Tirana Schools Begin Installing AI-Powered Security Cameras

By Suad Seferi · Aug 30, 2026

Tirana has started installing AI-powered camera systems in schools as part of Albania’s wider Smart City programme, with the technology expected to be in use when students return for the new school year in September. Albania’s Interior Ministry confirmed on August 27 that the system has already been installed at Qemal Stafa High School, one of the first schools included in the programme. Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari visited the school to inspect the new system, saying artificial intelligence and advanced monitoring technology would become part of the security measures used to protect students and staff. The new school year in Albania begins on September 14. Around 380 cameras planned for Tirana schools The school programme was first detailed earlier this year. Around 380 smart cameras are planned across 20 schools in Tirana, with individual schools expected to receive between 11 and 31 cameras depending on their size and number of students. The cameras will be installed both inside and outside school buildings and will allow school environments to be monitored in real time. The programme also includes monitoring rooms, additional detection systems and training for staff responsible for operating the technology. Authorities say the cameras will work alongside existing security measures rather than replace them. At Qemal Stafa High School, for example, two State Police officers are already assigned to the school and are expected to remain in place during the coming academic year. What exactly will the AI do? The government has described the system as using artificial intelligence to improve monitoring and help identify potential security risks. Earlier descriptions of the project suggested the system could assist with detecting suspicious individuals and activities around school premises. However, detailed public information about the AI functions remains limited. It is not yet clear exactly what behaviour the software is designed to identify, whether biometric or facial recognition technology is involved, how alerts are generated, or how much human review takes place before action is taken. Those details matter more when surveillance technology is introduced into schools, where most of the people being monitored are children. Privacy questions remain The government has presented the programme primarily as a security measure, arguing that better monitoring can create a safer environment for students, teachers and parents. But the introduction of AI-assisted surveillance in schools also creates questions around privacy and data protection. Legal experts speaking about the project earlier this year called for clear rules governing the technology and consultation with parents. Important questions include who can access footage, how long recordings are stored, whether AI-generated alerts are kept separately, and what happens when the system incorrectly identifies behaviour as suspicious. Albania already has a legal framework for personal data protection, but AI-enabled surveillance introduces additional technical issues that conventional camera systems do not necessarily create. The government has not yet published detailed information addressing all of those questions for the school deployment. Part of a much larger Smart City programme The cameras in schools are only one part of Albania’s broader Smart City initiative. The government has been developing a national Command and Control Centre intended to bring together surveillance, data analysis and public-security systems. Officials say the wider programme is designed to help police and other authorities identify risks and respond to incidents more quickly. Schools are now becoming one of the first environments where ordinary citizens will encounter the technology directly. That makes the Tirana rollout worth watching beyond the question of whether cameras can improve security. The programme will also show how Albania intends to balance the growing use of AI in public spaces with privacy, transparency and the rights of people being monitored. With the first systems already installed and schools reopening on September 14, those questions are likely to become more important once the technology moves from testing into everyday use.