With the proclamation of Albania as an independent state, in December 1912, the Vlora Provisional Government (VPG) was formed, headed by Ismail Qemali*. The Conference of Ambassadors of the Great Powers (England, Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France, and Italy) convened in London (1912-1913) to settle the outstanding issues raised by the conflict following the demise of the Ottoman Empire. In the first meeting Albania was acknowledged as an “autonomous” country but under the rule of the Sultan. According to the final resolution in July 1913 Albania was acknowledged to be independent of the Ottoman Empire. With the support from Austria-Hungary and Italy, the Conference of Ambassadors acknowledged Albania as an independent nation and drew the borders of the new state. Owing to strong pressure from Albania's neighbours, the Great Powers largely ignored demographic realities and gave core areas to the neighbouring countries (Historia e Shqipërisë 1994).
The vast region of Kosova was given to Serbia, while in the south the greater part of Chamëria (part of the old region of Epirus centred on the Thamis River (see Fig. 4) was given to Greece. In early December 1912, Kosova, Northern, Eastern and Central Albania up to Shkumbin river were invaded by the Serbian and Montenegran armies, while the Greeks sought to control southern Albania. Under the circumstances in which the issue of Albania was still unsettled, the VPG was not acknowledged by the International community. As a result it operated in a restricted territory covering the cities of Vlorë, Fier, Lushnje, Berat and Djirokastër. The organization of the Albanian State was left with the Great Powers and the task of establishing the administration of the Albanian State was left with an International Commission.
The VPG established its administration, revived the Albanian army, and established a judicial system after the European models. Albanian was proclaimed an official language and efforts began to revive education in the country. The first step was to set up the Ministry of Education, which was headed by Luigj Gurakuqi. At that time only 250 foreign run schools existed in Albania (Musaj, 2002, p. 94) whereas Albanian schools only amounted to 67 (Shapllo 1963 a, p. 84). So the VPG started efforts to open Albanian schools. Education Directorates were established in the districts of Vlorë, Berat, Elbasan, Durrës, Tiranë and Pogradec with each district organizing education independently. For the first time education legislation (ligjishmëri arsimore) was put in place and focused on establishing equality of the sexes in public education. The new education legislation stated the responsibilities of the Director of Education and competencies required of all elementary school teachers, who were to be tested. Teachers who met the requirements were issued a diploma and those with financial difficulties were given support.
The VPG also addressed the education of women in order to get rid of the old mentality that confined mostly girls of the Moslem faith within the four walls of the home. The first public school for girls was opened during the school year 1913-1914 in the Lushnja prefecture with 30 girls, to be followed by the reopening of the Ladies’ School and the public Girls’ School in Shkodra. Schools were opened in other cities of Albania but their number was limited due to lack of women teachers (Musaj, 2002).
One of the needs of the nascent country was the abolition of the old-fashioned education system by creating equal opportunities for all people of all classes and by introducing “the ideal of a democratic nation” (Luarasi 1962, p. 26-27). Independent Albania required a well-organized education system of its own. The first such efforts were made by Parasqevi Qiriazi (Kyrias) with the Projekti Arsimor (Education Project) known by the name The Theses o f Laura (see Fig. 5). This was her doctoral thesis, which she defended in 1913 in the Oberlin College in Ohio, the title being “The development of schools in the Ottoman Empire and an ideal system of education for Albania”. In her view, the aim.
content and duration of education provided in the Turkish mëhallë*, ruzhdije schools as well as the schools of the xhami* no longer suited the needs of the new Albanian circumstances (Osmani, 1997, p.
47). She suggested the establishment of an education system and a central education commission headed by the Minister of education, under the umbrella of the Parliament. She was an advocate of single sex education, given the patriarchal mentality of the Albanian society.
The Projekti Arsimor projected pre-school education, which started at the age of four, with a two-year duration including kindergarten. Elementary education started at the age of six until 12. It was divided into two 3-year phases: the junior level and the upper level. In the first three years special importance was given to reading, writing and numeracy as well as knowledge of the environment. In the other three years, story telling, language, science, gardening, art, physical education and crafts were taught.
She recommended teaching methods that were varied and matched to the psychophysical age group.
The project also provided for the education of the mentally and physically handicapped.
Parasqevi considered elementary education as the foundation for the future development of the individual and attributed its success to being reliant on the teaching skills of the teachers. She appreciated highly the teaching profession and considered the teaching profession as a privilege and special honour. For her the teacher was “the primary person responsible for the education of pupils and their role was crucial in cultivating the pupil’s personality” (Osmani 1997, p. 34). Thus elementary school teachers should have a good command of pedagogy and psychology and should know the stages of child development. She favoured women elementary school teachers on the grounds that “women can understand children better than men” (Osmani 1997, p. 56). Therefore special attention was given to the preparation of elementary school teachers in the education project. With regard to junior secondary school teachers she was of the opinion that they should be prepared in specialized institutions such as the higher normal schools. Parasqevi argued that pupils who attended the normal schools should have at least secondary school education.
In the second level particular attention was given to the links between learning and practical work.
Secondary education began at the age of 13 and was divided into two stages, junior level and senior level, each of four-year duration. Higher education would be based on the three-year secondary schools and higher education institutions were to be established in the capital city.
In developing her Projekti Arsimor Parasqevi avoided borrowing from the education models of the neighbouring countries and in particular the Turkish one. She was inclined towards the western models and the German one in particular. She drew on the work of Montessori, Brown, Stochton, Rousseau, Froebel, Pestalozzi and Comenius and advocated the necessity to rely on genetic and pedagogic psychology and the application of progressive teaching methods (Osmani 1997, p. 59). Although she opted for Western European standards, she was of the opinion that, curriculum should not be a carbon copy of foreign curricula but adapted to meet the requirements and conditions of Albania (Abazi, 1997, p. 248).
Parasqevi’s Projekti Arsimor failed to be implemented because of the turbulent political situation in Albania at that time, caused by the Balkan War and by World War I. The invading countries imposed their own education systems in the areas they dominated. However, despite the difficult situation the VPG managed to open new elementary schools in towns and villages, which needed teachers. To this end, the Ministry of Education decided to open a normal school in each prefecture (Historia e Shqipërisë, 1994). In the 1913-1914 academic year young people were invited to attend the Shkolla Normale Përgatitore (preparatory normal schools) which functioned in the form of rende të shpejta (fast track pedagogic courses). These courses were an accelerated form for the training of new teachers, and provided them with pedagogical and academic knowledge.
In autumn 1913 the Normal School of Elbasan was opened again in the form of a two- year pedagogic course. The course participants were required to be adults. The school had 100 pupils, out of which 70 received a scholarship from the government and about 40 of them were from Kosova and Great Dibra
(now part of Macedonia). The course continued throughout the academic year 1913-1914. The teaching staff of the Normal School of Elbasan consisted of one director, two teachers and several part time teachers (Gashi 1967, pp. 36-37). This same year the Normal school of Berat was opened at the initiative of Mr Salih Djuka*, who at that time headed the Directorate of Education in Berat (Shkolla Normale e Beratit. Në “Përlindj’ e Shqipënies” Vlorë 18/31 kallënduer 1914. No. 6, p .5). The structure of the normal school of Berat was based on the qytetëse (junior level of secondary school), with five classes and 80 pupils. Both the normal schools of Elbasan and Berat functioned as provisional normal schools for the training of elementary school teachers. Admission was done through entrance exams.
Only pupils up to 30 years of age, who had at least finished a qytetëse were admitted.
The curriculum of the Shkolla Normale Përgatitore was prepared by the Ministry of Education (Shapllo 1963 b, p. 53). For the first time the subject areas of pedagogy, didactics and psychology were taught (Kobuija, 1999, p. 14). To teach the professional subjects, foreign textbooks were used. They were translated, reproduced and distributed to pupils. Upon completion of the course participants were provided with a Certificate (Dëftesë-Rend Normal i Shpejtë për Mësues - Fast Track Pedagogic Course certificate).
The rende të shpejta were useful because teachers could be prepared in a shorter time and they provided a homogeneous training. However they did not always meet the professional requirements because of the short duration of the course which did not allow teachers to develop
sufficiently sound knowledge and teaching skills. For this reason, the need for continuous in-service training re-emerged in the following years. Rende të shpejta continued until 1921 with a double aim: to prepare new teachers for the new schools and to re-train current teachers.
Regardless of the attempts to stabilize the political situation in Albania, the situation continued to be unstable. In order to bring stability to the country the Great Powers appointed a German prince, Wilhelm zu Wied, as ruler of Albania. The Prince arrived in Albania in March 1914, but his
unfamiliarity with Albania and its problems, compounded by complications arising from the outbreak of World War I, led to his departure from Albania six months later. On 2 October 1914 the Durrës Provisional Government was formed with Dr. Turtulli as the Minister of Education. An education council was formed which consisted of outstanding Albanian educators. In 1915 a curriculum document was developed for the first time called “Programa analitike të shkollës fillore dhe të mesme”
(Analitical curriculum for elementary and secondary schools) which defined subjects to be taught including French as the foreign language and religious studies. (Historia e Arsimit Shqiptar, 1990, p.
255).
The war plunged the country into a new crisis, the armies of Austria-Hungary, France, Italy, Greece, Montenegro, and Serbia invaded and occupied Albania. Albanian schools were closed and many Albanian teachers were either arrested or dismissed. The invading countries opened their own schools.
Consequently setting up a unified education system became difficult. The Greek, Turkish, Slavic, Italian, Austro-Hungarian schools which existed in Albania were administered and funded by the clergy and were politically dependent on the respective countries. For the most part instruction took place in the language of the occupying countries, which also imposed their cuniculae. In general, teaching in these schools mirrored the educational philosophy of these countries so there was no national education by way of which Albanian national identity could be enhanced. Religion was also part of curriculum (Historia e Arsimit shqiptar, 1990). For the most part during the 1914-1915 academic year Albanian schools were almost non existent (Kanini, 2000). Under this situation, informal teaching by way of itinerant teachers was again restored to educate the people.