While smart cameras and detectors are expected to be installed in 20 public schools, the Ministry of Education hinted that it had no role in implementing the “Smart City” project, leaving claims that public consultations with parents as null and void.
The Ministry of Education and Sports distanced itself from the implementation of the costly "Smart City" project in a response to BIRN, despite the fact that 20 public schools are scheduled to benefit from smart cameras and detectors in order to increase security measures.
According to the Ministry of Education, the law ratifying the loan agreement with the Abu Dhabi Development Fund designated the Ministry of Interior as the institution responsible for implementing the project.
BIRN approached the Ministry of Education with a right to information request, after the Ministry of Interior previously claimed that public consultations had been held with parents on the implementation of the “Smart City” project in schools through the Ministry of Education. Although it did not respond directly to the consultations, the Ministry of Education implied that it had no role to play in relation to the project.
The “Smart City” project envisages the installation of thousands of smart cameras in public spaces, including cameras for monitoring traffic on the streets, as well as in 20 schools as part of a pilot test. “Smart City” has been included in the list of projects of national importance by the Albanian government and was initially expected to cost 60 million US dollars, but its costs almost doubled to 118.5 million US dollars without any explanation, and are expected to be covered through a loan with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.
The project will be implemented by Presight AI, part of the UAE-based G42 group, which has raised concerns in the US Congress about its Chinese links. The project is also contested by digital rights experts over the risks it poses of massive intrusion into citizens' privacy.
Asked about privacy concerns, the Ministry of Interior told BIRN that the installation of cameras will only take place outside schools and not inside classrooms.
"The installation of cameras will only be carried out in the external premises of schools, with the aim of securing students and staff, as well as supervising and guaranteeing the smooth running of the teaching and educational process," the Ministry of Interior said.
In a previous article, BIRN reported that the Ministry of Interior has selected 20 schools to be equipped with smart cameras as part of the “Smart City” project, while most of them already have camera systems. Meanwhile, experts express serious concerns about the security of personal data and the way this footage is managed. /BIRN/
