Minister Kushi in parliament: We will not tolerate anyone who violates the well-being of children

“First of all, thank you very much for the concern brought and for the opportunity you give me to emphasize today once again before you, but also before the parents and the whole public opinion, how important it is for us, not only to increase the quality of education, but first to guarantee the protection and well-being of students, and even not only inside school premises but also outside them, wherever there may be danger to them. Regarding the first part of your question (I am quoting): “On what criteria was the recruitment and appointment of Engjëllush Bregu, previously convicted for” Pedophilia “and” Sexual Harassment “, in the school” October 22 “in Berat” ?

Let me emphasize from the beginning, that our concern as a minister has been very high for this event, and the reaction was immediate. I, personally, have strongly condemned publicly, from the first moment the contract appointment of this teacher, because I really strongly believe that such persons should not do even a single hour in the premises of our schools.

The person was immediately removed from duty, only 4 days after the conclusion of the contract, after we received the official confirmation from the court for the commission of the criminal offense, and immediately launched an administrative investigation to find the responsible persons, who by actions or omissions have allowed his employment .

But how was the procedure for appointing this teacher? According to the detailed information we received from the education office and the relevant regional directorate, Engjellush Bregu, a graduate in mathematics and physics at the University “Aleksandër Xhuvani”, started working as a teacher in early 1980, continuing his work without interruption for 23 vite.

In 2003, after the incident that happened to the students in the 9-year school Uznovë, Berat, this teacher was prosecuted and sentenced to 7 months in prison by the court for “Shameful acts”. But in its decision the Court did not deprive him of the right to practice the profession, neither permanently nor temporarily.

Therefore, since that time, the Regional Education Directorate, not having any court decision to remove the right to the profession, nor any act, instruction or regulation, to prohibit such an action has returned the teacher to work after serving the sentence , ie from 2004 until 2009, when he subsequently left education of his own free will.

In 2017, the teacher has applied again, in accordance with legal acts and bylaws in force, in the Portal “Teachers for Albania” and has been employed since 2018 with temporary contracts. Recently, for the school year 2021-2022, the Local Education Office Berat has appointed a teacher with a temporary contract in the school “22 October” Berat.

But, of course, our concern is not related to the professional side of the teacher, because the Office has brought us enough information to justify legally and procedurally his appointment. What really worries us is the second part of your question: “what are the mechanisms we have to guarantee the protection of students from individuals who may still pose a risk to students.” Based on the high public anger, completely right, but also the obligation that we as educational institutions have for the safety of children in schools, just a few days after the event, on December 1, I signed the change of the instruction that prohibits the application and competition, for worked as a teacher, of convicted persons, for whom the court has made a final decision, for committing a criminal offense against minors, or for committing a criminal offense related to educational institutions. This decision is intended to avoid the risk that may come to our students from persons who do not guarantee high moral and legal integrity.

But is danger completely avoided with this guidance? What happens in cases where candidates have been convicted years ago by the Court for the above criminal offenses, but who over time are rehabilitated. Because even in this case, the documentation submitted by the teacher at the time of application contains the criminal record, which shows that he was “Unpunished” and there was no other official information about the specific criminal offense for which he was sentenced 18 years ago. pare. This is because the Criminal Code provides for the rehabilitation of every convicted person, according to the conditions and deadlines set.

Precisely for this purpose, I talked from the first day with the Minister of Justice, Mr. Manja, to take a legal initiative together, so that some serious criminal offenses are never hidden from the criminal record, or even if we find a even stronger mechanism to guarantee the protection and well-being of our children. Here I am even honestly very open to welcome your suggestions, because the safety of children is a topic that must overcome any other political or party interest.

Currently in the teams of our schools, for years now, we have psycho-social workers, security officers and assistant teachers, who then together with the school principal and all teachers, work every day in this direction, but a legal initiative that totally avoids the risk is necessary. And we will undertake it very soon together with my colleague Manja, because as I pointed out that in my first reaction to this issue, for us the protection of students is sacred and we will not tolerate anyone who violates their well-being. “When we bring this legal initiative here in parliament, I would very much hope to have your support as well,” said Kushi.

top channel