUBLIC-ADMINISTRATION-REFORM-STRATEGY-2022-2027.pdf 19 https://mpb.rks-gov.net/Uploads/Documents/Pdf/EN/2692/Strategjia p%C3%ABr Siguri Kibernetike - ENG..pdf 6 they can make better informed career choices as well as develop an entrepreneurial mindset (e.g., for the startup sector). This strategy outlines the problem of noncompliance of ICT education with the labor market needs as well as high drop-out rates in university education. The strategy indicates that to meet labor market needs, ICT education must be delivered at the vocational education level. Figure 7. Strategies leading and facilitating digitalization in education and skills development National Development Plan Digital Agenda Education Strategy Public Administration e-Governance National Cyber Kosovo IT Strategy (objective 5: Reform Strategy Strategy Security Strategy digitalisation) Source: World Bank These various national-level strategies not only include digitalization in education and skills as a cross- cutting area from the lens of different ministries but also set targets ‘for’ education and skills (Table 1). However, it is unclear whether these targets have been jointly scrutinized and consensually agreed with relevant implementing and decision-making bodies. Furthermore, the roles, responsibilities, and implementation arrangements (including financing) of the envisaged activities remain unclear. Table 2. Strategic objectives, indicators, and 2030 target values related to digital education, by strategy Strategy Strategic objective or impact indicator Target value for 2030 Acceleration of digital transformation and innovation in SMEs and startups National PISA scores Increased by 7%: Development Reading: 378; Plan 2030 Mathematics: 392; (PMO) Science: 390 Share of teachers participating each year in professional development 70% programs (25% in 2019/2020) Share of students who use digital learning materials developed by 100% subjects/ classes/ languages categories (baseline: na) Share of schools that use learning platforms 100% NEET rate (baseline: 29.8%) 15% Digital Agenda Share of adults with at least basic digital skills (baseline: 13%) 40% (2025); 80% (2030) 2030 (Ministry of Share of adults with above basic digital skills (baseline: 14% [2019]) 40% Economy) Increased number of ICT specialists (baseline: 3,846 [2022]) 5,000 Number of standardized and digitalized public registers (baseline: 0 [2022]) 10 (2027) Public Administration Reform Strategy Number of sophisticated digitalized services on the e-Kosova portal 95% (2027) (Ministry of (baseline: 0 [2022]) Interior) Public service and human resources management (including 4 (2027) professionalism in public service) (baseline: 3 [2022]) 7 Share (%) of civil servants who participated in at least one training program 40% (2027) annually (baseline: 25%) Share (%) of governmental institutions that have implemented data and 15% (2025); 30% (2027) e-Government information classification system Strategy (PMO) Share (%) of governmental institutions that have established the necessary 15% (2025); roles and procedures for the registers and information systems in the 30% (2027) public sector to be well managed Among the public officials who have basic digital skills, the share of e- 70% (2025); learning training participants who have passed the training 90% (2027) For the digital competencies in the public sector to be sufficient to +30% (2025); develop, govern and use public digital services: the share (%) of filled +60% (2027) positions in the new IT structure in the government Share (%) of government institution information systems compliant with 5% (2025); the interoperability framework 70% (2027) Kosovo IT Number of graduates employed by IT companies in Kosovo increased per 20% Strategy year (currently Increased number of participants in tech entrepreneurship education +35% outdated) programs per year Source: Consolidated by the World Bank 4. Methodological Approach This report embraces a comprehensive, evidence-based, and adaptable approach to evaluate the readiness of digital education within Kosovo's basic education system. The methodology abides by the nine principles of digital development adopted by international development organizations and the five World Bank principles for investing in digital area in education (Table 2). It is imperative to ascertain the level of digital capability maturity and readiness in the education sector to systematically adopt, implement, evaluate, scale up, and sustain large-scale implementations of standards-based, interoperable, digital solutions to educational challenges. Thus, through a rigorous assessment, this report aims to deepen understanding of the principal constraints, enhance resilience, identify gaps, and provide recommendations for advancing digitalization efforts to strengthen basic education while ensuring quality, efficiency, and equity. Table 3. Principles of digital development and World Bank principles for investing in EdTech Principles of digital development World Bank principles for investing in EdTech Ask Why: EdTech policies and projects need to be Design with the user developed with a clear purpose, strategy, and vision of the desired educational change. Understanding the existing ecosystem Design and Act for Scale for All: The design of EdTech initiatives should be flexible and user-centered, with an Design for sale emphasis on equity and inclusion, to realize scale and sustainability for all. Build for sustainability Empower Teachers: Technology should enhance teacher engagement with students through improved access to Be data driven content, data and networks, helping teachers better support students’ learning. Use open standards, open data, open source, and open innovation 8 Engage the Ecosystem: Education systems should take whole-of-government and multi-stakeholder approaches Reuse and improve to engage a broad array of actors to support student learning. Address privacy and security Be Data-Driven: Evidence-based decision making within cultures of learning and experimentation, enabled by Be collaborative EdTech, leads to more impactful, responsible, and equitable uses of data. Source: digitalprinciples.org. and World Bank 2020 This report's objective is three-fold: To evaluate the current state of digital skills development, to assess the digital readiness of basic education, and to provide recommendations and roadmap/action plan. This multifaceted endeavor comprises three key components: Digital Skills Analysis (DiSA), involving a detailed examination of the digital skills20 delivered in the education system using secondary data and interviews; a Digital Readiness Assessment of Education (EDRA), aimed at assessing the digital readiness of the education system and specific conditions relevant to fostering students' digital skills and improving learning and teaching with technology; and the formulation of recommendations for potential interventions to propel the digital transition of the education system forward. The assessment aims to identify the primary obstacles hindering the development of digital skills and effective integration of digital technologies in education, while also pinpointing opportunities for improvement. The DiSA aims to evaluate the development and acquisition of digital skills in Kosovo, from the perspective of students, teachers, and policymakers. DiSA aims to analyse Kosovo's digital skills landscape for students, educators, and policymakers assessing current digital literacy levels and the effectiveness of existing educational structures and policies in fostering skill enhancement. By synthesizing findings from desk research and analysis of PISA data, DiSA furnishes valuable insights into Kosovo's digital readiness and competitiveness, providing tailored recommendations to enhance the education system for the digital economy. The EDRA roots the analysis in a cross-cutting digital readiness framework for education development. This framework for education encompasses five pillars: (1) leadership and governance, (2) enabling infrastructure, (3) human capacity, (4) education service delivery and school digital maturity, and (5) the EdTech markets and innovative business models. The pillars approach referred to has been built on previous digital readiness assessments of education systems by the World Bank. To further advance the tool and meet the objectives of the education sector, previous experience with similar assessments in other countries was considered. Other models and relevant research were also considered, such as the economywide Digital Governance Readiness Assessment (DGRA) framework and the international education-specific digital maturity models (e.g., the European Commission’s DigCompOrg 21 and Microsoft’s K-12 Education Transformation Framework). 22 Accordingly, core fields as well as relevant indicators were selected based on their impact for improving the efficiency, equity, relevance, and quality of education in general, as well as developing digital skills of the different target groups. 20 In this report, “digital skills” is used as a general reference to any digital skills, within which digital competencies stands for the skills, knowledge and attitude relevant for confident, critical and responsible use of, and engagement with, digital technologies for learning, at work, and for participation in digital society/economy; and technological literacy stands for the skills set that provides the ability to design, build, maintain and administer information technology (relevant for ICT education and ICT professions). 21 https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/european-framework-digitally-competent-educational-organisations- digcomporg/digcomporg-framework_en 22 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/school-leaders/k-12-microsoft-education-transformation-framework 9 Taking a comprehensive and evidence-based approach, the EDRA framework compares policies with practices, using triangulating analysis and data from interviews with key stakeholders in Kosovo. Following the EDRA framework, the assessment instrument is established to determine the readiness level of digital education across four maturity levels: latent, emerging, developing, and advanced. Each pillar incorporates a comprehensive set of indicators drawn from existing analyses, reports, administrative and open-access data, as well as insights from stakeholder interviews. These indicators are tailored to assess different dimensions of digital education readiness through a range of questions designed with four maturity levels of assessment.23 Each question’s assessment level was assigned a score ranging from 1 to 4, corresponding to the options from latent to advanced. The scoring approach vividly illuminates the readiness of digital education. The EDRA tool is designed to guide a comprehensive assessment of the system and provide a foundation for further development opportunities and for setting key performance indicators. Furthermore, EDRA can be considered a self-assessment instrument for the country to monitor progress, if considered relevant. For details on the analysis methods, refer to Annex D. Table 4. EDRA Framework: Pillars, sub-pillars, and indicators Pillar focus Sub-pillars Indicators Pillar 1 - Leadership and Governance • Vision and strategy • Digital agenda • Institutional capacity • E-governance strategy This pillar assesses political • Legislation, policy, • Digital education strategy: commitment to digitalizing education, and compliance funding and oversight including alignment with other • Digital education strategy: national strategies, funding, and implementation coordination. It also examines the • Institutional capacity implementation modalities as well as • Data management legislative and policy frameworks • Regulatory limitations impacting technology integration in • Innovation policy teaching and learning. • Digital infrastructure standards • Digitalization as a quality standard for schools Pillar 2 - Enabling Infrastructure • Education enterprise • Enterprise architecture plan for architecture and data education This pillar covers digital infrastructure governance • National registry for education development and coordination in • Connectivity • Digital authentication service education sector, focusing on strategic • Standards and • Access to internet in the IT planning, data management, services country education registries, digital • Connectivity of educational authentication, internet access, ICT institutions support, digital services, and measures • Digital infrastructure introduced for marginalized groups. development support • Standardization of digital infrastructure • IT support service • Access to digital services on teaching and learning 23The readiness level was designed following three horizons of digital investments for human development programs: foundational investments, functional investments, and frontier investments, based on the World Bank 2021 Annual Meeting Human Capital Project Conclave paper. The three horizons are explained in detail and applied in the World Bank Moldova Digital Education Readiness Assessment 2021-22 https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents- reports/documentdetail/099120006252220689/p17773104ea6f2040a88e02bdf9bbd04f6. 10 Pillar focus Sub-pillars Indicators • Access to assistive technology • Adoption of Open Standards • Digital accessibility for marginalized groups Pillar 3 - Human Capacity • Policy • Capacity of MESTI • School Ownership • Capacity building support This pillar evaluates education • Wide public • Role and mandate of local authorities’ capacity in implementing • ICT professionalism government digital education strategies, covering • Capacity of local government areas such as staff competence, • Digital skills of wider public, infrastructure planning, ICT including parents procurement, civil servants' digital • Access to online public services skills, data literacy, competence • Alignment of digital skills upskilling, change management, and development with the labor digital inclusion measures. market needs Additionally, it evaluates school • Availability of ICT expertise owners' mandates and capacities, as • Extent of ICT employees in the well as the availability of ICT economy professionals and graduates in the labor market. Pillar 4– Education Service Delivery and • Content standards • Digital competence standard of School Digital Maturity and instructional students This pillar examines teaching and materials • Data literacy of students learning content, methodologies, and • Digitally empowered • Access to digital learning school environments to support the learning environment materials development of digital skills as well as • Digital skills of • Access to instructional the overall performance of students. It students materials evaluates whether digital competence • Teachers’ digital skills • Digital infrastructure for is part of the national curriculum, and pedagogical learning frameworks guide its implementation, practices • Access to digital services for and relevant digital enablers are • School management teaching and learning accessible for teachers and students. and administration • Level of digital skills of students Special focus is on teachers' • Access to ICT education professional development and • Digital competence standard of integrating digitalization into overall teachers school development. • Teacher qualification requirements • Upskilling support to teachers • Collaborative learning platforms for teachers • Digital maturity of schools • Capacity of school management • Capacity building for school management Pillar 5 - EdTech Markets and Business • Capacity and culture • Entrepreneurship Models for entrepreneurship competence/education • EdTech development • EdTech sector: capacity The assessment evaluates and update • EdTech uptake by schools entrepreneurship education and the • Quality assurance system 11 Pillar focus Sub-pillars Indicators EdTech sector. It examines curriculum • Quality assurance of • Availability of EdTech user integration, startup presence, EdTech support innovation support, financing, EdTech • Interoperability • Quality assurance: data uptake by schools, quality assurance, protection and technical infrastructure. • Single-sign-on (SSO) • Interoperability framework EDRA Framework Assessment Levels Latent At the latent level, digital solutions and services play a negligible role, with educational practices and policies not yet embracing digital tools. Emerging At the emerging level, there is an initiation of digital policies and a tentative adoption of digital solutions and services. Digitalization is still supplemental rather than transformative and/or implementation is not notable. Developing The developing level showcases more strategic policy implementation and a growing proficiency in the use of digital solutions and services among educators, with pedagogical methods beginning to evolve accordingly. There are notable efforts in place for developing the digital skills of different target groups. Advanced At the advanced level, the educational system exhibits a sophisticated interplay between digital solutions and services and pedagogy, underpinned by robust policies. At this level, digital aspects are seamlessly embedded into the learning process, driving innovation as well as continuous improvement, leading to significantly enhanced educational outcomes. Source: World Bank Stakeholder interviews were conducted after a thorough stakeholder mapping exercise aimed at gathering first-hand information and addressing any data gaps pertinent to the assessment. The stakeholder mapping exercise identified institutions and organizations mandated, interested, and/or deemed relevant in contributing to educational digitalization activities for this system-level assessment. Detailed stakeholder mapping can be found in Annex E. Informed by the analyses conducted through EDRA and DiSA, high-impact recommendations are proposed to equip the basic education system in Kosovo with the necessary tools and strategies to adapt to an increasingly digitally oriented economy at the regional and global levels. The structured insights from EDRA and DiSA as well as the recommendations are tailored to the unique needs and challenges of Kosovo, aiming to steer the education system toward greater equity, relevance, and more resilient outcomes. The findings and recommendations derived from this assessment are intended to serve as a foundational framework for engaging in a comprehensive and informed policy dialog with the government of Kosovo. They aim to facilitate the development of a roadmap and action plan for digital transitions in basic education. The assessment findings will play a pivotal role in shaping policies geared toward (a) enhancing student performance with quality educational content and teaching capacity, (b) bolstering the effectiveness and management of education for improved access and equality, and (c) fostering the resilience of the entire education system. Kosovo must leverage these recommendations as a catalyst for action, to foster collaboration among stakeholders, and to mobilize resources towards the digital transformation of education. 12 5. Digital Skills Analysis (DiSA) School curriculum plays an important role to support digital skills among learners, both as specific subject area about ICT (such as robotics, coding, computational thinking, data analysis etc.) as well as applying digital literacy (in traditional foundational subject areas including mathematics, physics, chemistry, language etc.). This is very relevant for Kosovo given that two-third of the workers need upskilling of digital skills, indicating the importance of starting with solid foundations that embed digital skills. 5.1 Digital skills of learners MESTI has articulated a plan to develop a framework for digital competencies adapted for Kosovo, with a focus on providing practical guidance for integrating these standards into schools, including for school principals. As part of the Education Strategy 2022-2026, the MESTI aims to create the digital competency framework based on the European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens (DigComp), the European Digital Competence Framework for Teachers (DigCompEdu), and the European Digital Competence Framework for Educational Organizations (DigCompOrg). The finalized frameworks are expected to serve as the basis for practical guidelines to implement digital competence standards in schools, including assessments and categorizations of competency levels. Central to this effort will be implementation of training programs, with MESTI expected to provide guidelines for designing and delivering these programs. These guidelines will address aspects such as digital planning, leadership, evaluation, quality assurance, gender mainstreaming, and parental involvement in digital education. Despite that foresight in setting this strategic objective, the digital competence frameworks are yet to be adapted to the Kosovan context, with its development facing challenges and delays. While the inclusion of digital competence as a cross-curricular topic marks a progressive step forward to rally various stakeholders, the implementation faces challenges. The current curriculum and syllabi lack detailed articulation of the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that constitute the learning outcomes for digital competence. This gap hinders the ability of educators to systematically enhance students' digital competence, making it difficult to measure progress or identify areas for improvement. Additionally, the delays in implementation have also delayed Kosovo’s plans to assess the digital competence of students with the education strategy. According to all the stakeholders consulted during the analysis, the development of digital competence of students is not comprehensive, equal, or sufficient. According to the PISA self-assessment of students, over half of students in Kosovo have been taught how to use digital tools to navigate and critically evaluate online information. Notably, 66% of students learned to assess the credibility of online information, while a similar percentage gained proficiency in optimizing search engine queries using keywords. Moreover, 61% of students acquired an understanding of the implications of sharing information publicly online, highlighting the importance of digital literacy and privacy awareness. These findings indicate that students are increasingly equipped to navigate the digital landscape responsibly. However, despite receiving training to attend classes remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, less than 20% of students expressed confidence in using video communication programs, finding learning resources online, and utilizing a learning management system in the event of future school closures. (See Figures 7 and 8.) There is a significant shortage of instructional and learning materials to support the development of students' digital competence as an integrated, cross-curricular topic embedded into subject teaching. This gap in resources hinders effective teaching and learning for digital competence in different age groups. The absence of clear guidance and comprehensive instructional and learning materials results in a fragmented and insufficient approach to teaching the five core competence fields of digital competence (information, communication, safety, problem-solving, and content creation), undermining the overall 13 effectiveness of educational initiatives in this area. These competencies are crucial for ensuring students' safety, inclusivity, and improved performance, as well as their readiness for higher education, career choices, and entry into the labor market. The advanced level of digital skills (such as ICT education) relevant for developing information technology (programming, robotics, web design etc.) is not foreseen to be part of the national curriculum in Kosovo. The global trend in education increasingly emphasizes the integration of ICT education into general education curricula. This strategic inclusion aims to enhance students' problem- solving skills, foster their creativity, and broaden their understanding of ICT as a viable and rewarding career path. By embedding ICT education within the broader educational framework, students are not only equipped with the basic digital competence necessary for navigating the digital world, as in the case of Kosovo, but are also encouraged to apply more complex digital skills (programming, web design, robotics etc.) in innovative ways. Incorporating programming into the curriculum is not currently feasible due to deficiencies in the training and preparation of teachers in programming, which may lead to a lack of proficiency in both learning and instructing in these subjects. The absence of adequate resources and technological tools in schools impedes the learning process and the development of students' programming skills. The interaction and cooperation among schools and the private sector to co-create content and integrate ICT education into the school curricula is virtually inexistent in Kosovo. Figure 8. Digital skills that are addressed Figure 9. Students confident in using digital resources (student self- assessment) at school (student self-assessment) How to decide whether to trust 66 information from the Internet Using a video communication 20 How to use keywords when using a 62 program search engine To understand the consequences of making information publicly available 61 online How to compare different web pages Finding learning and decide what information is more 59 resources online on 20 relevant for your school work my own How to use the short description below 56 the links in the list of results of a search How to detect whether the information Using a learning 54 is subjective or biased management system or school learning 18 platform How to detect phishing or spam emails 40 0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100 Percentage of students Percentage of students Source: OECD PISA, 2018 Source: OECD PISA, 2022 14 5.2 Teachers and teaching—Digital skills and pedagogical practices The Strategic Framework for the Professional Development of Teachers (2017) sets national standards for teacher excellence but lacks a robust focus on digital skills. It delineates policies and practices for teacher growth from training to in-service development, emphasizing competencies crucial for effective teaching. The framework establishes benchmarks across four areas: values, knowledge, practice, and learning, with 27 indicators defining teacher duties. While digital skills receive minimal attention, there is recognition of technology's importance, notably under "effective implementation of teaching and learning," stressing safe, responsible, and ethical technology use (MESTI, 2017). Meanwhile, teacher participation in professional development is currently low, with only 25% engaging in programs in 2019/2020, although the National Development Plan aims to increase this to 70% by 2030. Pre-service and in-service teacher training is failing to align with European lifelong learning and lacks effective monitoring. Pre-service training aims to align with European lifelong learning competencies, emphasizing digital pedagogy. However, this alignment is not yet implemented. The University of Prishtina is integrating the EU DigCompEdu framework into its teacher education programs. Additionally, there are plans to introduce a new bachelor's program at the Faculty of Education focusing on preparing future ICT teachers to address evolving educational needs and attract students to the profession amidst competition from the broader ICT sector. In-service teacher training programs in Kosovo require accreditation for professional credits, but they lack systematic monitoring for effectiveness, even when funded by MESTI. While non-accredited training opportunities exist, they are less attractive to teachers as they don't contribute to accreditation. The diversity in content, duration, and assessment criteria of digital skills training for in-service teachers reflects the varied offerings by different institutions. Effective coordination by the MESTI remains a challenge, leading to a heavy reliance on international donor-funded projects and limited to the capacity of the training providers, not necessarily meeting the needs of teachers. Currently, there are no training programs available for teachers, including for digital skills. This is due to lack of finances by MESTI. The absence of sustainable financing could lead to long- term detrimental effects. Even when and if available, the quality of the training is not always considered good, and accessibility is limited. Without consistent delivery of training programs, providers may experience a decline in their expertise and diminished capacity to offer training that is timely and of high quality when financing opportunities do emerge. According to the different stakeholders, the incorporation of subject-specific or teaching-specific digital tools in daily teaching practices is low and inconsistent across schools. This includes tools like learning management systems, digital assessment tools, and interactive technologies for subject specific teaching and learning. This variability may be attributed to the absence of available digital services, a lack of services tailored to teachers' needs, and the limited capacity of schools to maintain and administer such services due to financial constraints and insufficient autonomy. Considering the rapid development of digital technologies, teachers lack sufficient support for searching, choosing and familiarizing themselves with the tools as well as effectively introducing those to classroom teaching practices The analysis reveals a lack of instructional materials to support pedagogical tasks and monitoring mechanisms, such as assessment tools designed to support teachers' development in digital competencies. This shortfall affects a range of educational activities, including personalized learning, formative assessments, enquiry-based learning, collaborative learning, etc., which can greatly benefit from digital tools. Monitoring tools are essential for providing structured feedback, which can guide educators in crafting effective professional development plans. Without these tools, teachers lack the necessary insights into their strengths and areas for improvement in digital pedagogy. This gap limits the broader understanding of training needs and financial planning at the school, local and governmental level. 15 Learning communities among teachers can significantly contribute to professional development by fostering collaborative growth and knowledge exchange, but their implementation has stalled. These communities provide a supportive environment for peer learning, sharing experiences, strategies, and resources. They also promote professional solidarity, enabling teachers to collectively tackle challenges and devise solutions. PISA 2022 revealed that 52% of schools in Kosovo allocate specific time for teachers to engage in collaborative activities using digital devices, indicating readiness for collaborative learning. However, the implementation of the education strategy, which includes employing 30 coordinators at the municipal level to support the integration of digital pedagogy, has stalled, leaving a significant gap in the support structure needed for effective adoption and integration of digital education practices across Kosovo's schools. In Kosovo, digital education research and the development of innovative practices are hampered by financial constraints. Research efforts, which could lead to new methodologies and insights in education, as well as development of pre-service teacher education and training, heavily rely on external funds, with limited motivation for collaboration from both research organizations and schools. This dependency on external financing highlights a critical vulnerability in Kosovo's education system, hindering its capacity to independently foster advancements in digital learning. There are currently no other incentives available to attract or encourage schools to participate in research and contribute to the development of new knowledge and practices regarding educational sciences. 5.3 School management/administration School management is not tasked with integrating digital components, such as infrastructure, content, and pedagogy, into the School Development Plan, nor is the digital maturity of schools integrated into quality assurance reports. This process involves setting clear objectives, timelines, and strategies for integrating digital tools and methodologies aligned with broader educational goals. While the development of the school's quality assurance system is ongoing, digital maturity elements are not included in the quality assurance report concept, based on the pilot report. This gap may lead to digital developments being overlooked when prioritizing investments based on the School Development Plan, both by municipalities and by other donors. Ensuring that both teaching and administrative staff possess essential digital skills is crucial for implementing digital initiatives successfully, and today this capacity is insufficient. School management must identify professional development needs and facilitate access to training, internships, mentorship, and other capacity-building opportunities. This includes enhancing school management's competencies in administrative correctness, legal aspects of digitalization, and effective leadership in a digital learning environment. However, there is uncertainty regarding whether school principals in Kosovo have the mandate for such tasks, and it is noted that their capacity is insufficient. Principals are regularly assessed on performance, but there are no mechanisms for upskilling to support their performance. Guidance and support from school boards are expected to fill this gap. Data literacy of educators is not prioritized or addressed for any level of decision-makers or teachers. Data literacy is a crucial skill for educators, especially in today’s data-rich educational landscape. Educators must be able to couple data literacy with an ethical approach to using data. Schools in general must be thoughtful about how they gather data, what they choose to do with data, and how they go about school administration, teaching and learning. Data literacy these days is expected to empower for making informed decisions, adapt teaching strategies, and enhance student learning experiences. Understanding artificial intelligence—being able to empower learning experience with this as well as being aware of the risks—has also become crucial for educational landscape.24 24 https://www.unesco.org/en/digital-education/ai-future-learning/competency-frameworks 16 In Kosovo, the autonomy granted to educational professionals in certain operational aspects significantly diverges from OECD averages (OECD, 2022), reflecting a distinct approach to educational governance. Specifically, only 3% of students attended schools where principals bore the primary responsibility for hiring teachers, a stark contrast to the OECD average of 60%. Furthermore, 46% of Kosovan students were enrolled in schools where teachers had the main responsibility for selecting learning materials, compared to an OECD average of 76%. These discrepancies highlight a more centralized approach to educational decision-making in Kosovo. With this increase in autonomy for schools, the capacity of school management becomes even more crucial. Many high-performing school systems tend to entrust principals and teachers’ significant autonomy (OECD, 2022). Currently, the actual practice with the assumed autonomy of schools and teachers over the school administration and teaching is not well implemented. Detailed recommendations In the current educational landscape of Kosovo, there is a further need to enhance the integration of digital competencies throughout the curriculum and to provide teachers with the skills and methodologies they need to empower effective teaching and learning. Digital skills of students: To develop students' digital competence in a systematic and relevant way, a localized digital citizen competence framework should be established, specifying learning outcomes per international best practice and age groups. For monitoring progress in student performance, including digital competence, the establishment and implementation of a digital assessment system is recommended, following best practice in Europe. Implementation should be expedited with defined timelines and sufficient funding and should include collaboration with European experts. Instructional and learning materials are relevant to be developed to support the cross-curricular development of digital competences. Additionally, resources for teachers and advanced ICT learning opportunities, such as a diverse ICT education syllabus covering programming, robotics, and web design, should be provided to enhance the integration of digital technologies and higher-level digital skills in education. Digital skills of teachers: To enhance teachers’ digital competence, a needs assessment should be undertaken considering the needs of the digital society as well as economy for student performance. A localized Digital Pedagogy Competence Framework should be developed, regularly updated, and overseen by a designated entity. This framework should be integrated into both in-service training and pre-service curricula, combining basic digital competence (if needed), subject-specific training, and digital pedagogy, and complemented by an accreditation system to motivate educators. Thorough analysis of the needs, based on the established framework, should identify support needs for integrating digital tools effectively to empower teaching and learning performance (including the need for instructional materials guiding the teachers through digitally empowered pedagogical tasks). Development of an assessment tool to evaluate and support teachers’ digital competencies, emphasizing constructive feedback for ongoing professional development, could be considered. Additionally, a collaborative platform for peer learning and resource sharing among educators is essential for continuous professional development of teachers, potentially starting with the identification and development of master trainers to seed the training field using a cascade approach. Digital skills at school management level: To enhance the integration of digital components in schools, it is recommended that school management incorporate digital infrastructure, content, and pedagogy into the School Development Plan (SDP) with clear objectives, timelines, and strategies, and include digital maturity in quality assurance reports to ensure that these initiatives are prioritized for investments. Enhancing competencies in digital administration, legal aspects, and leadership among school managers is highly recommended. Prioritizing data literacy among them is crucial, empowering them to make 17 informed decisions and handling data thoughtfully and ethically, whereby also understanding AI's potential and associated risks. Increasing the autonomy and relevant capacity of school management is vital, entrusting them with greater decision-making authority to effectively implement digital initiatives. 6. Education’s Digital Readiness Assessment (EDRA) The EDRA, developed by the World Bank, aims to ensure that, every student, educator, and educational institution in Kosovo is fully integrated into the digital age. The designed five foundational pillars (Figure 9) are explored through several sub-pillars and indicators, clearly defining the dimensions of assessment (Table 10 in Annex D). The EDRA framework is designed to enhance digital infrastructure both for and within schools, promote the development of digital skills among students and educators, stimulate the creation and utilization of digital educational content, and foster digital engagement among educational institutions, students, and the broader community. This forward-looking initiative seeks to leverage digital technologies as a driver for enhancing educational outcomes, promoting inclusivity, and reducing disparities in access to quality education across the country. Figure 10. EDRA framework Source: World Bank The EDRA pillars are further described by sub-pillars and relevant indicators in Annex D for a more detailed overview of the methodology. 18 6.1 Summary of Overall Assessment The digital readiness assessment of Kosovo's education system shows an emerging level of readiness with an overall score of 1.7 on a 4-point scale. The assessment comprises five pivotal pillars, all in the process of transitioning from latent to emerging levels. Assessment of the leadership and governance pillar, which received an overall score of 1.9, underscores both strengths and weaknesses. While it demonstrates a strong basis with strategies in place, shortcomings are noted in implementation and lack of institutional setup/capacity. The enabling infrastructure, which received an overall score of 1.8, plays a crucial role as the fundamental backbone for enabling digital transitions in education. It encompasses the analysis of the general digital infrastructure, architecture, and data management in place for the country and education sector, particularly vital amidst the ongoing digital evolution. The pillar for education service delivery and school digital maturity also received an overall score of 1.8. This aspect analyzes learning content, practices for teaching digital skills, and the enabling infrastructure and learning environment at the school level. Human capacity, scoring 1.6, holds significance to drive digital transformation efforts, covering planning, management, implementation, and leadership aspects. Lastly, the EdTech markets and innovative business model pillar, ranking lowest with an overall score of 1.4, emphasizes the importance of a diverse and localized education technologies, platforms, and practices available to enrich education experiences through technology integration. While improvement is needed across all pillars, the findings offer high-level priorities and opportunities for growth and development to enhance digital readiness maturity in Kosovo’s basic education system. Figure 11. Overview of EDRA by pillars 4 Level of Readiness 3 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.6 1.4 2 1 0 Leadership and Enabling Human Capacity Education Service EdTech Markets and Governance Infrastructure Delivery and School Innovative Business Digital Maturity Models As evident from the overview of the analysis, Kosovo is undergoing a significant transition in its education system with a focus on digitalization, supported by the Strategy for Education 2022-2026. This strategic plan addresses several critical areas with ambitious objectives, including the enhancement of digital infrastructure, improvement of digital literacy among teachers and students, and the integration of digital technologies into educational practices. All these areas are thoroughly addressed within each assessment pillar. Overall, the analysis highlights areas of strength as well as improvement, along with a roadmap for prioritizing efforts to enhance digital readiness of the education system. By addressing these aspects, Kosovo can strengthen its educational system, making it more resilient and capable of leveraging digital technologies to improve learning outcomes. Level 1 - Latent Level 2 - Emerging Level 3- Developing Level 4 - Advanced Digital There is an More strategic policy The education system exhibits a solutions and initiation of digital implementation and a sophisticated interplay between services play a policies and a growing proficiency in the digital solutions and services and negligible role, tentative adoption use of digital solutions and pedagogy, underpinned by with of digital solutions services among educators, robust policies. Here, digital educational and services, it is with pedagogical methods aspects are seamlessly practices and still supplemental beginning to evolve embedded into the learning 19 policies not yet rather than accordingly. There are process, driving innovation but embracing transformative notable efforts in place for also continuous improvement, digital tools. and/or developing digital skills of leading to significantly enhanced implementation is different target groups. educational outcomes. not notable. Vision and strategy Interoperability 4 Institutional Capacity Legislation, policy and Quality assurance of EdTech 3 compliance Edtech development and Education enterprise update 2 architecture and data… Capacity and culture for 1 Connectivity entrepreneurship School management and 0 Standards and services administration Teacher's digital skills and Policy pedagogical practices Digital skills of students School ownership Digitally empowered learning Wide Public environment Content standards and ICT professionalism instructional materials Source: World Bank 6.2 Pillar 1: Leadership and Governance The readiness level for this pillar is determined to be EMERGING, with an overall score of 1.9, as assessed against three sub-pillars (Figure 13): vision and strategy, institutional capacity, legislation policy and compliance. The Leadership and Governance pillar focuses on the development of a clear vision and strategy for digitally enabled education systems. To be effective, leadership should be demonstrated at the highest level of government and should be backed by specific government measures. These include relevant and achievable strategies; durable legislation; adequate, equitable, and sustainable financing; procurement mechanisms intended to increase the adoption and scale-up of technology-enabled solutions for education service delivery. Effective and mature leadership identifies and supports champions throughout government, at different levels, and in other sectors. These champions, among their other contributions, help strengthen MESTI and whole-of-government capacity in relation to digitalization processes in education. 20 Figure 12. Readiness scores for Leadership and Governance pillar and sub-pillars Level 1 - Latent Level 2 - Emerging Level 3 - Developing Level 4 - Advanced There are low or no There is a governing There is a well-defined There is a well-defined governing structures, structure with a vision governing structure with a governing structure with a vision and plan, and low that may/may not be clearly articulated vision, clearly articulated institutional capacity for articulated, basic implementation plan and collective vision and supporting digitally institutional capacity budgets, and sufficient roadmap and advanced enabled education for supporting digitally institutional capacity institutional capacity services, leading to enabled education including resources, talent, including champions, scarce resources and services, and some and mechanisms for experts, earmarked weak policy and resources and implementing digitally resources, and mechanisms for mechanisms for enabled education mechanisms for implementing. implementing. services. implementing digitally enabled education services. Figure 13. Readiness assessment of Leadership and Governance pillar and sub-pillars Leadership and Governance Pillar Leadership and Governance by Sub-pillars 4 4 Vision and 3 2.6 Level of Readiness strategy 3 Level of Readiness 1.9 2 Institutional 1.5 2 Capacity 1.3 1 Legislation, 1 policy and compliance 0 Vision and Institutional Legislation, policy 0 strategy Capacity and compliance Source: World Bank Three sub-competence fields in Leadership and Governance were assessed to gauge Kosovo's digital readiness for education. The assessment of Kosovo's digital readiness for education, focusing on three sub-competence fields within Leadership and Governance, underscores critical challenges in implementation, financing, and stakeholder collaboration. The vision and strategy component scores a 2.6, indicating progress from emerging to developing levels. However, institutional capacity (1.5) and legislation, policy, and compliance (1.3) are still in early stages of development. The core challenge lies in the effective implementation of strategies, which is hindered by limited financing and the need for clearer delineation of responsibilities among stakeholders. Figure 14. Definitions of sub-pillars under Leadership and Governance 21 Vision and strategy •Strategies in place, enforced and financed •Compliance of strategies •Integration of digital education and skills in relevant strategies •Coordination and monitoring of strategy implementation Institutional capacity •Roles and responsibilities of stakeholders •Mandate and relevant regulatory framework for digitalization in education and data management •Public procurement system and processes in place Legislation, policy and compliance •Integration of digitalization into external evaluation mechanisms of general education schools •Valid legislation facilitating/restricting digitalization •Innovation policy •Standardization for guiding diital transformation of schools (e.g qualtity assurance system, infrastructure standards etc) Figure 15. EDRA indicator assessment on Leadership and Governance Digital agenda 4 Digitalisation as a quality standard for E-governance strategy schools 3 2 Digital infrastructure standards Digital education strategy: planning 1 0 Digital education strategy: funding and Innovation policy oversight Regulatory limitations Institutional capacity Data management Source: World Bank The digital education strategy planning rates at 3.3, indicating a developing stage with active planning and inclusive efforts. However, the lack of well aligned result indicators and monitoring mechanisms signals the need for high-level coordination. Progress in the digital agenda and e-governance plan is emerging at 2.3, but digital education strategy in funding and oversight, data management, and regulatory 22 limitations lag at 2.0, highlighting execution challenges. Regarding institutional capacity (1.3), clear policy implementation responsibilities and stakeholder coordination are lacking. The absence of innovation policy (1.0) and lack of guidance with digital infrastructure standards (1.0) hinder progress, as does the lack of digitalization as a quality standard in schools (1.0). Strategic planning and proactive measures are crucial for advancing digital education initiatives in Kosovo. Overall planning, compliance, and implementation of the interlinked strategies for digitalization (including education and skills) is insufficient. Clearly defined and agreed-upon responsibilities among all relevant stakeholders, including MESTI, government agencies, local governments, and academia, are essential for the cohesive implementation of digitalization strategies. Several fundamental decisions, frameworks, capacity building efforts are expected to be delivered by other bodies. Accordingly, when any implementation delay in these core elements is the responsibility of another domain (e.g., the Ministry of Interior being responsible for setting up interoperability framework for digital infrastructure development), this has a negative impact on the implementation of education strategy and relevant development for digitalization in this scope. The digital education strategy's implementation has been notably hindered by insufficient resource allocation and mobilization. The government has not dedicated adequate funding to support the comprehensive development and deployment of digital technologies within the education sector. The evidence suggests a lack of specialized knowledge or other barriers in the systems to developing suitable governance arrangements and procurement plans for digital infrastructure, tools, development and delivery of digital content, training programs, etc. This contributes to inconsistent and often inadequate budget allocations, slowing progress in developing digital educational content and infrastructure, which are crucial for modernizing the learning environment. Options such as international partnerships, private sector collaborations, and grants from global educational technology initiatives are underutilized. There is lack of oversight on progress, with differing strategies, lack of inclusive coordination, and limited capacities. The education strategy was developed in co-creation with stakeholders, but the implementation of the strategy is compromised by a lack of inclusive coordination and effective progress monitoring. Currently, the strategy implementation and coordination does not incorporate a broad spectrum of stakeholders, failing to engage crucial participants such as teachers, students, parents, and community leaders in the planning and decision-making processes. This exclusion results in a disconnect between the strategy’s objectives and the actual needs and expectations of those it aims to serve. It is critical and urgent to have this capacity and oversight to unlock the potential for expanding and enhancing digitally enabled education, essential for aligning Kosovo's educational practices with global standards and preparing students for a digital future. Currently there is no mandated department within MESTI that leads digitalization, both within education and acting as a counterpart to other stakeholders implementing strategies in the same area. The absence of dedicated ownership for policy-coordination on digitalization within MESTI is a significant obstacle acknowledged by stakeholders. Having a dedicated entity, team, or individual(s) responsible for maintaining and coordinating the digitalization strategy is essential. This would ensure clear accountability and leadership, driving the digital agenda forward in alignment with educational goals. Furthermore, a department with policy-design and coordination functions alone is insufficient. There is a need for implementation functions in the relevant areas of educational and technological competence, separating 23 the implementation from policy design as is appropriate for a well-functioning governance model. Such governance practices have proven useful in different countries, e.g. Norway and Estonia.25 Box 1: ICT Competence and Support Centre for Education in Estonia To support the sustainable development of digital maturity in Kosovo's education sector, establishing a Competence and ICT Support Centre could be considered, drawing inspiration from Estonia's Information Technology Foundation for Education (HITSA). This center would serve as a hub for fostering digital competencies among educators and students, facilitating the integration of ICT in educational practices, and providing a support system for the effective use of technology. It would align with national education strategies and work in synergy with other stakeholders (public and private). If desired by the municipalities and educational institutions, such an entity could carry out ICT procurement on their behalf ensuring the relevant competence as well as aiming for better value for money with procuring in bulk. Drawing from Estonia’s successful initiatives, the center could prioritize equipping all educational levels with digital competence as well as lead the development of ICT education and supporting the use of digital learning tools to enhance teaching quality. The center could also serve as an official helpdesk for various online educational tools developed by the MESTI or other government authorities, providing immediate support and facilitating the exchange of information and best practices among stakeholders. For sustainable development, such a center would not only disseminate good practices but also manage the creation and application of digital competence frameworks in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, oversee professional development in digital pedagogy, and develop assessment models to monitor progress in digital skills acquisition. To achieve these goals, the center should work collaboratively with local and international experts to adapt global standards to the Kosovar context, ensuring that initiatives are sustainable, scalable, and tailored to the needs of Kosovo's education sector. The success of such a center would hinge on strong government support, adequate funding, and active participation from all education stakeholders. The competence within MESTI for formulating policy on data privacy standards and validating data usage is lacking. The field of data privacy is critical, especially in the education sector, as children below 18 years are involved. However, this area is often overlooked. It is essential to establish a data architecture that not only capitalizes on the benefits of data but also safeguards against its misuse. This might involve developing consent services for the collection and use of minors' data and setting up secure digital accounts to protect their information. The responsibilities of different stakeholders regarding the developments of digitalization in education in Kosovo are unclear. There is a noticeable absence of clearly defined and mutually agreed roles among key players such as the MESTI, local governments, schools, and academic institutions. This lack of clarity hampers the efficient and effective implementation of the strategic objectives for digitalizing education. When responsibilities are not distinctly outlined, it leads to overlapping duties, gaps in accountability, and potential conflicts that can derail the progress of digital initiatives. This situation ultimately results in a fragmented approach that compromises the systematic and unified advancement towards a digitally 25In Norway, the National Centre for ICT in Education serves as the agency for the Ministry of Education. In Estonia, the Tiger Leap Foundation, later merged into the Information Technology Foundation for Education (HITSA), serves as the implementing agency for the Ministry of Education. https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hariduse_Infotehnoloogia_Sihtasutus 24 competent educational environment. In some cases, the responsibilities seem to be clear; however, interventions (finance, human resources, competences) to fulfil these responsibilities are not supported. Existing regulatory documents valid in Kosovo present barriers to smooth and rapid digital integration. The textbooks used in schools today must, under current law, be in printed format only. A revised law for textbooks, which refers to the possibility of digital format textbooks, has been drafted but not approved for over a year. Such delays are symptomatic of the lack of clarity in policy priorities impeding the ability to embrace digital tools as essential elements of modern education, facilitating a more dynamic and interactive learning environment that prepares students for the digital age. Incorporating digital maturity components into these core processes is crucial for promoting mainstream and systematic development and enhancing the digital capabilities of schools. This approach not only aligns with global trends but also ensures that schools are equipped to meet the evolving educational needs of students. Incorporating standards for the development of digital infrastructure for/in schools is a strategic move towards developing the digital maturity of the education system and individual schools. Establishing standards is crucial for raising awareness of needs and opportunities, harmonizing technology integration, ensuring equi access to digital tools, and fostering contemporary learning environments. These standards must be timely to keep pace with technological advancements, preventing obsolescence. Policymakers are pivotal in crafting comprehensive, forward-looking standards adaptable to rapid changes and diverse needs. Embedding the goal of enhancing digital maturity within education standards encourages effective technology utilization, preparing for future challenges. In Kosovo, such standards are not in place or planned strategically. Some initiatives, like the ongoing World Bank KODE Project, introduce similar infrastructure developments to multiple schools, but a comprehensive approach is lacking. In several countries, international standards (e.g., COBIT, ITIL, the Future Classroom toolkit of European Schoolnet,26 and the DigCompOrg model of the European Commission)27 have guided the substance of education- specific standardization for sustainable development of digital infrastructure of schools. The quality assurance system for Kosovo’s schools, which is currently under development, does not prioritize "digital adoption and use" within its framework, as evidenced by the draft school report examined during the assessment. The mere existence of an ICT lab, without further elaboration on what constitutes such a lab, is insufficient for addressing the comprehensive needs of digital education. As the quality assurance system will serve as the foundation upon which schools base their development plans, incorporating elements of digitalization in a more structured and content-specific manner will foster a concerted effort towards mainstream development across schools. Detailed Recommendations – Leadership and Governance The recommendations proposed to enhance the leadership and governance framework are aimed at improving monitoring, compliance, and implementation of educational strategies, with a particular focus on digitalization (further elaborated in Chapter 7). Vision and strategy Kosovo has developed strategies to guide its digital transformation, yet there is a pressing need for improved alignment and execution to ensure these strategies meet their objectives effectively. It is highly recommended to enhance collaborative efforts among MESTI, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of 26https://fcl.eun.org/toolkit 27 https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/european-framework-digitally-competent-educational-organisations- digcomporg/digcomporg-framework_en 25 Interior, and other relevant authorities to critically assess and plan development with digitalization and for digitalization in the education sector. Engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders is crucial for effective strategy implementation. Additionally, the financing mechanisms should be reviewed and redesigned to prioritize national and external funding for digitalization. Establishing clear coordination and monitoring mechanisms is essential to assess the progress and effectiveness of the education digitalization strategy. It is also essential to enhance education management by integrating business enterprise and analytics capabilities through technology, ensuring that it supports and serves the educational and learning objectives and addresses the challenges facing the country, rather than the other way around. This integration should support educational objectives and address national educational challenges, rather than allowing technology to dictate the educational strategy and lead to unsustainable investments. Institutional capacity Strengthening institutional capacity is crucial for fulfilling Kosovo's education strategy. Essential actions include conducting a needs assessment for MESTI, municipalities, school management, and academia focused on digitalization – based on their responsibilities, human resources, competences and financial resources available. Additionally, appointing a Chief Information Officer (CIO) within MESTI to lead further development of the agenda, managing the implementation, and planning relevant capacity development are recommended. Sustainable financing models for digital developments should be introduced. Establishing an ICT competence center as an implementing agency is also advised to support the policy- design by the MESTI with overseeing and implementing interventions for digital infrastructure and digital skills content development across all schools, providing centralized support and ensuring access to educational tools. Kosovo must avoid the pitfalls of costly and ineffective technology investments. It is crucial to employ multidisciplinary education experts who possess technical expertise and collaborative capabilities. These experts must effectively bridge the gap between educational goals, technological requirements, and data needs, coordinating with ICT professionals on critical issues such as data governance, interoperability, and the architecture of inclusive educational services. They should also possess knowledge in education finance and budget management. Legislation, policy, and compliance To facilitate change management and innovation in education, it is recommended to develop and update legislation and policies that support the integration of technology. This includes revising existing laws to remove barriers to using digital content and tools in teaching, incorporating digitalization into school assessments to enhance quality assurance and promote school-based development, and introducing policies that support the EdTech startup sector and foster research in educational innovation. These measures will manage the risks associated with technology adoption and stimulate systemic changes in the education sector. 6.3 Pillar 2: Enabling Infrastructure Infrastructure is the backbone of any educational system, providing the essential foundation for effective teaching, learning, and administrative processes, particularly in the context of the digital evolution of education. Infrastructure is a crucial enabler, granting access to knowledge and opportunities regardless of location or socioeconomic status. A reliable infrastructure, including physical facilities, connectivity, and technological resources, is essential for fostering innovation, efficiency, and equitable access to education. A well-developed infrastructure empowers the learning environment allowing educators to employ diverse teaching methods, utilize digital tools, and make informed decisions through data analysis. The readiness of this pillar is determined to be EMERGING, with a score of 1.8, assessed against three sub-pillars: education enterprise architecture and data governance, connectivity, and standards and 26 services (Figure 17). This pillar recognizes that aside from the fundamental building blocks of electric power, telecommunications infrastructure, and broadband internet access, which form the ICT backbone, digitally enabled education systems require an enterprise architecture. This architecture is a coherent, integrated ‘blueprint’ that can align business, data, technology, and applications to deliver outcomes, data and technology management infrastructure and oversight, and standards and interoperability across applications, devices, and equipment. This pillar covers the supply side of ICT provision, penetration. Figure 16. Readiness scores for Enabling Infrastructure pillar and sub-pillars Level 1 - Latent Level 2 - Emerging Level 3 - Developing Level 4 - Advanced Digital technology Mobile broadband Modern broadband Penetration of modern infrastructure is not coverage is ubiquitous infrastructure is broadband infra is well developed outside and extends to rural available for rural and ubiquitous; broadband key urban areas; areas; broadband urban areas; broadband adoption, quality, and mobile broadband adoption, quality, no adoption, quality, and affordability is widespread; coverage is limited; education enterprise affordability is growing, cybersecurity, data digital enabling architecture and with demand for higher governance, data environment is less interoperability; data service quality (speed); protection, and privacy are advanced, including governance, cybersecurity education mature; education data governance, and and data protection, and interoperability and interoperability and telecom. privacy frameworks are in enterprise architecture enterprise architecture are early stages; technology are emerging; mature; tech infra in infra for learning is slowly cybersecurity, data education is adequate and catching up. governance, data up to date. protection, and privacy are developing; tech infra in education is adequate. Figure 17. Readiness assessment of Enabling Infrastructure pillar and sub-pillars Enabling Infrastructure Pillar Enabling Infrastructure by Sub-pillars 4 4 Education enterprise architecture and data 3 2.8 Level of Readiness 3 governance Leveo of Readiness 2 1.7 1.8 Connectivity 2 1.1 1 1 0 Standards and services Education Connectivity Standards and enterprise services architecture and 0 data governance Source: World Bank 27 Three sub-pillars in Enabling Infrastructure were used to assess Kosovo's digital readiness for education. Particularly notable is the connectivity sub-pillar, marked by a score of 2.8, edging closer to the developing stage. This indicates a relatively advanced status compared to education enterprise architecture and data governance (1.7), and standards and services (1.1), which are currently in the transitional phase from latent to emerging. Figure 18. Definitions of sub-pillars under Enabling Infrastructure Education enterprise architecture and data governance •Enterprise architecture plan for education sector is in place and enforced •The EMIS is well-designed, implemented, monitored, and updated •Digital teaching/learning platform is well-structured and utilized •Digital authentication is conducted Connectivity •Adequate internet access and high-speed connectivity are ensured •Internet connectivity is affordable for users Standards and services •ICT competence centre for education is established •Guidlines and standards on digital development are formulated and enforced •Sufficient hardware/software, technology support services are offered •Digital inclusivity is ensured Figure 19. EDRA indicator assessment on Enabling Infrastructure Enterprise Architecture plan for education Digital accessibility for 4 National registry for marginalised groups education 3 Digital authentication Adoption of Open Standards 2 service 1 Access to assistive Access to internet in the 0 technology country Access to digital services on Connectivity of educational teaching and learning institutions Digital infrastructure IT support service development support Standardisation of digital infrastructure Source: World Bank 28 Internet access, speed, and standards for school digital infrastructure, as well as the Education Management Information Systems (EMIS), have progressed beyond the emerging level with a score over 2.0, but a cluster of infrastructure-related standards and practices are absent. Nationwide internet access is rated mature at 4.0, ensuring widespread availability of digital resources. However, challenges persist in connectivity of educational institutions school, scoring 2.3, potentially hindering effective digital tool integration for teaching. Standards for school digital infrastructure score 2.0, indicating an emerging stage in guideline formulation. The national registry for education scores 2.0, emphasizing the need for additional efforts in data governance. Other initiatives, such as enterprise architecture plans for education, digital authentication services, IT support services, and digital accessibility for marginalized groups register scores at the lower end (1.0), indicating initial development stages. While groundwork may be laid, further attention and resources are needed for integration into the educational system. The absence of an enterprise architecture plan tailored for the education sector in Kosovo highlights a significant gap in strategic planning and alignment of IT infrastructure and services with the goals, processes, and needs of educational institutions. An EA enterprise architecture is crucial for optimizing technology investments and ensuring IT initiatives support educational objectives. By aligning IT resources with school needs, an enterprise architecture plan enhances efficiency, promotes innovation, and improves educational services. It facilitates better integration of digital tools into teaching and learning, enhancing the educational experience. Developing and implementing an enterprise architecture plan in Kosovo's education sector could lead to more effective technology use, better data management, and alignment with global digital education practices. The EMIS has a vital tool for collecting and processing data from all pre-university institutions, but despite notable progress, there are areas for improvement, particularly in system functionality concerning data governance, collection, analysis, monitoring, and integration with other relevant systems. Since 2002, EMIS has operated under MESTI oversight in Kosovo, lacking a specific national law or policy for data governance. Instead, regulations and guidelines outline operational procedures, covering the entire data cycle. While designated organizations and personnel support EMIS, formal training and budgets are lacking. The internally developed EMIS platform offers digital storage but lacks offline access and user guides. Data collection is extensive, covering school infrastructure, teacher qualifications, and student information, but limitations persist in financial data and academic programs. Although schools and teachers have unique identifiers, student identifiers are absent, hampering deeper analysis. EMIS integrates with the refugee registration database but lacks integration with health and census data. Furthermore, there is no integration with other education sector systems like human resources and financial management, posing challenges to comprehensive planning and analysis. Despite the vital role of EMIS, its effectiveness is hindered by the absence of mechanisms ensuring data accuracy, the lack of formal procedures for assessing education data needs, and limited access to some stakeholders. EMIS in Kosovo collects periodic data, updating information in real time, but it lacks mechanisms for ensuring accuracy and reliability. Security measures protect EMIS data, but formal procedures for assessing education data needs are absent. Access to EMIS data is granted to ministries, local governments, and schools, but not to students and parents. Data analyses by education stakeholders cover various areas, with results disseminated through reports and dashboards. Kosovo shows commitment to transparency by reporting findings, but student assessment data is not shared with students and parents. 29 Figure 20. Household internet connectivity, Figure 21. Median internet speed, Kosovo Kosovo, comparator countries, 2024 and Western Balkans, and EU, 2022 100 100 80 80 60 Percentage Mbps 60 40 40 20 20 0 0 Fast At least 100 Fixed Very Fibre to the broadband Mbps fixed High premises (NGA) broadband Capacity (FTTP) coverage take-up Network coverage (VHCN) coverage Mobile internet connection speed Kosovo WB EU Fixed internet connection speed Source: Tintor et al., 2022 Source: Datareportal, 2024 Despite Kosovo's high internet access rate (internet penetration rate of 97%), it does not hold a leading position in internet speed performance. Kosovo falls behind other Western Balkan countries and EU averages in certain areas, notably in Very High-Capacity Network and Fiber to the Premises coverage, due to slow fiber network deployment. Fast broadband (Next Generation Access) coverage reaches 71% of households, mainly through xDSL technologies, but still lags behind Western Balkan (73%) and EU averages (90%) (Tintor et al., 2022). Currently, 15% of households have at least 1 Gbps take-up, with targets of 30% by 2026 and 100% by 2030, aligning with Kosovo’s National Development Strategy 2030. Internet speed stands at 65.2 Mbps for fixed connections and 35.4 Mbps for mobiles, the second slowest rate in the Western Balkans. The government aims for 100% of Kosovars and public institutions to have access to high-speed broadband, aligning with EU policies for digital inclusion and infrastructure enhancement. While Kosovo has made significant strides in internet accessibility, its integration into educational, training, scientific, and academic institutions, particularly those at the pre-university level, remains inadequate. According to data from MESTI, out of 786 public Educational and Training Institutions (ETIs) in Kosovo, 15.1% (118) of ETIs lack internet access. Furthermore, the EMIS data indicates that 235 out of 282 satellite classrooms in public ETIs, accounting for 83.3%, are without internet connectivity. In essence, among the total 1,058 public ETI facilities in Kosovo, comprising both main and satellite classroom facilities, approximately 66.6% (705) have Internet access, leaving about 33.4% (353) without access. Additionally, ETIs that have access to the Internet, in most cases, do not provide Internet throughout the school space, but only in certain staff offices and eventually in ICT cabinets. The National Network for Research and Education of Kosovo, also known as the Kosovo Research and Education Network (KREN), was initiated in 2019 under the Kosovo Digital Economy (KODE) project. KREN is supported by an International Development Association (IDA) loan and is implemented within the Ministry of Economy. The primary focus of KREN has been to establish a robust infrastructure that caters specifically to the needs of higher education institutions, encompassing both public and private entities. 30 It will be prudent to consider how the KREN offering can be enhanced/supported to be relevant for secondary and primary schools. To date, 100 schools have been equipped with internet connections through KREN, and there are plans to connect an additional 120 schools by 2024. While KREN has been established to address the infrastructural deficiencies within Kosovo's educational sector, it has yet to be fully institutionalized. This lack of formal recognition and establishment within the national framework poses a significant threat to its sustainability and, by extension, to the research capacities of higher education institutions in Kosovo. The current operational model of KREN, although functional, remains precarious without the legal and structural support that would come from formal institutionalization. This uncertainty affects KREN’s ability to consistently participate in global educational and research networks, impacting its effectiveness and the value it provides to the higher education institutions it serves. Given these challenges, there is a pressing need to conduct a thorough analysis of the scope and potential mandate of such a competent body, not only for those institutions but for other educational institutions as well. According to PISA results, Kosovo exhibited lower speed of Internet speed and digital devices connected to the Internet in schools, in comparison to OECD countries. Further analysis reveals a significant urban- rural disparity in school Internet connectivity. Specifically, only 27% of schools in Kosovo had sufficient Internet speed, compared to the OECD's 55%, while a mere 20% had adequate digital devices connected to the Internet, contrasting with the OECD’s 54% (Figure 21). These figures highlight the limited access to high-speed Internet and digital resources in schools, potentially hindering online learning opportunities. Moreover, urban schools demonstrated higher rates of sufficient Internet speed (76% vs. 24%) and connected digital devices (83% vs. 17%) compared to rural counterparts. These disparities underscore the pressing need for targeted investment and improvements in school Internet infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of focused initiatives to bolster digital access and high-speed Internet connectivity, particularly in rural educational institutions. Figure 22. School internet connectivity and device availability, Kosovo and OECD, by location, 2018 Sufficient internet speed Sufficient internet speed Sufficient digital devices Sufficient digital devices connected to the connected to the Internet Internet 0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100 Percentage of schools Percentage of schools OECD Kosovo Urban Rural Source: OECD PISA, 2018 31 In Kosovo, there is a notable deficiency in standards for providing guidelines and supporting the development of digital infrastructure, leading to low-quality services in this regard. Despite the absence of a specific implementing agency for digital developments, the KODE project has been instrumental in setting standards to enhance digital infrastructure in schools. However, inconsistent adoption has led to quality discrepancies. More comprehensive implementation is needed for equitable access to digital resources. Schools lack centralized support services for hardware and software, limiting access to essential educational tools. There is also a gap in assistive technology utilization, requiring targeted interventions. Vendor lock-in poses a risk due to limited awareness and guidelines. Moreover, there is a lack of guidelines for digital device adoption for marginalized student groups, emphasizing the need for inclusivity. Future efforts should prioritize uniform standards adoption, centralized support services, awareness on vendor lock-in, and inclusive guidelines, fostering a more equitable digital learning environment in Kosovo. Box 2: World Bank KODE Project The Digital Agenda 2030 in Kosovo, led by the Ministry of Economy, presents a comprehensive strategy to construct a modern, user-friendly, and secure digital infrastructure, emphasizing the advancement of 4G/5G networks and fixed broadband networks. Simultaneously, Kosovo has been actively fortifying its digital framework to ensure broad access to high-speed broadband services, essential for fostering inclusive digital growth and development nationwide. The Kosovo Digital Economy (KODE) Project, financed by the World Bank, plays a pivotal role in these efforts, aiming to enhance access to high-quality broadband services and online resources for citizens, public institutions, and academic organizations. Structured into three components — digital inclusion, digital work and empowerment, and project implementation support —the KODE Project focuses on expanding digital connectivity, supporting youth online initiatives, and providing project management assistance. Geared towards meeting the escalating demand for broadband services, KODE aims to expand infrastructure to rural areas, extending high-speed broadband access to over 200 villages by 2023, including institutions such as schools and hospitals. Significant advancements have been made in bridging broadband coverage disparities, with 203 villages, 107 schools, and 43 hospitals now equipped with fixed broadband infrastructure. Moreover, the project embarked on connecting mobile towers with fiber optics in 2020, integrating over 36 towers owned by mobile network operators within a two-year period. This strategic initiative aims to bolster investments in 5G deployment and enhance connectivity across Kosovo. Although the 2013–2020 Digital Agenda for Kosovo primarily aimed at bolstering the digital infrastructure, the finances are not reserved for planned activities and the collaboration for sustainable effort among core stakeholders is not sufficient. The Digital Agenda 2030 in Kosovo aims to transform the education system for the digital era, focusing on key objectives of implementing a Learning Management System and developing multimedia content for digitally mature schools. Leveraging KREN resources, the initiative aims to make the Learning Management System accessible to schools, improving learning experiences. Schools will receive ICT infrastructure support to meet technological standards, fostering efficient teaching and learning. These endeavors are expected to strengthen Kosovo's educational infrastructure and promote digital learning and innovation. However, the leadership engagement of MESTI in the initiatives for any intervention in education is crucial but currently lacking. The significant investment into digital infrastructure will not bring along the expected value for learning and teaching performance without sufficient level of digital skills and content, as well as interlinked implementation of digitalization activities with other core educational developments. Furthermore, considering the need for optimized school network, such investments may not be sustainable.28 28 Raport-Konsolidimi-i-rrjetit-te-shkollave-ENG.pdf (kec-ks.org) 32 Detailed Recommendations – Enabling Infrastructure To effectively enhance Kosovo's educational framework through digitalization, some strategic actions are proposed for implementation (further elaborated in Chapter 7). Education enterprise architecture and data governance. To enhance digital capacity and data governance in education, it is recommended to develop an enterprise architecture plan that aligns digital infrastructure with educational goals and optimizes technology investments. This plan should include principles for developing public and private services and ensure interoperability between them. Additionally, improving the EMIS is crucial—this involves revising and expanding its capabilities, establishing a national data governance policy, and enhancing data collection, analysis, and integration functionalities. It is also strongly advised to secure funding and provide specific training for EMIS personnel and other civil servants for data-driven decision making. Establishing a comprehensive open data policy would support evidence-based decision-making, promote innovation, and increase transparency in Kosovo's education sector. This could be achieved by forming a multi-stakeholder task force to draft policy guidelines and build the required technological infrastructure. Connectivity. Despite advancements in connectivity, the internet connection in schools across the country remains inadequate for the demands of digital-age education. To address this, it is recommended to prioritize the development of digital infrastructure within school premises, ensuring access to a safe and reliable network for both teachers and students. This effort should include considerations for cybersecurity, digital inclusion, and sustainable investment models. Additionally, enhancing the EMIS to include data on the availability and quality of school digital infrastructure along with other characteristics of specific educational institutions to assess the relevance and sufficiency is crucial. Further investments in school connectivity should align with strategic plans for school network development or optimization, such as the potential closure or merger of schools and their renovations. These steps are essential to mitigate the digital divide and ensure equitable access to digital resources, particularly for students in remote and rural areas. Standards and services. To enhance educational outcomes through technology, Kosovo is advised to develop a tailored framework for digital infrastructure development of schools, incorporating procurement and evaluation criteria for hardware, software, connectivity, and cybersecurity that align with educational goals. Promoting awareness among educational stakeholders about the importance of coherence and competence for sustainable development of digital infrastructure, with the aim of enhancing teaching, learning, and efficiency in schools, is strongly recommended. The value of digital standards and interoperability can be demonstrated using national or international best practices by providing data-driven evidence of benefits, such as improved efficiency and effectiveness in education. 6.4 Pillar 3: Human Capacity Human capacity plays a pivotal role in planning, managing, implementing, and leading digital transformation in education. At the policy and local municipality levels, skilled individuals are essential for devising strategic plans that align with educational goals, managing the deployment of digital infrastructure, and implementing digital platforms effectively. This capacity ensures that digital initiatives are not only technically feasible but also pedagogically sound, fostering environments where technology enhances performance of students and efficiency of schools. Furthermore, engaging the wider public, including parents, in digital education initiatives is crucial for creating a supportive ecosystem. Positive attitudes towards digitalization among the public can significantly create the acceptance and success of these initiatives, making community engagement and awareness campaigns key components of any digital strategy. Additionally, the capacity of ICT professionals specifically tailored to the educational sector must be addressed. These professionals are at the forefront of designing, developing, and 33 maintaining the digital tools and platforms that underpin modern educational practices next to other domains as ICT sector is considered of priority for Kosovo. The readiness level for this pillar is determined to be EMERGING (Table 10 in Annex D) with an overall score of 1.6, assessed against four sub-pillars: policy level, school ownership level, amongst the wider public, and in ICT professional capacity (Figure 24). The readiness is undergoing a transition from latent to an emerging level. This pillar covers the knowledge, skills, and capacity of a wide range of stakeholders to collaborate to bring the vision of digitally enabled education to life and an environment that fosters a focus on the service users, incentivizes collaboration and inclusion, and uses evidence to manage change. Figure 23. Readiness level: Human Capacity Level 1 - Latent Level 2 - Emerging Level 3 - Developing Level 4 - Advanced Digital and data Basic and Basic and intermediate Intermediate digital and data literacy is a challenge intermediate digital digital literacy is literacy skills are widespread; among large portions and data literacy is widespread; data there is consistent demand for of the population and growing; advanced literacy is growing; and supply of digital talent in advanced skills are skills are still scarce; demand for and supply both public and private sectors; scarce; collaborative collaborative and data of digital talent talent pool and demand for and data driven driven innovative increases; collaborative, advanced digital skills is innovative practices practices emerge in data driven, and user growing; collaborative, data are not the norm. small pockets. focused innovations in driven, and user focused education are rewarded innovations in education are and promoted. rewarded and promoted. Figure 24. Readiness assessment of Human Capacity pillar and sub-pillars Human Capacity Pillar Human Capacity by Sub-pillars 4 4 Level of Readiness Policy 3 2.0 Level of Readiness 3 1.8 1.8 2 1.3 School Owner 1 2 1.6 Wide Public 0 1 ICT professionalism 0 Source: World Bank Skilled ICT expertise available to support digital innovation leads among the four sub-pillars, scoring at 2.0 and positioning this pillar at the emerging level. Basic digital competence for the digital inclusion of the wider public and capacity at the public school ownership level both score at 1.8, approaching the emerging level. However, capacity at the policy level scores the lowest at 1.3, indicating a latent level of readiness. 34 Figure 25. Definitions of sub-pillars under Human Capacity Policy • Professional development opportunities • Access to training on change management, digital skills and data literacy • Level of digital skills and data literacy School owner • Role and capacity for planning, implementation and monitoring • Level of ICT and procurement skills • Financial capacity • Professional development opportunities Wider public • Upskilling opportunities on digital skills developmeng • Digital competence level • Capacity for using online public services • Readiness for digital education ICT professionalism • Need for ICT workforce • Alignment of education and labour market needs In assessing Kosovo's human capacity pillar for digital readiness, Kosovo demonstrates an emerging yet developing landscape across various dimensions at 2.0, while latent for others scoring between 1.0 and 1.7. The role and mandate of local government (2.0) shows fragmented responsibility in digital infrastructure planning and implementation. While the majority of the wider public (2.0) possess basic digital skills, upskilling opportunities are lacking. Measures to bridge the digital skills gap and ensure inclusivity for vulnerable groups are insufficient. Various initiatives address demand for ICT professionals (2.0), and more investment is needed to increase the number of ICT experts (2.0) and ICT employees (2.0) to meet the demands of the digital economy. Capacity within local government (1.7) is limited, hindering significant advancements. Capacity for building support is emerging (1.7), where there is no governmental body but rather a reliance on NGOs and foundations to oversee competency-building for civil servants. Usage of online public services (1.0) for education remains low. Kosovo urgently needs to bolster its human capacity and invest in training and resources for digital readiness in education. 35 Figure 26. EDRA indicator assessment of Human Capacity Capacity of Ministry of Education 4 Extent of ICT employees in 3 Capacity building support the economy 2 1 Role and mandate of local Availability of ICT expertise government 0 Alignment of digital skills Capacity of local development with the government labour market needs Access to online public Digital skills of wider services public, including parents Source: World Bank Capacity at the policy level – Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) MESTI operates within a challenging ecosystem, high expectations for extensive reforms, open government, digitalization, and data-driven decision-making, in a constrained financial envelope and a volatile political landscape. MESTI faces challenges in developing new skills and competencies, partly due to its reliance on other ministries/organizations for general frameworks and investments in digitalization. Limited financial resources further complicate MESTI's ability to invest in necessary technologies, training, and infrastructure improvements. The effectiveness of a digital education strategy relies on skilled and qualified staff within MESTI who possess educational professionalism but lack skills for leading the digital transformation of education. The Public Administration Reform strategy includes plans for establishing a body responsible for the recruitment and upskilling of public sector employees, including those at MESTI. It remains unclear if the entity responsible for upskilling public sector employees is operational. Although the e-Government Strategy aims to upskill public sector employees for digitalization, these plans have not been implemented. Currently, MESTI lacks specific upskilling programs for civil servants in digitalization or data management. While NGOs offer project-based training programs, they do not align with MESTI's education strategy and digitalization plans for the country. According to the strategy, digitalization is expected to be integrated into core educational fields such as curriculum development, learning content development, teacher training, and assessment, but expectations vary. Experts of these core education fields in MESTI are not upskilled for addressing digitalization in their domains. Establishing a separate body for digital tasks is expected to clarify ownership for development but could complicate integration into education. Expectations for this 36 department within MESTI vary among stakeholders, with unclear objectives, competencies, and tasks. Challenges arise as strategic objectives for digitalization are dispersed across different departments without a mandate. Fragmented implementation without dedicated staff and ownership mandate hinders integration of digital technologies into core educational processes, exacerbating digital inequities for vulnerable students. MESTI’s capacity for planning, implementing, and monitoring digital infrastructure is insufficient . There are no support mechanisms and upskilling opportunities for MESTI personnel to manage changes in the situation of limited resources. The education sector in Kosovo is going through several reforms, including the decentralization of the education system. There are good experts employed in MESTI for different education domains, but the motivation and commitment of these experts is declining due to the hectic political environment, lack of mandate and financing to execute the policies, and continuous expectations for introducing reforms (starting with another before the last has been properly enforced). Consequently, this situation has resulted in the inadequate execution of digitalization strategy components, thereby delaying the achievement of objectives related to digital learning tools and platforms which have been considered as impact indicators in the strategies. The lack of effort towards upskilling digital competence and data literacy is concerning, given the potential risks associated with digitalization. Uncertainty persists regarding the level of digital competence and data literacy among civil servants, crucial for data-driven decision-making. While the strategy emphasizes the importance of data-driven decisions and the development of an EMIS, it remains unclear if there are/will be initiatives to improve stakeholders' abilities in data management. The MESTI has faced challenges with procurement of ICT equipment. This aspect requires further exploration within the broader landscape and responsibilities, considering wider dissatisfaction with the procurement system in the country. Further investigation is needed to determine if the lack of capacity is linked to the general procurement landscape, public procurement system/legislation, ICT-procurement specific capacity, or the need for greater openness and transparency in MESTI's work culture (study by Open Data Kosovo).29 Capacity at the public school ownership level – central or local government, as relevant per country system In Kosovo's decentralized education system, local municipalities play a critical role in driving digital transformation at both school and broader educational levels. As the closest governance structures to schools, municipalities implement national digital education strategies locally. Their capacity to support schools hinges on understanding digital infrastructure tailored to the education-specific needs (focusing on the connectivity and ICT labs mainly), fostering digital literacy, and providing ongoing technical and professional development support to school management and teachers. Municipalities must tailor support to their schools’ needs, requiring specific competencies like digital infrastructure planning, educational technology integration, data-driven decision-making, and change management. Responsibilities for digitalization in schools are not clearly defined, leading to fragmentation among stakeholders. Although schools are said to be decentralized in policy, some key tasks are still centralized in practice, resulting in varying understandings of sustainable development responsibilities. Municipalities focus mainly on upgrading digital infrastructure within their financial constraints, with unclear collaborative efforts for efficient fund use. They do not support schools with teaching content, digital materials, or teacher training, which falls under MESTI’s jurisdiction. While the maintenance of school 29 https://opendatakosovo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Open-Governance-Ministry-of-Education_ENG-1.pdf 37 infrastructure in general is the responsibility of local municipalities, the investments for procurement and maintenance of digital services and hardware are still expected from the central government. Municipalities lack mechanisms to build school management capacity for digital development. School boards, with parent representatives, support principals, but school owners’ capacity for managing digital infrastructure relies mainly on municipal IT support (mainly IT user support). There are plans to enhance ICT teacher skills and scale up their scope of responsibilities to include the daily maintenance of schools’ digital infrastructure. Considering that ICT teaching competence is different from ICT support expertise at the organizational level, this might hinder the capacity for ICT teaching in school as well as bring along deficiencies in the IT maintenance of schools’ digital infrastructure. The availability of private sector services, such as school management systems, is acknowledged, but the solutions provided by the private market are not considered of needed content and quality . It is expected that a digital platform will be developed by MESTI, which necessitates that municipalities focus on ensuring infrastructure readiness without actual knowledge or understanding of the platform planned by MESTI. The municipalities are also planning to move ahead with their own procurements of digital content platforms, although a free platform is already effectively developed and operated by KREN, under the KODE project. Moreover, KREN does not yet have a legal status despite the critical role it is playing in enabling connectivity and operating and managing some of the core infrastructure, platforms and services. Financial constraints pose significant challenges for municipalities and schools. Concerns arise regarding MESTI’s allocation of finances, which lacks data-driven approaches, leading to discrepancies, such as in calculating teacher salaries based on student per capita ratios. Additionally, there is a lack of dedicated financial resources to support students with special educational needs, including uncertainties about how digital solutions and assistive technologies could aid these students. Basic digital competence for digital inclusion - readiness and demand of the WIDER PUBLIC for community engagement and supportive ecosystem The imperative for digital inclusion across the wider public is recognized within various strategic frameworks such as the Digital Agenda of Kosovo and the National Education Strategy 2022-2026. However, its planning, implementation, monitoring, and targeted support for upskilling the wider public, especially vulnerable groups, in digital competencies remain areas of concern due to their low or insufficient development. The education strategy and related plans recognize the importance of enhancing digital competence across the population. However, concrete actions to improve digital literacy among the wider public have not been implemented yet. This broader community's digital competence is crucial for creating a supportive ecosystem for digital education. When local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government entities possess adequate digital skills and a positive attitude toward digitalization, they can contribute to the development of schools and the community. Additionally, digital competence among parents and caregivers is essential to guide children to become responsible digital citizens, protect them from digital risks, and support them in educational tasks. An informed public can better assist schools in teaching students how to navigate the digital world safely and ethically. The lack of action plans and implementation for upskilling the wider public in digital competence, as noted during the analysis, represents a missed opportunity to lay the groundwork for a digitally inclusive education system. The absence of structured, accessible, and inclusive upskilling programs for the more vulnerable groups in Kosovo not only threatens to widen the digital divide but also contradicts the principles of equity and inclusivity essential to successful digital transformation. In Kosovo, the uptake of public online services is an area of growing importance and focus, reflecting a broader push towards digitalization within the government and public sectors. Despite these efforts, the adoption and utilization 38 of public online services among the general population remains low, due to the limited digital literacy as well as the low number of digital public services available for the specific target groups. Data from PISA indicates a notable trend in parental engagement in the educational process in Kosovo. In 2022, it was reported that 47% of students in Kosovo attended schools where the principal noted proactive engagement from families regarding their child's progress, with 55% initiated by teachers. This indicates a slight decrease from 2018, when the figure stood at 50% (with 56% initiated by teachers). This data underscores the significance of parental involvement in Kosovo's education system, emphasizing the importance of enhancing digital competence among parents and the wider community. In an increasingly digital era, equipping parents with digital skills can enhance their ability to engage effectively in their children's education. Transitioning such engagement to digital platforms, like school management systems, can further facilitate parental involvement while allowing teachers to utilize their time more efficiently and providing additional engagement opportunities for parents. Skilled ICT expertise available to support digital innovation (build and maintain) The availability of ICT professionals is a critical factor in meeting labor market needs, especially as Kosovo aims to advance its digital infrastructure within the education sector and beyond. The graduation rate of ICT students compared to all graduates serves as a crucial indicator of whether the education system meets market demands. In Kosovo, this rate is notably high compared to both Western Balkan countries and EU member states, standing at 6.7%, 6.2%, and 3.9%, respectively, according to the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) report. This suggests Kosovo's potential to excel in the digital domain regionally. However, despite this promising trend, the quality of ICT education faces criticism for its poor alignment with labor market demands. Concerns arise regarding the employability of graduates, indicating that the current curricula may not sufficiently equip students with industry-required skills. The share of ICT employees in the labor market is a critical indicator of a country's digital economy strength and its capacity to support technological innovation and transformation across various sectors. In Kosovo, where this share stands at 1.1% (Tintor et al., 2022), significantly lower than regional and EU averages, it suggests a misalignment between educational offerings and industry needs. Feedback from ICT companies indicates a gap between educational curricula and practical skills demanded by the job market. This discrepancy may also reflect issues of access to quality education, brain drain, and socioeconomic barriers. Addressing these challenges requires revising curricula, fostering industry- academic collaboration, and implementing policies to retain talent and attract tech investments. Further analysis is needed to identify core issues and improvement opportunities in Kosovo. The share of ICT employees is indicative of the country's readiness to embrace digital transformation within its own borders, including in critical areas such as public services, education, healthcare, and commerce. The comparison with Western Balkan countries and the European Union underscores the need for Kosovo to enhance its attractiveness as a destination for ICT professionals and to invest in upskilling its existing workforce, as well as encouragement and support for students to pursue careers in ICT. Detailed Recommendations – Human capacity Kosovo's digital readiness in the human capacity pillar reflects both progress and challenges. While some areas show promise, others remain underdeveloped, with fragmented responsibility, lack of competence or resources (experts, finances) (further elaborated in chapter 7). Capacity at the policy level. Through the analysis it was evident that the educational expertise within the MESTI is present and strong. However, it is crucial to enhance MESTI's capabilities for implementing digitalization in education – clarifying and assigning the responsibilities, assessing the skills-gaps and 39 introducing relevant supportive measures. Within this effort, planning relevant upskilling initiatives for MESTI's management with more focus on digital transformation and change management is needed. The profile of the dedicated digital department within MESTI, as currently planned, should be carefully thought through regarding the scope of the activities as well as policy-design role and/or implementation mandate compliant with the decentralized education system approach and sustainability of the developments. Strengthening MESTI’s capacity across all educational domains, including developing support mechanisms and upskilling for personnel, is essential to manage limited resources and adapt to global educational trends, ensuring effective integration of digital technologies in education streams and levels. Capacity at school ownership level/local government. In Kosovo's decentralized education system, municipalities are key to driving digital transformation in schools but face challenges in defining roles, allocating resources, and enhancing capacities. To improve this, it is essential to develop tailored training and peer-exchange platforms for municipal officials focused on digital infrastructure planning and educational technology integration. Additionally, establishing clear collaboration frameworks between central and local governments will help define roles and ensure efficient resource use. Targeted support mechanisms for school principals on ICT integration and infrastructure maintenance, along with partnerships with the private sector to enhance digital solutions, will ensure municipalities are prepared to implement digital strategies effectively. Capacity among wider public for digital inclusion. To bridge Kosovo's digital divide and enhance digital education, it is essential to develop action plans that improve digital competence across all demographics, particularly targeting vulnerable groups. Encouraging participation from local businesses, nonprofits, and government in upskilling initiatives will create a supportive digital education ecosystem. Additionally, equipping parents and caregivers with the necessary digital skills will foster greater engagement with their children’s education through platforms like school management systems, enhancing collaboration between schools and families. Capacity for developing ICT professionals. To address the need for ICT professionals and enhance digital solutions across sectors in Kosovo, it is essential to start ICT education, as the skills for developing information technology, early. Recommendations include implementing an ICT curriculum in basic education that adheres to international best practices, focusing on developing creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and career awareness in ICT. Adding extracurricular activities such as ICT clubs and competitions can further engage students and develop their skills. Initiatives to encourage young girls in Kosovo to pursue STEM education should also be prioritized, offering mentorship, scholarships, and practical learning opportunities to advance gender diversity and inclusion in the ICT workforce. 6.5 Pillar 4: Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity Achieving digital maturity in schools necessitates a multifaceted approach that encompasses various critical elements and the active involvement of diverse stakeholders. At the school level, achieving digital maturity involves developing robust digital infrastructure, integrating digital tools into the curriculum implementation, enhancing digital skills among students and teachers, and digitizing administrative processes. Responsibilities for this are distributed among various stakeholders. School leaders and local municipalities in Kosovo are tasked with strategic planning and resource allocation. Teachers are responsible for adopting digital tools for instruction. Students participate actively in digital learning, including developing their digital literacy. Parents and the community support digital education initiatives. 40 The readiness level for this pillar is determined to be EMERGING (Table 10 in Annex D) with an overall score of 1.8. This score is assessed against five sub-pillars: Content standards and instructional materials; digitally empowered learning environment; digital skills of students; teacher's digital skills and pedagogical practices; and school management and administration. This pillar focuses on the demand side, that is, on learners’ and teachers’ uptake and use and on the impact of digital products and services on their learning. Figure 27. Readiness level of Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity Level 1 - Latent Level 2 - Emerging Level 3 - Developing Level 4 - Advanced Digital access and Digital access and Digital access, learning Digital access, learning digital competencies in digital competencies resources, and resources, and competencies school and at home for in school and at home competencies in school in school and at home for students, teachers and for students, teachers and at home for students, students, teachers, and administrators is low, and administrators teachers, and administrators are curriculum is not are emerging administrators are widespread and adapted, digital opportunistically, widespread and standardized, curriculum is learning resources are curriculum adaptation standardized to enable adapted and integrated for very limited, and and digital learning scale and equity, ICT use, and education data education data is not resource curriculum is adapted and and analytics support digitized. development are still integrated for ICT use, and dynamic feedback loops limited, and education education data and using frontier technologies. data management is analytics support feedback digitized with often loops for decision- making. one-way data flows. With an overall score of 1.8, the pillar is reaching the emerging level, as indicated by the weighted scores of its five sub-pillars (Figure 28). Notably, digital skills of students lead among the five sub-pillars with a score of 2.3, transitioning from the emerging level to the developing level. However, it is relevant to note that this level of skills is indicated based on the PISA self-assessment methodology. The digitally empowered learning environment and school management and administration score at 2.0, firmly placing them at the emerging level. Teachers’ teaching digital skills and pedagogical practices score at 1.9, also approaching the emerging level. However, content standards and learning materials score the lowest at 1.4, still in the process of transitioning from the latent level to the emerging level. These scores are indicative that students’ trust in and motivation toward schools and teachers for learning digital skills and related competences, as a transversal area, may be impacted if system level actors and initiatives do not catch up Figure 28. Readiness assessment of Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity pillar and sub-pillars 41 Education Service Delivery and School's Digital Maturity Pillar 4 Digital skills of students 3 Digitally Level of Readiness empowered learning environment 1.8 2 School management and administration Teachers' digital skills and 1 pedagogical practices Content standards and instructional 0 materials Education Service Delivery and School's Digital Maturity by Sub-pillars 4 3 Level of Readiness 2 1 0 Source: World Bank 42 In assessing Kosovo's education service delivery and school digital maturity pillar's, a transition from emerging to developing stages is evident across various dimensions. Notably, the capacity of school management stands out with a score of 3.0, reflecting strong leadership and implementation capabilities driving digital education initiatives forward. Regarding the upskilling support to teachers (2.5), the digital pedagogy training is not integrated into pre-service teacher training programs but is planned for future implementation, highlighting the need to enhance the capacity of teacher education institutions. Access to ICT education (2.5) is available in select subjects, with implemented measures showing demonstrable positive outcomes aimed at motivating girls to pursue IT as a profession. Digital infrastructure for learning (2.4) reveals inadequate internet connectivity in schools but sufficient access at home. Meanwhile, dimensions scoring at 2.0 suggest ongoing efforts to integrate data literacy and digital skills into the national curriculum, while teachers' digital competence demonstrates moderate usage of digital tools, calling for further training and a comprehensive competency framework. Figure 29. EDRA indicator assessment on Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity Digital competence standard of students Capacity building for school 4 Data literacy of students management 3 Access to digital learning Capacity of school management materials 2 Digital maturity of schools Access to instructional materials 1 0 Collaborative learning platforms Digital infrastructure for learning for teachers Access to digital services for Upskilling support to teachers teaching and learning Teacher qualification Level of digital skills of students requirements Digital competence standard of Access to ICT education teachers Source: World Bank The assessment also reveals a transition from latent to emerging stages. Teacher qualification requirements score at 1.8, showing ongoing efforts with inconsistent program quality and accessibility challenges. The digital competence standard of students rates 1.7 and reflects a nascent proficiency level among educators, suggesting a need for more comprehensive training programs. Access to digital services for teaching and learning scores at 1.6, indicating a basic integration level mostly driven by individual teacher motivation. Capacity building for school management and collaborative learning platforms for teachers score at 1.5 and 1.3, respectively, highlighting the need for improved support structures and collaborative frameworks to enhance digital skill development among educators. Access to digital learning materials scores at 1.3, and instructional materials score at 1.0, suggesting limited availability and alignment with educational needs. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance for Kosovo to 43 intensify efforts in curriculum development, training initiatives, and resource allocation to advance digital integration within its education sector. Content standards and learning/instructional materials Kosovo has integrated digital competence into its educational framework, recognizing it as a cross- curricular topic that all subjects and learning areas are obliged to address as a competence of students . However, while the inclusion of digital competence as a cross-curricular topic marks a progressive step forward, the implementation faces challenges, notably in the definition of specific learning outcomes per age groups. The current curriculum and syllabuses lack detailed articulation of the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that constitute digital competence. This gap hinders the ability of educators to systematically assess and enhance students' digital competence, making it difficult to measure progress or identify areas for improvement. MESTI has articulated a plan to develop a framework for digital competencies, with a focus on providing practical guidance for integrating these standards into schools, including for school principals . The MESTI is planning to develop a framework for digital competencies, drawing from European standards like DigComp, DigCompEdu, and DigCompOrg. This framework aims to guide the integration of digital competence standards into schools, including support for school principals. MESTI intends to offer practical guidelines for implementing these standards, encompassing assessments, competency categorizations, and training program design. While these plans are indicated in the strategy and relevant action plan, the implementation is delayed. The uptake of digital services for value added to learning with digital content, such as Shkollat.org, remains low in Kosovo. Feedback suggests that existing digital content is not perceived as sufficiently extensive or of value-added compared to traditional educational methods. There is also a cautious approach by the policymakers to mandating digital content, reflecting concerns about potential risks associated with increased internet access, such as exposure to inappropriate content and distractions. Strategies to manage these risks, including fostering digital competence among students, better awareness and establishing clear guidelines for device and content usage, are crucial to moving forward. Transitioning from centralized distribution of paper textbooks to digital learning content poses challenges, including higher costs and the need for new competencies not currently accommodated by the existing system. Constructive and development-oriented discussions about involving other sectors, like NGOs and academia, in developing digital materials are not likely at this stage due to lack of financial resources and relevant policy. In high-performing education systems globally, principals and teachers have significant autonomy, including selecting (digital) learning materials. This autonomy is crucial in digital learning, where teachers can build on their professionalism and enhance the learning experience by choosing appropriate digital resources tailored to their students' needs and learning objectives. Empowering teachers with digital competence enables them to make informed decisions, fostering innovation and adaptability in the classroom. The investigation into educational resources has identified a significant shortfall in the provision of current and comprehensive instructional materials for teachers. There is an absence of a systematic distribution mechanism for materials that detail modern teaching methodologies or the updated curriculum. Moreover, instructions to facilitate the incorporation of digital pedagogy and the instruction of digital skills are not readily available to teachers. This deficiency presents a barrier to educators’ 44 professional development and their capacity to deliver education that aligns with the digital advancements potentially impacting the overall efficacy of the educational system. Learning Environment—digitally empowered/enabled learning environment include the conditions for learning in school and at home In 2022, PISA data revealed that while a significant percentage of households in Kosovo had internet connectivity (82%) and computers for school work (79%), disparities persisted based on urban-rural and socioeconomic factors. Urban households had higher access rates, with approximately 93% equipped with computers and internet, compared to only 7% in rural areas. Additionally, lower-income households faced greater barriers to access. These disparities highlight the pressing need for targeted efforts to ensure educational equity, bridging the gap in access to resources and providing equitable education for all students, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status. Figure 30. Home digital learning environment: Overall, by location, and by socioeconomic status Overall By urban/rural By socioeconomic status Have available Quintile 5 Have available internet internet connectivity Quintile 4 connectivity at at home home Quintile 3 Have available Have available computer for Bottom 40% computer for school school work at work at home 0 50 100 home Percentage of students 0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100 Percentage of students Percentage of students Have available internet connectivity 2018 2022 Urban Rural Source: OECD PISA, 2018 and 2022 Source: OECD PISA, 2022 Source: OECD PISA, 2022 The planned adoption of standards for digital school infrastructure, expected in 2022 according to the education strategy, has yet to materialize, indicating a significant gap in the framework needed for digital transformation in schools. Presently, 66.6% of public educational institutions have internet access, leaving 33.4% without connectivity. Ambitious targets aim for 50% of classrooms to have broadband internet by 2024, increasing to 100% by 2026, crucial for ensuring equal access to digital resources. The current student-computer ratio is 1:35, with plans to improve to 1:15 by 2026, though regulations prohibiting students from bringing personal devices for online education hinder progress. Despite intentions to revise these regulations by 2023, implementation has stalled. A bring-your-own-device school policy and centralized network security management could be used to tackle the risks, in addition to constructively engaging with students to develop healthy behaviors for using digital devices. Meanwhile, 78.7% of students have computers at home for schoolwork, and 82.3% have home internet access, both contributing to higher average PISA scores among students with access to digital learning environments at home and school. Figure 31. Digital learning environment and students’ average learning performance in 2022 (home) and 2018 (school) 45 Home School 400 400 Average PISA Score Average PISA Score 300 300 200 200 100 100 0 Math Science Math Science 0 Reading Reading Science Math Math Science Reading Reading Have digital devices Have internet speed at Have computer for Have internet connected to the school school work at home connectivity at home Internet at school Not Available Available Insufficient Sufficient Source: OECD PISA, 2022 Source: OECD PISA, 2018 There is no systematic practice or process for collecting and analyzing data on schools' digital infrastructure, such as internet connectivity speed and the availability of digital devices for students and teachers. This lack of information hampers the ability to make informed decisions and allocate resources effectively. Under EMIS development, addressing relevant data sets with registry can be considered. The integration of digital services in education offers numerous benefits, including personalized learning experiences, access to diverse resources, and the development of essential skills like digital literacy. These tools also provide flexibility, enabling learning beyond traditional settings and schedules, and offer educators advanced methods for content delivery and assessment. In Kosovo, however, online learning practices are not fully integrated into school systems. While digital services are encouraged, stakeholders await a centralized government platform, despite existing suitable platforms like Moodle. Additionally, available digital learning materials do not fully meet educational needs, reflecting a disconnect between resources and requirements. Low adoption rates stem from factors like limited autonomy at school level, financial constraints, lack of expertise, and insufficient student infrastructure. Modernizing schools is essential for addressing the growing shortage of teaching staff in Kosovo. According to PISA 2022, 27% of students attend schools where the principal cites a lack of teachers as a significant barrier to teaching capacity, up from 19% in 2018. Additionally, 13% of students are in schools affected by underqualified teachers. This shortage negatively impacts student performance, as evidenced by lower mathematics scores in schools with inadequate staffing. Brain drain exacerbates this issue, as talented educators leave for better opportunities abroad, further diminishing Kosovo's teaching workforce. To attract and retain teachers, Kosovo must modernize its educational environment by integrating technology. By creating digitally advanced schools, Kosovo can appeal to a new generation of educators who value innovation. Furthermore, leveraging online learning can mitigate staffing challenges by providing access to a global network of educators and resources, ensuring high-quality education despite local shortages. Detailed Recommendations30-- Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity Kosovo’s educational system is embracing digital competence as a fundamental element of its curriculum, aiming to equip students with necessary 21st century skills. However, the journey towards effective integration of these competencies across all levels of education as well as granting sufficient enablers to 30Analysis and recommendations of students’ digital skills, teachers’ digital skills and pedagogical practices, and school management and administration are covered in greater depth in Chapter 5. 46 support these developments present unique challenges and opportunities for improvement (further elaborated in Chapter 7). Content standards and instructional materials. The analysis indicated the need to urgently prioritize enhancing educational standards and instructional materials to improve learning outcomes with enhanced digital skills, materials and methodology. For a systematic and mainstream approach in learning practices and design of the learning environment, a clear framework for digital competence integrated into the curriculum implementation, with learning outcomes and timelines, is needed. Comprehensive guidelines for digital learning materials should be developed, encompassing content relevance, pedagogical effectiveness, and technical standards. Delivery model of learning materials with quality assurance should be established, outlining the roles of content creators, educational institutions, and oversight bodies, as well as rethinking financing mechanisms. Additionally, partnerships with NGOs, academia, and private sector are essential for codeveloping digital materials. Establishing a digital repository for updated instructional materials and implementing a structured dissemination strategy will ensure broad access and professional support to educators. Digitally empowered learning environment. To enhance digital infrastructure in schools, it is essential to adopt approaches that ensure all students have access to digital resources, particularly those from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Schools should consider developing plans to offer digital tools in after-school environments such as local libraries and community centers. Also considering the lack of specialists for inclusive education, it is highly recommended to equip schools with assistive technologies for supporting students with disabilities. To further address the lack of devices and benefit from students’ personal digital devices for learning cross all subject fields, establishing clear guidelines for the responsible use of personal devices (bring-your-own-device policy) could bring positive impact. Assuring the accessibility and support mechanisms for using digital tools and content (not only PC/laptops) tailored to specific subjects/disciplines (digital musical instruments, digital sensors for science, 3D printers etc.) could enrich foundational learning and support various learning preferences. Embracing online and blended learning strategies will prepare schools for maintaining educational continuity during unexpected disruptions. 6.6 Pillar 5: EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models The EdTech ecosystem comprises a network of technologies, platforms, and practices aimed at enhancing teaching and learning experiences. It involves stakeholders such as educators, students, EdTech companies, policymakers, institutions, and investors. Collaboration among these parties is crucial for the ecosystem's growth and sustainability. The ecosystem aims to support educational processes, improve learning access, and foster innovative teaching methods. Leadership and governance play key roles in shaping a conducive environment for EdTech innovation. A decentralized approach, private sector participation, supportive policies, and financing for research and implementation are essential components. Additionally, digital infrastructure and the digital competencies of school staff and students are vital for successful EdTech adoption and effective learning with technology. With an overall score of 1.4, the EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models pillar is in transition from the latent to the emerging stage, as indicated by the weighted scores of its four sub-pillars. The challenges of a small market and a developing economy are significant, compounded by a rather centralized and modestly incentivized innovation environment within the education sector. These factors hinder rapid advancement and diversification of educational technologies. Figure 32. Readiness level of EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models 47 Level 1 - Latent Level 2 - Emerging Level 3 - Developing Level 4 - Advanced Digital services Digital services There is a small but There is a vibrant and industry/tech sector is industry/tech sector to vibrant digital services growing digital services practically non- service education sector industry/EdTech sector; industry/EdTech sector; existent including in needs is emerging; early EdTech management is EdTech products and education; no practice stages of EdTech systematized with services are systematically needs assessments of management, such as a inventory databases and managed using inventory learners, teachers, library of tools; and ad needs assessments. databases, needs schools; and no active hoc needs gathering. assessments, and vetting management of EdTech and effectiveness tools and services. measurements. Figure 33. Readiness assessment of EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models pillar and sub-pillars EdTech Markets and Innovative Business EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models by Sub- Models 4 pillars 4 Capacity and culture 3 Level of Readiness for entrepreneurship Level of Readiness 3 2.3 Edtech development 2 1.4 and update 1.3 2 1.0 1.0 Quality assurance of EdTech 1 1 Interoperability 0 Capacity and Edtech Quality assurance Interoperability culture for development and of EdTech 0 entrepreneurship update Source: World Bank Notably, capacity and culture for entrepreneurship leads among the four sub-pillars with a score of 2.3, advancing from the emerging level to the developing stage. The favorable ecosystem for EdTech development and update scores at 1.3, moving from the latent to the emerging level. Quality assurance and interoperability score the lowest at 1.0, placing them in the latent-to-emerging inflection stage. Figure 34. Definitions of sub-pillars under EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models pillar 48 Capacity and culture for entrepreneurship • Ease of doing business • Entrepreneurship competence and education Edtech development and uptake • Edtech startup sector • Edtech uptake by schools Quality assurance of edtech • Quality framework • Awareness of schools • Data protection compliance capacity Interoperability • Digital authentication • Principles and framework for edtech Figure 35. EDRA indicator assessment of EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models Entrepreneurship competence/education 4 Interoperability framework 3 Edtech sector: capacity 2 1 Single-sign-on (SSO) 0 Edtech uptake by schools Quality assurance: data Quality assurance system protection Availability of edtech user support Source: World Bank Kosovo's EdTech ecosystem is transitioning from the latent to the emerging stage across several dimensions. Entrepreneurship competence and education are developing, scoring at 2.3, while the capacity of the EdTech sector is lower at 1.4, indicating a need for further development and investment. Many dimensions remain at a latent stage, scoring at 1.0. The uptake of EdTech by schools is hindered by the lack of accessible repositories or marketplaces for exploring solutions and limited budgets at the 49 school level. Quality assurance in data protection is lacking, along with single-sign-on systems and interoperability frameworks, posing challenges to integration and accessibility. Kosovo needs to develop comprehensive frameworks, guidelines, and infrastructure to effectively adopt and utilize EdTech solutions in its educational system. A critical aspect of fostering a favorable EdTech ecosystem is the ease with which businesses can be established. According to the OECD, Kosovo has a score of 95.9 for starting a business, indicating a relatively favorable environment for new ventures. This high score suggests that the procedural barriers to entry for EdTech startups may be lower, potentially encouraging innovation and investment in the sector. The concept of startups, particularly in the EdTech sector, is not widely recognized or developed in Kosovo. The development of the EdTech sector by the private sector is contingent upon the existence of supportive frameworks, including laws and institutions that address policy topics relevant to innovation, research, startup, or EdTech topics. At present, Kosovo lacks a specific concept to facilitate the growth of EdTech initiatives, considering the possible barriers (minors, educational regulations and developments, financing model etc) that are specific to this sector. The level of entrepreneurial mindset in Kosovo's education sector is currently underdeveloped, with entrepreneurship competencies not explicitly targeted in the curriculum. While relevant skills are mentioned in the curriculum's core competencies for life, work, and the environment, there is a lack of focused integration of entrepreneurship education. This gap presents an opportunity to enhance the curriculum to better prepare students with entrepreneurial and innovative thinking for the digital age. Initiatives like those by the Innovation Centre Kosovo offer valuable project-based opportunities for students to engage with entrepreneurship. Implementing more systematic and integrated approaches to entrepreneurship education, inspired by such best practices, could benefit Kosovo's education system. While there is no dedicated center of excellence or innovation support organization specifically for EdTech development in Kosovo, hubs such as the Innovation Centre Kosovo create best practices in the startup sector. However, absence of innovation support organizations (public, private, NGO or within academia) in Kosovo, specifically tailored to the EdTech sector, significantly impacts the potential for collaborative development of educational technologies. Typically, these organizations facilitate a synergistic environment where research institutions, schools, and EdTech companies can unite to co- create high-quality, innovative and localized services, products, and methodologies. This collaborative model is crucial for fostering evidence-based, technologically enhanced solutions that are aligned with learner-centered teaching practices. In this way, less effort needs to be put into controlling and approving the quality of EdTech solutions. In Kosovo, there is a notable lack of motivation among schools and insufficient funding for research organizations focused on educational innovation. This hinders the development and implementation of innovative EdTech solutions that could enhance the educational experience for both students and teachers. While schools of education within universities may express interest in such initiatives, research institutions face constraints due to limited financial support and a lack of structured collaboration with the EdTech industry and educational practitioners. Facilitating partnerships between these entities would not only bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application but also promote entrepreneurship education. This approach fosters innovation, problem-solving, and creative thinking among students, integrating entrepreneurship into the education system beyond just a subject to be taught. The EdTech sector in Kosovo faces significant financial challenges, with limited state and private investment hindering innovation and growth. Without adequate funding, both from the government and 50 private sources, EdTech companies struggle to develop and implement new solutions. Additionally, schools lack the resources to integrate diverse EdTech tools into teaching practices, hampering teachers' ability to adapt to modern teaching methodologies and meet the needs of students. This financial constraint also deters potential investors, exacerbating the situation. Standards and quality criteria are essential for the development of the EdTech sector, ensuring that educational technologies meet pedagogical, technical, and ethical requirements to enhance learning outcomes. However, Kosovo lacks policies and guiding principles in this regard, despite concerns about the quality and relevance of EdTech solutions. Adhering to standards related to data protection, such as the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, is crucial for safeguarding user information and building trust with stakeholders. For EdTech businesses, adherence to standards enhances credibility and reliability, facilitating scalability and market access. Without such quality assurance measures, Kosovo's EdTech sector may face challenges in gaining credibility and competitiveness in both local and international markets. In the education sector, the seamless integration and interoperability of public and private services are fundamental to creating an efficient and cohesive digital learning environment. The complexity of the technological ecosystem within education necessitates standards that ensure various systems—ranging from Learning Management Systems (LMS) and student information systems to many other digital tools employed in classrooms—can communicate and operate harmoniously. This interoperability is essential not only for the technical synergy of different platforms but also for enhancing the overall user experience for educators and students, thereby reducing the friction often associated with the adoption of new technologies. Although the objective for interoperability of educational public services is prioritized in the education strategy, it is not evident whether such an interoperability framework and readiness will also be created with the private sector’s services or with registries in other domains (population registry, health registry, social registry, etc). Implementing Single Sign-On 31 (SSO) solutions in the education sector would streamline user authentication, simplifying access to multiple applications with a single set of login credentials . In Kosovo’s education sector, however, there is currently no discussion or plan for systemwide implementation of SSO, despite its well known benefits. Within the established network, the provision of SSO services is targeted toward higher education institutions. Extending an age-appropriate authentication system to primary and secondary schools would ensure secure and straightforward access for younger students. SSO reduces administrative burden and enhances accessibility, especially for minors navigating various digital platforms. SSO promotes interoperability and security by minimizing password- related security risks and ensuring consistent security protocols across platforms. Prioritizing SSO and interoperability standards is crucial for creating a more integrated, accessible, and secure digital learning environment, benefiting both policymakers and educational leaders in adapting to the evolving landscape of digital education. Detailed Recommendations – EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models The development of educational technology in partnership with different sectors is crucial for sustainable innovation, as it introduces advanced methods and tools that can transform the educational landscape, making learning more engaging and accessible. Integrating EdTech tools into educational delivery in turn increases students' interest in contributing to and creating innovation themselves (further elaborated in Chapter 7). 31Although KREN offers SSO services for each user and from the GÉANT community, the sustainability of this crucial offering is under question as the legal status of KREN as an operating entity is unclear. 51 Capacity and culture for entrepreneurship. To enhance the capacity and culture for entrepreneurship within the educational technology sector, it is essential to thoroughly analyze the business establishment processes for EdTech companies, identifying and addressing any operational barriers specific to the sector that may impact their contribution to education. Additionally, to build a sustainable entrepreneurial mindset, integrating entrepreneurship competencies into the relevant educational syllabuses would have a positive impact, based on international best practices. This can be achieved by developing modules that foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills and that utilize ICT education outcomes like programming and robotics. Collaborating with organizations such as the Innovation Centre Kosovo to implement these modules at the basic education level would help nurture a future generation equipped with innovative skills. EdTech development and uptake. To advance EdTech development and uptake, establishing public, private, or NGO-backed innovation centers dedicated to EdTech is recommended. These centers would serve as collaborative spaces for educators, researchers, entrepreneurs as well as students to develop educational technologies that are both innovative and grounded in best practices (providing a platform for students for practical learning of life and work skills). Furthermore, enhancing funding and financial incentives for educational research institutions through structured partnerships with EdTech companies and practitioners is vital. Quality assurance of EdTech and interoperability. For the quality assurance and interoperability of EdTech, developing and enforcing quality criteria and guidelines is necessary to ensure that products and services adhere to educational, technical, and ethical standards. Mandating an entity or advisory council of relevant competence to oversee EdTech solutions, ensuring compliance with data protection laws like the General Data Protection Regulation, is crucial. 7. Key Recommendations for the Implementation Roadmap The above systemic analysis shows an Emerging level of digital readiness of the education system in Kosovo. Based on the findings of the assessment, three strategic goals for the country’s general education system are identified and related proposed actions are identified to improve the digital readiness of the education system. Prioritized actions are further elaborated with mapping to the EDRA pillars in Annex A. Figure 36. Kosovo’s level of digital readiness and requirements for next steps Level 3 - Developing Level 2 - Emerging Strategic policy implementation and a There is an initiation of digital policies growing proficiency in the use of digital and a tentative adoption of digital solutions and services among educators is solutions and services. It is still evident, with pedagogical methods supplemental rather than beginning to evolve accordingly. There are transformative and/or notable efforts in place for developing the implementation is not notable. digital skills of different target groups. Source: World Bank Strategic Goal # 1. Achieve efficient education planning and management of education system. 52 In terms of vision and strategy, alignment and enhanced implementation efforts are needed to ensure effectiveness. Actions proposed include improving collaboration between relevant authorities, engaging stakeholders, redesigning financing mechanisms, and establishing clear coordination and monitoring mechanisms. Further development of the educational framework through digitalization and strategic actions for infrastructure improvement could be useful, whereby developing education enterprise architecture, including enhancing the EMIS and interoperability of registries/digital services, is expected to establish a foundation for data-based decision-making, transparency, and efficiency of processes. Proposed Actions 1.1 Establish a steering and collaboration mechanism among key stakeholders from MESTI, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance and MEDs for comprehensive planning, strategic alignment, and implementation of digitalization in and for education across the country, potentially under the stewardship of PMO on Digitalization. Alignment is needed on expected outcomes, governance and implementation arrangements, allocation of requisite financial and human resources, and adherence to agreed timelines. 1.2 Establish an entity within MESTI with a dedicated Chief Information Officer (CIO) with policy design and coordination functions accountable for the digital agenda and strategy across educational departments and other government bodies. 1.3 Review and redesign the financing mechanisms to prioritize the investments from national funding and opportunities for external financing regarding digitalization. 1.4 Develop an ICT Competence and Support Centre with implementation function and mandate, closely coupled with the national policy and coordination functions. Such competence center can be co- established/co-steered/co-financed by the relevant ministries sharing the objectives for digital transformation of education sector, e.g. MESTI, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Internal Affairs. 1.5 Conduct comprehensive institutional capacity assessments to tailor training and support for digitalization at all levels of education management. Enhance MESTI’s, local governments’, and school management’s capabilities for digitalization in education by clarifying responsibilities, assessing skills gaps, and implementing relevant upskilling measures. 1.6 Prioritize developing an enterprise architecture to enhance digital capacity and data governance in education, aligning infrastructure with education goals to help optimize investments. Enhance the EMIS as a tool for data-driven decision-making and secure data sharing. It is urgent to start building a robust digital infrastructure backbone for schools, taking a long-term perspective. Incorporate private sector as stakeholders into the concept of interoperability framework for education for seamless integration of learning management systems, student information systems, and other digital tools. 1.7 Enhance the provision and use of public digital infrastructure and related digital foundations: ensure the provision of meaningful connectivity (affordable, high speed, stable) across school premises and the availability of digital devices and projective technology as a minimum for each teacher. 1.8 Enhance MESTI’s, municipal and school management capacities through tailored training programs, emphasizing digital infrastructure planning, technology integration, data-driven decision-making, and change management tailored to the needs of the education sector. Strategic Goal # 2. Strengthen digitally empowered learning and teaching of foundational skills 53 To enhance educational quality, there is a need to put more focus on improving content standards and instructional materials, which serve as the foundation of the educational experience. This includes teaching methodologies, instructional materials, learning strategies, and materials, all shaping learning performance. By equipping teachers with advanced digital skills and pedagogical methods, we enhance teaching effectiveness while nurturing students' digital proficiency. Additionally, creating a digitally empowered learning environment is crucial for promoting inclusivity and equal access to education. Foster a learning environment that seamlessly integrates digital tools to support different learning strategies as well as specific needs of students. Such an environment should incorporate robust digital infrastructure and tools to expand learning opportunities and meet diverse educational needs. Prioritizing digital safety and literacy is essential, ensuring that students and educators are equipped to navigate online spaces securely. While progress has been made, ongoing efforts are necessary to further improve the learning environment and optimize educational outcomes. Proposed Actions 2.1 Formulate a localized Digital Pedagogy Competence Framework that incorporates international best practices tailored to the local educational ecosystem. Assign responsibility for framework renewal to a competent authority. Integrate the framework into teacher career models, pre-service, and in-service training on basic digital competence, subject-specific skills, and digital pedagogy mentorship. Implement an accreditation system to motivate ongoing professional growth. 2.2 Develop instructional materials for teachers to integrate digital tools into their subject-specific teaching practices and provide diverse trainings to upskill for digital pedagogy, considerate of the different levels of digital skills of teachers, as well as specifics of subjects and topics (assessment, differentiated teaching, inclusive education, etc.). 2.3 Design and pilot an assessment tool to support teachers' development in digital competencies, providing structured feedback for supporting their professional development plans. This is also needed for improved knowledge of the training needs and financing predictions at the government level. Establish a robust mentorship system at the school level, supporting the teachers in integrating digital pedagogy practices into daily routines. 2.4 Empower an existing or establish a community platform for educators to facilitate peer-learning, share resources, and foster a collaborative culture for continuous professional development in digital pedagogy. 2.5 Create guidelines for digital learning materials, covering relevance, effectiveness, accessibility, technical standards, and user engagement. Establish a delivery model with quality assurance mechanisms, defining roles for content creators, educational institutions, and oversight bodies. 2.6 Establish a dynamic and centralized digital repository of high-quality learning and instructional materials enabling easy access for all students and teachers, adhering to accessibility and interoperability standards. This approach supports consistency and equity in education. Such repository can facilitate a quality assurance system, where materials are regularly reviewed, updated, and aligned with educational standards. 2.7 Enhance EdTech sector development, co-creation of edtech solutions and relevant research in collaboration of private sector, civil society, academia and schools. To address the high costs of digital- enabled learning (especially high up-front costs), better collaboration is needed with the private sector, including the adoption of innovative financing models as well as school/municipal-level collaboration for 54 enabling economies of scale. These efforts should aim to incentivize cost-effective, localized, but high- quality solutions that are beneficial and affordable for Kosovar public schools. 2.8 Formulate a localized Digital Pedagogy Competence Framework that incorporates international best practices tailored to the local educational ecosystem. Assign responsibility for framework renewal to a competent authority. Integrate the framework into teacher career models, pre-service, and in-service training on basic digital competence, subject-specific skills, and digital pedagogy mentorship. Implement an accreditation system to motivate ongoing professional growth. Strategic Goal # 3. Support students with improved foundational skills, including digital competence In response to the evolving educational landscape, the strategic objective aims to empower students with essential digital competencies as well as provide a higher level of digital skills. Digital skills significantly enhance foundational skills in basic education by promoting critical thinking, problem-solving, and the effective use of information technologies. These competencies are crucial for students to successfully navigate and adapt to the increasingly digital and information-rich world they inhabit. Proposed Actions 3.1 Localize and apply a clear digital competence framework for students, detailing the necessary skills, knowledge, and attitudes for relevant age groups, and embed these learning outcomes as more relevant cross-curricular subject areas. 3.2 Develop a comprehensive digital competence resource kit for teachers. Initiate the creation of instructional materials for subject teachers that include lesson plans guiding the development of digital competence of students within the development of subject-specific learning outcomes, enabling effective use of digital technologies across foundational subject areas. 3.3 Develop a digital assessment system to monitor and support student progress in both foundational and digital skills). 3.4 Introduce advanced ICT learning opportunities for students, including programming, web design, and digital arts, tailored to different proficiency levels. 3.5 Launch initiatives (student competitions, hobby clubs, etc.) to encourage and prepare young girls in Kosovo for STEM study programs. 55 Annex A. Summary of Recommendations and Actions Priority activities are selected based on comprehensive stakeholder consultations and thorough needs assessments. These processes involved engaging government agencies, educational institutions, private sector, civil society, academia, teachers, parents, and students to identify critical areas for improvement. The activities were then prioritized to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities within Kosovo's education system, ensuring a targeted and effective approach to enhance overall efficiency, resilience, inclusivity and equity. Table 5. Summary of recommendations and actions EDRA Pillars and Sub-Pillars Recommendations Strategic Goal#1. Achieve efficient education planning and management of the education system . Pillar 1: Leadership and Governance: Prioritized actions for near- to medium-term: - Vision and strategy 1. Establish a steering and collaboration mechanism among ministries and Municipal Directorates - Institutional capacity for comprehensive planning and digitalization in education, potentially led by the PMO on - Legislation, policy, and compliance Digitalization. Ensure alignment on outcomes, governance, resources, and timelines. Pillar 2: Enabling Infrastructure 2. Establish an entity within MESTI with a Chief Information Officer (CIO) to coordinate the digital - Enterprise architecture and data agenda and strategy across educational departments and government bodies. governance 3. Review and redesign financing mechanisms to prioritize investments in digitalization from - Connectivity national and external funding sources. - Standards and services 4. Develop an ICT Competence and Support Centre with implementation functions, co-steered and Pillar 4: Human Capacity co-financed by relevant ministries for the digital transformation of the education sector. - Policy level 5. Conduct institutional capacity assessments to tailor training and support for digitalization at all - School ownership/ municipal level levels. Enhance MESTI’s, local governments’, and school managements’ capabilities by clarifying - Wider public responsibilities, assessing skills gaps, and implementing upskilling measures. - ICT professionalism 6. Prioritize developing an enterprise architecture to enhance digital capacity and data governance in education. Enhance the EMIS. 7. Build robust digital infrastructure for schools and incorporate the private sector for seamless integration of digital tools. Ensure meaningful connectivity (affordable, high-speed, stable) across school premises and availability of digital devices for each teacher. Develop and implement standards/guidelines on school level for further developing digital infrastructure of schools and monitor the availability and quality of digital infrastructure in schools. Ensure the sustainable development of connectivity of schools aligned with possible school network development/optimization plans. 8. Enhance MESTI’s, municipal and school management capacities through tailored training programs on digital infrastructure planning, technology integration, data-driven decision- making, and change management. Other recommendations: 56 9. Engage with a wide range of relevant stakeholders for implementation of the education strategy. 10. Establish a comprehensive open data policy. 11. Establish clear guidelines and collaborative frameworks between central and local governments. Define roles and responsibilities and plan relevant means for fulfilling those. 12. Strengthen MESTI's capacity for value added by improving the capacity for digitalization of all educational policy fields. 13. Collaborate with private sector stakeholders to enhance the sustainability and functionality of digital infrastructure. 14. Implement policies and support the use of assistive technologies for students with special needs 15. Establish concrete action plans to enhance digital competence across the wider population 16. Facilitate collaboration between schools and families in navigating the digital landscape. Integrate digital engagement tools, such as school management systems for proactive involvement of parents. 17. Increase awareness among stakeholders about the digital standards and interoperability needs and overall value added from digital transformation for teaching and learning. Strategic Goal # 2. Strengthen digitally empowered learning and teaching of foundational skills Pillar 3: Education Service Delivery and School Prioritized actions for near- to medium-term: digital maturity 1. Develop a localized Digital Pedagogy Competence Framework using international best practices. - Content standards and instructional Assign a competent authority for updates. Integrate the framework into teacher career models materials and training programs. Implement an accreditation system to encourage professional growth. - Digitally empowered learning environment 2. Create instructional materials and training programs for teachers to integrate digital tools into - Teachers’ digital skills and pedagogical teaching, considering various skill levels and subject needs. practices 3. Design and pilot an assessment tool for teachers' digital competency development, providing - School management and administration feedback for professional growth and identifying training needs. Establish a school-level Pillar 5: EdTech Market and Business Models mentorship system for digital pedagogy. - Capacity and culture for entrepreneurship 4. Establish or enhance a community platform for peer learning, resource sharing, and - EdTech development and update collaborative professional development in digital pedagogy. - Quality assurance of EdTech 5. Create guidelines for digital learning materials, focusing on relevance, effectiveness, Interoperability accessibility, and technical standards. Establish a delivery model and quality assurance model involving content creators, educational institutions, and oversight bodies. 6. Promote edtech development and co-create solutions through collaboration with the private sector, civil society, academia, and schools. Other recommendations: 7. Establish a digital repository of digital learning materials and instructional materials for teachers and students 57 8. Foster partnerships with technology and content providers to ensure that the infrastructure is responsive to the needs of a dynamic educational environment. 9. Facilitate the investment and in and develop subject-specific digital tools (digital sensors, educational robots, digital microscope etc) for improved performance of students in foundational skills 10. Developing clear guidelines to support the safe and contextualized use of digital tools and platforms in education. 11. Introduce systematic online and blended learning settings for diverse learning opportunities and resilience 12. Establish or engage with peer-exchange platforms for continuous development of learning environment. 13. Support the development of entrepreneurship competence. Initiate and implement awareness raising activities to support and demonstrate the innovative mindset/image of schools and best practices for improved understanding on value added with digitally empowered teaching and learning. Strategic Goal # 3. Support students with improved foundational skills, including digital competence Pillar 3: Education Service Delivery and School Prioritized actions for near- to medium-term: digital maturity 1. Implement a localized digital competence framework for students, detailing skills, knowledge, - Digital skills of students and attitudes for each age group, and integrate these outcomes into cross-curricular subjects. Pillar 4: Human Capacity 2. Create a comprehensive digital competence resource kit and instructional materials for ICT professionalism teachers, including lesson plans that develop students' digital skills within subject-specific outcomes. 3. Develop a digital assessment system to monitor and support student progress in foundational and digital skills. 4. Introduce advanced ICT learning opportunities, such as programming, web design, data analysis, digital arts etc, tailored to different proficiency levels. 5. Launch initiatives like student competitions and hobby clubs to encourage young girls in Kosovo to pursue STEM programs. 58 Annex B. Basic Education in Kosovo—Background Based on the Law No. 04/L-032, Kosovo Pre-University Education system is structured as follows: - Level zero / Pre-primary Education: age 0 to 6 years. Based on Law No. 08/L-153 this schooling will become compulsory from 2024. - Level 1 / Primary Education: Is the second phase of mandatory education, normally from 6 years old to 12. It lasts 6 years and includes 1– 5 classes. - Level 2 / Lower Secondary education: Is the second phase of mandatory education, normally from 12 years old to 15. It lasts 4 years and includes 6 – 9 classes. - Level 3 / Upper Secondary Education: It is not mandatory but highly encouraged. This level includes Gymnasiums, Professional Schools of Music, and Art. Depending on the program, this level can last from 3 to 4 years. - Level 4 / Postsecondary Education or Vocational Education Training can last from 1 to 2 years. Below we can see a clear overview of the pre-university education system in Kosovo. Table 6. Pre-University education system ISCDE LEVEL GRADE CURRICULUM ISCDE 0 Level 0 Early Childhood Education Core Curriculum for education in the early childhood 0-5 years old SSCDE 1 Level 1 Pre-Primary Edu Core Curriculum for preparatory class and Level 2 Grade 1 – 2 primary education, grades 1-5 Grade 3 – 5 ISCDE 2 Level 3 Grade 6 – 7 Core Curriculum of the Primary School Level 4 Grade 8 – 9 (Grades, 6, 7, 8 and 9) ISCDE 3 Level 5 Grade 10 – 11 Core Curriculum for High School (Gymnasium Level 6 Grade 12 - Grades 10, 11 and 12) Professional School Source: Law No. 04/L-032. The Kosovar education system offers education in different languages, including Albanian, Serbian, Turkish, and Bosnian. Pre-university educational institutions are organized into pre-primary institutions, primary and lower secondary schools, and upper secondary schools. Based on the Statistics of Education in Kosovo 2022/23, there are currently 54 pre-primary institutions, 869 primary and lower secondary educational institutions, and 121 upper secondary educational institutions. So, in total, there are 1044 educational institutions. Based on the Statistics of Education in Kosovo 2022/2023, it appears that about 300,000 children/students are involved in public pre-university education in Kosovo, of which 48.6% are male and 51.6% are female. 95.9% of pupils/students in educational institutions are Albanians, while 4.1% of them belong to other ethnic groups. The 4 municipalities (Zubin Potok, Zvecan, Klokot, and Leposavic) in the north of Kosovo, inhabited by Serbs, are not included here since the Kosovar institutions do not have accurate data. However, in the Kosovo private education system, there are 6,630 pupils in the pre-primary education system, 6,611 in the Primary and Lower Secondary Education system and 4,344 in the Upper Secondary education system. Pre-university education in Kosovo (ISCED levels 0-3) is organized in a semi-centralized manner in practice while by law, it is a decentralized system. In practice, education institutions are run by local municipalities. Municipalities are responsible for hiring teachers and school principals, paying staff salaries, infrastructure 59 and school maintenance, staff training, monitoring of schools at all pre-university levels, etc. On the other hand, the central government is responsible for curricula and textbooks, school inspection and teacher licensing. The operation of schools is funded from the Special Education Grant allocated to the municipalities on a per-capita basis by the central government, whereas municipalities may allocate additional funds for goods and services to schools based on a certain municipality-to-school funding formula. Municipal administrations in Kosovo are organized into directorates. Each municipal directorate (MED) is managed by a director who is employed and dismissed by the mayor, a politically elected position. Each municipality has a MED that carries out its governance functions within the scope of the responsibility of the local government. There is no unique organizational structure that applies to all MEDs in Kosovo. Each MED is structured differently. In addition to the Municipal Education Director, larger municipalities have officers responsible for all levels of education, a financial officer and possibly one or two other education officers. In such cases, there is one officer responsible for the whole upper secondary education sector, including vocational education. However, smaller municipalities may have one or two officers responsible for all levels of education. Staff shortages effectively restrict municipalities in exercising their responsibilities pursuant to the Law on Education in the Municipalities, which gives them full powers to administer the pre-university education institutions within their jurisdictions. For example, MEDs are responsible for training teachers in schools subordinate to them, including VET schools, but have no capacity whatsoever to exercise that responsibility. Also, MEDs have a range of other responsibilities requiring staff with specific expertise, which is missing, such as for the provision of support for curriculum implementation and quality assurance, school aids and equipment, etc. Under the current circumstances, MEDs typically focus on essential tasks related to the administration of schools, including for example: staff employment, maintenance of buildings, education budget planning, safety, etc. As per the country’s laws, 1. Municipal competencies are regulated by the Law on Local Government (No 03/L040) of 20 February 2008 and by the Law on Education in the Municipalities (No 03/L-068) of 21 May 2008, and by any additional competencies assigned by provisions of this Law. 2. The exercise of municipal powers and duties in education field are monitored by MESTI in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Administration to ensure compliance with the applicable legislation. 3. Municipalities are responsible for the following additional competencies: 3.1. construction of education and training facilities 3.2. maintaining and repairing the premises and equipment of educational and training institutions 3.3. ensuring a healthy environment for pupils and staff, including water, hygienic-sanitary conditions, health service, as well as a safe environment including safe utilities and effective security 3.4. through co-operation with parents, police and other public authorities, taking steps to deal effectively with violent or bullying behavior and substance abuse in or associated with the respective institution. 60 Figure 37. Education Budget Planning and Execution Process Source: ETF Kosovo Rapid Education Diagnostic : Addressing the weak links (2023, pp.55) includes Article 7 of Law No 04/L –032 ON PRE- UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO, 2011 and Extraction from the ETF Background review to inform policy dialogue in Kosovo on VET governance & financing, 2020) Table 7. Career model Types of Criteria for issuing the license Criteria for keeping the license Licenses Career The first license for career teachers is The career teacher license is valid for 5 years and is Teacher issued to qualified teachers, according renewed after positive performance evaluation, to the administrative instruction (AI) for according to the Administrative Instructions (AI) for teachers at the relevant level of teacher professional evaluation (career teacher education, who have completed one license criteria) and completion of at least 100 new year of work experience. hours of training in career license training programs. Advanced Has completed at least 300 hours of The advanced teacher license is valid for 5 years and Teacher training, of which 100 hours of training is renewed after positive performance evaluation, in advanced teacher licensure training according to the AI for teacher professional programs evaluation (criteria for the Advanced Teacher license) and completion of at least 200 new hours of training in advanced license training programs. Mentor Has completed at least 200 hours of The mentor teacher license is valid for 5 years and is Teacher training after receiving the advanced renewed after positive performance evaluation, teacher's license, of which at least 100 according to the AI for teacher professional hours of training must be in the field of evaluation (criteria for the Mentor Teacher license) teacher mentoring and completion of at least 200 new training hours. 61 Meritorious − Has a mentor teacher's license for a period of at least 10 years; Teacher − Has completed at least 450 hours of training after receiving the first mentor teacher license, according to the stipulations in the Strategic Framework for the Development of Teachers in Kosovo − The merit teacher's license is permanent. Source: Guidelines for the Implementation of school-based Teacher Professional Development, Pristina, 2022. Table 8. EMIS governance and function 1. Data Governance Legal, policy and Existence of regulations / guidelines on EMIS regulatory framework (Assessment of data needs; Data collection; Data management; Data analysis; and Dissemination of data outputs) Designation of Ministries at national level; responsibility Local governments and public authorities at subnational level; School personnel and school governing bodies. 2. EMIS platform Types of platforms Digital platform (Required Internet speed: < 10 Mbps) Score of data Private schools/students Students from non-formal education, Students in tracks other than general education (e.g., TVET); Children out of school: School-age children who have never entered formal education; School-age children who dropped out of school 3. Available information School Data School infrastructure Educational materials and equipment School Internet connection Staff and student information aggregated to school level Teacher Data Only qualification Student data No demographic information No Educational information Household data No Unique Identifier School code and teacher code, no student code No linkage code among schools, teachers, and students 4. Integration with education and external systems Linkage to external system Refugee registration database Linkage to internal No systems in the education sector Source: UNICEF, 2023 Table 9. EMIS data collection, analysis, and report 1.Data collection, validation and update Frequency of data collection Once in 2–4 months Frequency of data update Real time Formal data access procedures No 2.Data security, privacy and access Data security and privacy Data loss prevention Network security 62 Authentication and authorization Respondent confidentiality Access to EMIS data Ministries at national level Local governments and public authorities at subnational level (data of own municipality, district and province) School personnel and school governing bodies (data of own school) 3. Data analysis and report Organizations analyzing EMIS data Ministries at national level Local governments and public authorities at subnational level School personnel and school governing bodies Types of data analysis Description of selected data (e.g., average) Data disaggregation Statistical analysis of relationships between multiple variables Reporting and dissemination of Data dashboards showing key education indicators data output National report and data sheets Subregional report and data sheets; School report and data sheets Note: When the frequency differs with types of data, the most frequent data collection/update cycle is presented. Source: UNICEF, 2023 Annex C. Education Strategy 2022-2026 Kosovo Education Strategy 2022-2026 aims to create a more inclusive, high-quality, and technologically advanced education system that meets the needs of all learners and aligns with labour market needs. The Kosovo Education Strategy 2022-2026 outlines five strategic objectives aimed at enhancing the education sector: Specific Objective 1: Increase inclusion and equal access to early childhood education (ECE): The strategy emphasizes the importance of ECE in developing a child's foundational skills for lifelong learning and well- being. It highlights the need for adequate infrastructure, increased preschool institutions, a developed legislative framework, and cross-sector support to ensure qualitative early education for all children. Specific Objective 2: Improve the quality of pre-university education: This objective focuses on consolidating quality assurance mechanisms and providing quality teaching to enhance pre-university education. It calls for effective management, policy implementation, capacity building, and the use of national tests for data-based decision-making to improve educational quality and student outcomes. Specific Objective 3: Harmonize vocational education and training (VET) with labour market needs : Addressing the gap between VET offerings and labour market demands, the strategy aims to review and improve the quality of VET to develop skills that match employer expectations and support the transition from school to work. Specific Objective 4: Improve higher education quality, integrity, and competitiveness: The strategy seeks to address structural issues in higher education by enhancing quality and integrity through international accreditation standards, legal reforms, capacity development, and improved academic and research infrastructure. Specific Objective 5: Leverage digital technology in education: To align with digital transformation trends, the strategy plans to create a centralized digital platform, produce quality digital teaching materials, equip educational institutions with necessary technology, enhance digital competence across the education sector, and establish mechanisms for implementing digitalization. 63 While there are recognizable aspects within all specific objectives where data or digitalization will most likely be integrated and addressed, there is specific focus on digitalization with the Specific Objective 5. This comprehensive and strategic approach is envisaged towards enhancing the education sector through digital transformation. This objective is anchored in five strategic objectives aimed at leveraging digital technology to improve educational services and quality, in line with global digitalization trends. The key areas of focus include: Figure 38. Specific objectives of the strategy Data and Digital Digital competence Institutional Digital teaching digitalization of infrastructure of of teachers and capacity for materials processes schools students digitalisation Data and digitalization of processes: The strategy emphasizes the creation and functionalization of a comprehensive, centralized digital platform for the education sector. This platform is expected to integrate and automate educational data and processes, facilitating e-Government in education and enhancing teaching and learning quality across all levels. Digital teaching materials: There is a significant emphasis on the preparation and production of multidimensional, high-quality digital teaching materials tailored for various educational levels, subjects, and types. This initiative seeks to enrich the learning experience and accommodate diverse learning needs. Digital infrastructure development: The strategy includes plans to equip educational institutions with quality internet networks and the necessary technological equipment. This aims to support the effective use of digital technology in education. Digital competence development: A pivotal aspect of the strategy is the development of digital competencies among all stakeholders in the education sector, including students, teachers, administrators, and parents. This is considered critical for the effective utilization of digital technologies in educational processes. Institutional capacity development: The strategy calls for the implementation of organizational structures and roles specifically dedicated to overseeing and advancing digitalization efforts within the education sector. This includes the establishment of divisions and roles within the MESTI, as well as support roles in educational institutions to facilitate the use of technology and digitalization in education. The impact indicators foreseen with the education strategy for the specific objective are as follows: - Availability of data, services, and digital processes in the area of education offered in the inclusive digital education platform. - Number of teaching hours for which digital teaching and learning materials have been developed. - Number of new technological devices for educational purposes purchased for ETI and HEIs. - Percentage of teachers, management and administrative staff of educational institutions and pupils, divided by gender, who demonstrate basic digital competence in relevant fields related to their role. - Number of employees at different levels and types of institutions that enable the implementation of digitalization and use of technology in the education area. Annex D. Detailed Methodology and Framework Literature review. A desk review was conducted to take stock of the ongoing digital transformation efforts in Kosovo, particularly within the education sector. This involved examining existing assessments on both the education sector and the broader digitalization landscape. More activities included identifying key stakeholders, reviewing relevant policies and practices, and highlighting significant challenges, trends, and features. Additionally, the global digital ecosystem that impacts Kosovo was investigated, such as the EU 64 Digital Strategy, ongoing digital initiatives by UNICEF and UNDP, and past and ongoing efforts by the World Bank. Secondary data analysis: This study conducted secondary data analysis on various areas relevant to the EDRA and DiSA frameworks. Data were sourced from a range of reputable sources including OECD PISA, Eurostat, the Kosovo Agency of Statistics, KODE projects, the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), World Bank open data, UNICEF, UNDP, Datareportal, and the Speedtest Global Index. EDRA analysis: The EDRA analysis implemented a rigorous two-stage selection process to identify indicators assessing Kosovo's digital education readiness across five pillars: Leadership and Governance, Enabling Infrastructure, Human Capacity, Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity, and EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models. To conduct a comprehensive analysis, each pillar was clearly defined with a set of sub-pillars, outlining the dimensions examined in the digital education readiness assessment. Through the two-stage process, over 100 indicators were initially identified via a systematic mapping exercise utilizing existing analyses, reports, administrative and open-access data, and insights from stakeholder interviews. Subsequently, a meticulous review and scrutiny phase was undertaken to narrow down the selection to the most pertinent indicators, ensuring alignment and cross- control across the five pillars. This thorough approach led to the selection of indicators tailored to the specific needs of each pillar. Additionally, a series of questions were designed for each indicator, structured along with four maturity levels of assessment options: latent, emerging, developing, and advanced. The level of each question facilitated the determination of indicator, sub-pillar, and pillar readiness levels, thus enabling an overall assessment of digital education readiness. Throughout the process, "Leadership and Governance" encompassed 10 indicators with 20 questions, "Enabling Infrastructure" covered 12 indicators with 21 questions, "Human Capacity" comprised 9 indicators with 19 questions, "Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity" included 15 indicators with 46 questions, and "EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models" consisted of 8 indicators with 16 questions. This framework provided a comprehensive structure for evaluating Kosovo's digital education landscape and is further explained in the table below: Table 10. EDRA Framework: Pillars, sub-pillars, and indicators Pillar focus Sub-pillar Indicators Pillar 1 - Leadership and • Vision and strategy Digital agenda Governance • Institutional capacity E-governance strategy This pillar assesses political • Legislation, policy, and Digital education strategy: funding and commitment to digitalizing compliance oversight education, including Digital education strategy: alignment with other implementation national strategies, funding, Institutional capacity and coordination. It Data management examines also the Regulatory limitations implementation modalities Innovation policy as well as legislative and Digital infrastructure standards policy frameworks Digitalization as a quality standard for impacting technology schools integration in teaching and learning 65 Pillar focus Sub-pillar Indicators Pillar 2 - Enabling • Education enterprise Enterprise architecture plan for Infrastructure architecture and data education The pillar covers digital governance National registry for education infrastructure development • Connectivity Digital authentication service and coordination in • Standards and services Access to internet in the country education sector, focusing Connectivity of educational institutions on strategic IT planning, Digital infrastructure development data management, support education registries, digital Standardization of digital infrastructure authentication, internet IT support service access, ICT support, digital Access to digital services on teaching services, and measures and learning introduced for marginalized Access to assistive technology groups. Adoption of Open Standards Digital accessibility for marginalized groups Pillar 3 - Human Capacity • Policy Capacity of MESTI The assessment evaluates • School Ownership Capacity building support education authorities' • Wide public Role and mandate of local government capacity in implementing • ICT professionalism Capacity of local government digital education strategies, Digital skills of wider public, including covering areas like staff parents competence, infrastructure Access to online public services planning, ICT procurement, Alignment of digital skills development civil servants' digital skills, with the labor market needs data literacy, competence Availability of ICT expertise upskilling, change Extent of ICT employees in the economy management, and digital inclusion measures. Additionally, it evaluates school owners' mandates and capacities, as well as the availability of ICT professionals and graduates in the labor market. Pillar 4 – Education Service • Content standards and Digital competence standard of Delivery and School Digital instructional materials students Maturity • Digitally empowered Data literacy of students This section examines learning environment Access to digital learning materials teaching and learning • Digital skills of students Access to instructional materials content, methodologies, • Teachers’ digital skills Digital infrastructure for learning and school environments to and pedagogical Access to digital services for teaching support development of practices and learning digital skills as well as • School management Level of digital skills of students overall performance of and administration Access to ICT education students. It evaluates if Digital competence standard of digital competence is part teachers 66 Pillar focus Sub-pillar Indicators of the national curriculum Teacher qualification requirements and if frameworks guide its Upskilling support to teachers implementation and Collaborative learning platforms for relevant digital enablers are teachers accessible for teachers and Digital maturity of schools students. Special focus is on Capacity of school management teachers' professional Capacity building for school development and management integrating digitalization into overall school development. Pillar 5 – EdTech Markets • Capacity and culture for Entrepreneurship and Innovative Business entrepreneurship competence/education Models • Edtech development EdTech sector: capacity The assessment evaluates and update EdTech uptake by schools entrepreneurship education • Quality assurance of Quality assurance system and the EdTech sector. It EdTech Availability of EdTech user support examines curriculum • Interoperability Quality assurance: data protection integration, startup Single-sign-on (SSO) presence, innovation Interoperability framework support, financing, EdTech uptake by schools, quality assurance, and technical infrastructure. EDRA Framework Assessment Levels Latent At the latent level, digital solutions and services play a negligible role, with educational practices and policies not yet embracing digital tools. Emerging At the emerging level, there is an initiation of digital policies and a tentative adoption of digital solutions and services, it is still supplemental rather than transformative and/or implementation is not notable. Developing The developing level showcases more strategic policy implementation and a growing proficiency in the use of digital solutions and services among educators, with pedagogical methods beginning to evolve accordingly. There are notable efforts in place for developing digital skills of different target groups. Advanced At the advanced level, the educational system exhibits a sophisticated interplay between digital solutions and services and pedagogy, underpinned by robust policies. Here, digital aspects are seamlessly embedded into the learning process, driving innovation but also continuous improvement, leading to significantly enhanced educational outcomes. Source: World Bank During the analysis phase, a systematic five-step scoring process was implemented to assess the overall digital education readiness across the five pillars (Table 11 below presents the detailed scoring process). 67 First, each question's assessment level was assigned a score ranging from 1 to 4, corresponding to the options from latent to advanced, based on data and insights collected from desk reviews and inputs from a wide range of stakeholders, compared against the rubric laid out in Table 12. Second, the mean value of each indicator score was computed by averaging the scores of individual questions within the indicator. Indicator score = Average score of ∑ individual questions within each indicator Third, the mean value of each sub-pillar score was determined by averaging the scores of individual questions within the sub-pillar. Sub-pillar score = Average score of ∑ individual questions within each sub-pillar Fourth, weights were allocated to the mean score of the sub-pillars, reflecting their relative significance within the pillar, based on the international experience. 32 Sub-pillar weighted score = Sub-pillar score * assigned weight Finally, to determine the overall readiness of each pillar, pillar values were calculated as the sum of the weighted score of individual sub-pillars, offering a comprehensive evaluation of digital education readiness. Pillar score = ∑ sub-pillar weighted score Table 11. EDRA analysis method Sub- Pillar Indicator Sub- Weight pillar score Indicators # score pillar weighe Survey Domain Questions score d score Leadership and Governance 20 1.9 Digital agenda; 2.3; E-governance strategy; 2.3; Vision and strategy Digital education strategy: planning; 12 2.6 40% 1.03 3.3; Digital education strategy: funding and oversight 2.0 Institutional capacity; 1.3; Institutional capacity 4 1.5 30% 0.45 Data management 2.0 Regulatory limitations; 2.0; Innovation policy; Legislation, policy, and 1.0; Digital infrastructure standards; 4 1.3 30% 0.38 compliance 1.0; Digitalization as a quality standard for schools 1.0 32 Towards an Effective Digital Education Ecosystem. OECD Digital Education Outlook 2023; Case study of Estonia (Education Strategy and school digital maturity assessment practice) 68 Enabling Infrastructure 21 1.8 Enterprise architecture plan for education; 1.0; Education, enterprise architecture, and data 10 2.0; 1.7 40% 0.68 National registry for education; governance 1.0 Digital authentication service Access to internet in the country; 2.3; Connectivity Connectivity of educational 4 2.8 30% 0.83 institutions 1.0 Digital infrastructure development 1.0; support;Standardization of digital infrastructure; 2.0; IT support service; 1.0; Access to digital services on teaching 1.0; Standards and and learning; 7 1.1 30% 0.34 services 1.0; Access to assistive technology; 1.0; Adoption of Open Standards; 1.0 Digital accessibility for marginalized groups Human Capacity 19 1.6 1.0; 40% 0.51 Policy Capacity of MESTI; 7 1.7 Capacity building support 1.3 Role and mandate of local 2.0; 30% 0.53 School ownership government; 4 1.7 Capacity of local government 1.8 Digital skills of wider public, including 15% 0.26 parents; 2.0; Wider public 5 Access to online public services 1.0 1.8 Education Service Delivery and School Digital Maturity 46 1.8 Alignment of digital skills 15% 0.30 development with the labor market needs; 2.0; ICT professionalism Availability of ICT expertise; 3 2.0; Extent of ICT employees in the economy 2.0 2.0 Content standards and Digital competence standard of students; 1.7; instructional materials 10 1.4 30% 0.42 2.0; Data literacy of students; 69 1.3; Access to digital learning materials; 1.0 Access to instructional materials 2.4; Digitally empowered Infrastructure for learning; learning environment 10 1.6 2.0 10% 0.2 Access to digital services for teaching and learning Digital skills of 2.0; students Level of digital skills of students; 4 20% 0.45 2.3 2.5 Access to ICT education Digital competence standard of teachers; Teacher’s digital skills Teacher qualification requirements; 2.0; and pedagogical 18 1.9 20% 0.38 practices 1.8; Upskilling support to teachers; 2.5; Collaborative learning platforms for teachers 1.3 Digital maturity of schools; 2.0; Capacity of school management; School management 4 2.0 20% 0.4 3.0; and administration Capacity building for school management 1.5 EdTech Markets and Innovative Business Models 16 1.4 Entrepreneurship Capacity and culture 2.3 competence/education 4 2.3 25% 0.56 for entrepreneurship EdTech sector: capacity; 1.4; EdTech development 7 1.3 30% 0.39 and update 1.0 EdTech uptake by schools Quality assurance system; 1.0; Quality assurance of 1.0; Availability of EdTech user support; 3 1.0 25% 0.25 EdTech 1.0 Quality assurance: data protection Single-sign-on (SSO); 1.0; Interoperability 2 1.0 20% 0.20 1.0 Interoperability framework Source: World Bank The basis for maturity levels stems from a combination of research, benchmarking, and established models in educational technology integration and digital transformation. The differences between the maturity levels of educational development reflect the extent and depth of technology integration, pedagogical innovation, and policy support within an educational system. At the latent level, technology plays a negligible role, with educational practices and policies not yet embracing digital tools. Moving to 70 the emerging level, there is an initiation of digital policies and a tentative adoption of technology, but it is still supplemental rather than transformative. The developing level showcases more strategic policy implementation and a growing proficiency in technology use among educators, with pedagogical methods beginning to evolve accordingly. Finally, at the advanced level, the educational system exhibits a sophisticated interplay between digital solutions and services and pedagogy, underpinned by robust policies. Here, technology is seamlessly integrated into the learning process, driving innovation and leading to significantly enhanced educational outcomes. The leap from one level to the next is marked by a greater alignment of technology with educational goals, more innovative teaching approaches, and stronger institutional support, reflecting a journey from foundational to full-scale digital transformation. Table 12. Maturity level Description Latent Emerging Developing Advanced Overall There is minimal use The emerging stage sees the Policies are more defined, The advanced level is of technology in the beginnings of policy with clear objectives for characterized by a mature educational formation around digital integrating digital integration of digital framework. Policies education, with initial steps technologies into technologies across all regarding digital being taken to incorporate education. Schools and aspects of education. education are either technology into the learning institutions are actively Policies are well- undeveloped or in environment. There is a adopting new technologies, established and actively very early stages, with growing recognition of the and there is a noticeable support innovation in limited strategic importance of digital skills, shift towards blending digital education. The direction. Pedagogical and pilot programs may be traditional teaching pedagogical approach is practices remain introduced to test the methods with digital adaptive, student- traditional, and there waters. Infrastructure approaches. Professional centered, and fully is a lack of improvements are planned development for educators leverages technology to infrastructure to and implemented to some is more systematic, and the enhance learning support digital extent, and there is a drive infrastructure is increasingly outcomes. Educators are learning. Awareness oftowards basic training for supportive of digital proficient in digital the potential of digital educators to use digital learning. Data is used to pedagogy, and the education is present tools, albeit on a small scale inform teaching practices infrastructure is robust, but not yet acted and to support personalized with reliable access to upon systematically. learning to some extent. high-quality digital resources. There is a culture of continuous improvement, with data- driven insights fueling ongoing refinements to teaching and learning. Pillar 1 – Leadership and There are low or no There is a governing structure There is a well-defined There is a well- defined governance governing structures, with a vision that may/may not governing structure with a governing structure with a vision and plan, and be articulated, basic clearly articulated vision, clearly articulated collective Vision and strategy low institutional institutional capacity for implementation plan and vision and roadmap, and capacity for supportingsupporting digitally enabled budgets, and sufficient advanced institutional Institutional capacity digitally enabled education services, and some institutional capacity including capacity including education services, resources and mechanisms for resources, talent, and champions, experts, leading to scarce implementing. mechanisms for implementing earmarked resources, and Legislation, policy, and resources and weak digitally enabled education mechanisms for compliance policy and mechanisms services. implementing digitally for implementing. enabled education services. 71 Pillar 2 – Enabling Digital technology Mobile broadband coverage is Modern broadband Penetration of modern infrastructure infrastructure is not ubiquitous and extends to rural infrastructure is available for broadband infra is well developed outsideareas; broadband adoption, rural and urban areas; ubiquitous; broadband Infrastructure design and key urban areas; quality, no education broadband adoption, quality, adoption, quality, and management mobile broadband enterprise architecture and and affordability is growing, affordability is widespread; coverage is limited; interoperability; data with demand for higher cybersecurity, data Connectivity digital enabling governance, cybersecurity and service quality (speed); governance, data environment is less data protection, and privacy education interoperability and protection, and privacy are advanced, including frameworks are in early stages; enterprise architecture are mature; education Standards and services data governance, and technology infra for learning is emerging; cybersecurity, data interoperability and telecom. slowly catching up. governance, data protection, enterprise architecture are and privacy are developing; mature; tech infra in tech infra in education is education is adequate and adequate. up to date. Pillar 3 – Human capacity Digital and data Basic and intermediate digital Basic and intermediate digital Intermediate digital and literacy is a challenge and data literacy is growing; literacy is widespread; data data literacy skills are Policy among large portions advanced skills are still scarce; literacy is growing; demand widespread; there is of the population and collaborative and data driven for and supply of digital talent consistent demand for and School ownership advanced skills are innovative practices emerge in increases; collaborative, data supply of digital talent in scarce; collaborative small pockets. driven, and user focused both public and private and data driven innovations in education are sectors; talent pool and Wider public innovative practices rewarded and promoted. demand for advanced are not the norm. digital skills is growing; ICT professionalism collaborative, data driven, and user focused innovations in education are rewarded and promoted. Pillar 4 – Education Service Digital access and Digital access and digital Digital access, learning Digital access, learning Delivery and School Digital digital competencies incompetencies in school and at resources, and competencies resources, and Maturity school and at home forhome for students, teachers in school and at home for competencies in school and students, teachers and and administrators are students, teachers, and at home for students, Content standards and administrators is low, emerging opportunistically, administrators are teachers, and instructional materials curriculum is not curriculum adaptation and widespread and standardized administrators are adapted, Digital digital learning resource to enable scale and equity, widespread and Digitally empowered learning learning resources are development is still limited, curriculum is adapted and standardized, curriculum is environment very limited, and and education data integrated for ICT use, and adapted and integrated for education data is not management is digitized with education data and analytics ICT use, and education data digitized. often one-way data flows. support feedback loops for and analytics support Digital skills of students decision- making. dynamic feedback loops using frontier technologies. Teachers’ digital skills and pedagogical practices School management and administration Pillar 5 – EdTech markets Digital services Digital services industry/tech There is a small but vibrant There is a vibrant and and business models industry/tech sector sector to service education digital services growing digital services is practically non- sector needs is emerging; industry/EdTech sector, industry/EdTech sector, Capacity and culture for existent including in early stages of EdTech EdTech management is EdTech products and entrepreneurship education; no management, such a library systematized with inventory services are practice needs systematically managed assessments of using inventory 72 Quality assurance of EdTech learners, teachers, of tools; and ad hoc needs databases and needs databases, needs schools; and no gathering. assessments. assessments, and vetting Interoperability active management and effectiveness of EdTech tools and measurements. services. Source: World Bank Annex E. Stakeholder Mapping Table 13. Stakeholder mapping Key Decision Maker Key Influencer Engaged Stakeholder Broader Stakeholders Ministry of Education, Ministry of Economy (ME) Universities of Ministry of Health Science, Technology, and Education and other Innovation (MESTI) Local Universities Office of the General Ministry of Finance, Labor and Faculty of Education, Institute of Public Secretary Transfers (MFLT) University of Health Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina” Department on Pre- Ministry of Industry, University of Prizren Office for Good University Education Entrepreneurship and Trade (UPZ) – HEI Governance (MINT) Division for Curriculum and Ministry of Local Government Local NGOs Kosovo Procurement Textbook Administration (MLGA) Council Division for Professional The office of the PM (OPM) STIKK Development and Licensing of Educational Personnel Division for Community Kosovo Pedagogical Institute KCDE Education (IPK) Division for Education of KODE Kosovo Digital Economy KEC Children with Special Needs Department of Vocational KREN Kosovo Research and SHPIK Education and Training; Education Network Department of Higher School Leaders and Teachers Voice for Roma Education Ashkali and Egyptian and Science; Department of Higher Agency of Statistics of Kosovo Roma Versitas Education and Science Office of Statistics Agency of Information Society International Agencies 73 Department for Digital Kosovo Accreditation Agency GIZ Deutsche Education Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit Municipality Directorates of University of Pristina UNICEF Education British Council EU European Union Save the Children Caritas Ch DVV International Source: World Bank Annex F. Glossary Architecture refers to the overall design of a computing system and the logical and physical interrelationships between its components in reference to computers, software, or networks. The architecture specifies the hardware, software, access methods, and protocols used throughout the system. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. Specific applications of AI include expert systems, natural language processing, speech recognition and machine vision. Augmented reality (AR) refers to an enhanced version of the real world, achieved through the use of computer-generated digital information. These include visual, sound, and other sensory elements. Blended Learning refers to a pedagogic approach that involves a mixed modality of face-to-face teaching and learning as well as distance learning through online, mobile, or other modes for teachers, trainers, and students. Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT) is a framework created by ISACA for information technology (IT) management and IT governance Computational thinking refers to a set of problem-solving methods that involve expressing problems and their solutions in ways that a computer could also execute. It involves automation of processes and using computing to explore, analyze, and understand processes (natural and artificial). Cybersecurity refers to the art of protecting networks, devices, and data from unauthorized access or criminal use and the practice of ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. 74 Data architecture refers to how data is managed--from collection through to transformation, distribution, and consumption. It sets the blueprint for data and the way it flows through data storage systems. It is foundational to data processing operations and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Database refers to a large, organized collection of information that is accessed via software. Data governance refers to a collection of processes, roles, policies, standards, and metrics that ensure the effective and efficient use of information in enabling an organization to achieve its goals. It establishes the processes and responsibilities that ensure the quality and security of the data used across a business or organization. Data protection refers to the set of privacy-motivated laws, policies, and procedures that aim to minimize intrusion into respondents’ privacy caused by the collection, storage, and dissemination of personal data. Data quality refers to adequacy, accuracy, DigComp refers to a framework published by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission describing the digital competence fields and levels of citizens. DigCompEdu refers to a framework published by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission describing the digital competencies of educators. DigCompOrg refers to a framework published by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission describing the elements of an educational organisation relevant for its digital maturity. Digital authentication refers to the process of establishing confidence in user identities presented digitally to a system. Digital competencies refer to confident and critical usage of the full range of digital technologies for information, communication, and basic problem-solving in all aspects of life. Digital divide refers to the gap between individuals, households, businesses, and geographic areas at different socioeconomic levels with regard to both their opportunities to access information and communication technologies (ICTs) and to their use of the Internet for a wide variety of activities. Digital economy refers to the economic activities that emerge from connecting individuals, businesses, devices, data, and operations through digital technology. Digital education refers to the use of digital technologies to facilitate and enhance teaching and learning. Digitalization refers to the wider process of using digital technologies for transformational impact. Digital infrastructure refers to the physical hardware and software-based technologies that enable digital services. 75 Digital learning resources (DLR) refers to digitally formatted, educational materials like; graphics, images or photos, audio and video, simulations, and animations that are used to support students in achieving their learning outcomes. Digital literacy refers to the ability to access, manage, understand, integrate, communicate, evaluate, and create information safely and appropriately through digital technologies for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship. Digital maturity refers to an organization’s ability to respond and adapt to disruptive technological trends. Digitally maturity of school describes the level of integration of ICT and systematized approach to ICT use in school management and educational processes as well as systematic development of digital skills of students and teachers. Digital pedagogy refers to digital competence of teachers supporting the development of digital skills and targeted and methodically meaningful use of digital solutions and learning resources and content in teaching and learning. Digital skills refers to a set of abilities needed to utilize digital technology effectively. Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) refers to the sum of digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies. Line-length limitations on DSL signal transmissions from the telephone exchanges speeds have resulted in many types of DSLs. Digital transformation refers to a process of adoption of digital tools and methods by an organization. Digital readiness refers to the level of readiness of an organization's workforce to transition into digitized workflows. Education technology (EdTech) refers to the combination of ICT products and services aimed at facilitating and enhancing learning. Enterprise architecture refers to a coherent, integrated ‘blueprint’ to optimize the often-fragmented legacy of processes into an integrated environment that supports service delivery. E-governance refers to the use of emerging ICT to facilitate the processes of government and public administration. Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) refers to equipment used in fiber access deployments where fibers extend all the way to the end-user premises and the equipment is designed and optimized for use in residential applications. Fixed broadband internet refers to high-speed connectivity for public use. Foundational skills refer to basic literacy, numeracy, and transferable skills. 76 Information and communications technology (ICT) professionals refer to people who conduct research, plan, design, write, test, provide advice and improve information technology systems. Integration refers to the process of linking independently designed applications to work together as one system. Interoperability refers to the ability to share information and services. Interoperability framework refers to an agreed approach for interoperability for entities that wish to work together toward the joint delivery of public services. ITIL (The Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is a set of practices and a framework for IT activities such as IT service management (ITSM) and IT asset management (ITAM) that focus on aligning IT services with the needs of the core processes of the organisation. 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