Education in Kosovo is carried out in public and private institutions. Starting from 1999, education in Kosovo was subject to reforms at all levels: from preschool education up to university level. These reforms aimed at adjusting the education in Kosovo according to European and global contemporary standards. As a first step of this new system is considered the establishment of the Department of Education and Science (DES), which is followed with the creation of legal and professional infrastructure, which should facilitate the fundamental reformation of the education (system 5 + 4 + 3-4 in the general and professional education as well as Bologna agreement for high education), and the establishment of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in March 2002. During this period the private education system began to develop.
The national institutions of education in Kosovo are governed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST).
Law on education – According to the law, the primary and secondary education in Kosovo is free of charge and is financed by the budget of Kosovo. The education is mandatory for all generations from 6 to 15 years of age. Law on education guarantees equal education to all communities in Kosovo.
Preschool education – The preschool education system is divided into three levels:
Kindergarten (for children of 1-2 years of age),
Kindergarten (for children of 3-4 years of age) and
Preprimary class (for children of 5 years of age).
Primary and low Secondary Education – According to the law on primary and secondary education in Kosovo the primary education (1-5) and low secondary education is mandatory for everyone. The mandatory education begins when the child reaches 6 years of age (the minimal age of mandatory education). According to this law, the education in the publicly-funded educational institutions is free of charge. The low secondary education is the second phase of mandatory education which includes classes 6-9, generations 12 to 15 years of age, respectively. The education in primary schools in Kosovo is held in five languages: Albanian, Serbian, Bosnian, Turkish, and Croatian.
High secondary education, gymnasiums, and professional schools – The high secondary education is organized in the general and professional education. The high secondary education lasts 3 or 4 years depending on the educational curricula designed by the MEST. All students are entitled to pursue this level on voluntary basis. The high secondary education is divided into two categories: the general and professional education. The main goal of the secondary professional education, which includes professional schools, is to prepare the students for labor market, but it also offers possibilities of applying for higher post-secondary or university studies. This type of education is organized in eight types of schools, where the classes are held in several profiles.
Special Education - In accordance with the law on education, the rights to special education in Kosovo have those children that don’t have or are not able to have normal education. In Kosovo there are total of 7 schools for special education and 64 adjoining classes. The classes are held in regular schools.