A child born in Albania today is likely to fall short of reaching his or her full potential. According to the World Bank’s latest Human Capital Index report, a child born today is expected to achieve only 63% of the economic productivity they could attain if they enjoyed full health and high-quality education throughout childhood. In other words, the country loses around 37% of the younger generation’s potential due to shortcomings in human capital development.

The report notes that Albania has made progress in several key child health indicators. About 99% of children survive to the age of five, while 91% do not suffer from stunted growth, an indicator linked to nutrition and physical development during the early years of life.

However, education remains the country’s greatest challenge. An Albanian child is expected to spend 13.2 years in school, but when the quality of learning is taken into account, this translates into only 9.4 effective years of education. This means that although children spend more than a decade in classrooms, the knowledge and skills they acquire fall below expected levels.

International assessment results reflect the same reality. Albania scores 439 points in harmonized learning tests, a result that, according to the World Bank, indicates considerable room for improvement in the quality of education.

World Bank experts emphasize that the early years of life are crucial for brain development as well as cognitive and social skills. As a result, investments in healthcare, nutrition, early childhood education and the quality of schooling affect not only children’s well-being but also the country’s economic development in the decades ahead.

The report highlights that human capital is one of a country’s most valuable assets. A generation with better education and stronger health is more productive, has greater employment opportunities, earns higher incomes throughout life and contributes more to the economy.

For the World Bank, improving these indicators is not only a social issue but also an economic one. Every investment made in children today—from early childhood care to quality education and healthcare services—translates into a stronger economy and a society with fewer inequalities in the future.