ABSTRACT
This chapter examines whether decentralisation has satisfied the demands of non-majority groups for control over how primary and secondary education is provided. Following an evaluation of the system before decentralisation, a comprehensive analysis of the administrative and fiscal reforms introduced in 2005 was conducted. The chapter argues that the decentralisation process has facilitated heterogeneous policy-making in the provision of educational services, although further progress has been hampered by a lack of finances and central government support. The provision of Albanian- and Turkish-medium education has, for example, generally improved, although some would argue this has come at the expense of quality. Greater community involvement in decision-making processes has also improved transparency and allowed what were once highly contentious issues, such as the renaming of schools or the opening of a new school, to be generally made on a rational basis. Finally, the move to a per-capita education funding allocation formula in 2006 has facilitated a more equitable distribution of state resource.
