With banners in their hands reading “The university at risk, open favoritism toward private colleges,” the Student Movement for Equality “Study–Critique–Action” organized a protest action in front of the Kosovo Accreditation Agency.
They protested against the increase in the number of dentists in the country and the influence of private colleges.
Sejdi Karaca, a representative of this student movement, said the reaction comes as a result of a concerning and increasingly widespread phenomenon in some private colleges, which is directly related to the way studies in Dentistry are organized and function.
“The number of students admitted each year is also disproportionate to the institution’s capacities and the real needs of the country’s healthcare system. On the other hand, unfortunately we are witnessing a completely different reality in some private colleges, where the Dentistry program is offered under conditions that, according to many testimonies and students’ experiences, do not meet the minimum academic and professional standards. In these institutions, clear admission criteria for students are often lacking, while the academic evaluation process is not always based on equal and transparent standards,” he said.
He says that one of the most concerning problems is also related to practical training, which is essential for a dentist.
According to the representative of the movement, there are cases where students in these institutions are required to find their own patients in order to complete their practical work, while in some cases it is reported that certain students fail to complete practical training at all.
“This situation represents not only an academic problem but also a potential risk to the quality of healthcare services in the future. Furthermore, we are witnessing practices of transfers without clear criteria from other study programs within the same institutions, artificially increasing the number of students in the Dentistry program. This phenomenon is further worsening the situation, creating an oversupply in the market of professionals who in many cases have not undergone the same rigorous process of professional training,” Karaca said.
Karaca adds that as a result of these developments, the number of dentists in Kosovo has increased significantly.
“In some analyses and assessments, our country is considered among those with the highest number of dentists per capita, not only in the region and the Balkans, but also compared to many countries in Europe. According to data from the Kosovo Agency of Statistics, around 2,400 dentists are registered in the country, which for a population of about 1.8 million inhabitants means a ratio of approximately one dentist for every 700–750 residents, one of the highest ratios in the region,” he said.
KosovaPress has also contacted the Kosovo Chamber of Dentists to obtain a position regarding the increase in the number of dentists and the alleged favoritism toward students from private faculties, but until the publication of this text, no response has been received.
