Albania

Albania has eight years of compulsory education, which begins at age six. Some 59 percent of the nation's preschoolers attend 3,400 kindergartens. There are approximately 1,500 primary schools serving students aged 6 to 10. The 1,700 secondary schools provide education for students aged 11 to 14. Most primary schools, especially in rural areas, are in poor condition and inadequately staffed. Basic supplies, such as books and chalk, are in critically short supply.