Educational Assessment in Transition: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives from Albania

This article examines the evolution of assessment systems in pre-university education within a comparative context, focusing on how assessment practices and structures have transformed in Albania. It examines the gradual transition from traditional and subjective models toward standardized approaches based on scientific principles and competency-oriented frameworks. In the Albanian case, historical development is examined from the Ottoman period, through the stages of national state building and the socialist system, to contemporary reforms that include the State Matura examination, formative assessment, and digitalization through the Pre-University Information Management System (SMIP). The article also analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic both transformed and challenged, traditional assessment models. Through a critical analysis and comparison with successful international practices, the paper argues for the need to strengthen formative assessment, expand the use of technology, and adapt personalized approaches to build a more comprehensive, objective assessment system aligned with contemporary educational requirements.