BRANKO MERXHANI DHE KUSHE MICA

Branko Merxhani and Kushe Mica are two prominent figures who made significant contributions to the cause of Albanian national education, each from a different standpoint but united by a common goal: the development of education as a tool for strengthening national identity and advancing Albanian cultural life. Merxhani, a leading thinker of the interwar period, approached education as the foundation of civilization and national unification, promoting the Albanian language as a means of social cohesion. In contrast, Kushe Mica, an activist of the Albanian National Renaissance, took practical steps on the ground by spreading Albanian-language education and founding the first girls’ school in Shkodër, becoming a symbol of women’s emancipation through knowledge. While Merxhani contributed through ideological discourse, Mica acted through institution-building, yet both viewed language and education as essential to national awakening. This article offers a comparative analysis of their roles, underlining their shared commitment to the cultivation of the mother tongue and the transformation of Albanian society through education.