Vocational education and training in Bulgaria - Fact …...PMU-Education, ul. Graf Ignatiev 15, So-fia). The National Observatory gathers and analyses infor mation on developments

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Overview

Vocational education and training, char-acterised by a high degree of centralisa-tion, is still at the initial stage of reform.Severe economic constraints may impedethe reform plans. The current legal frame-work does not take account of the condi-tions of a social market economy, but con-centrates only on the reform of vocationalschools. Main challenges include the de-velopment of a coherent legal frameworkand the enhancement of institutional ca-pacities.

Responsible bodies

The Ministry for Education and Sci-ence has the overall responsibility for theentire school system and is the mainpolicy-making body with budgetary re-sponsibility and control for initial train-ing.

The Ministry of Labour and SocialPolicy and the Ministry for Education andScience are both responsible for adulteducation.

An accreditation agency for vocationaleducation and training is at present un-der discussion.

Financing of vocational training

Vocational education and training is cur-rently financed out of the state budget(4.27% of GDP in 1995). The Ministry forEducation and Science allocates themoney to schools, which have little au-tonomy. In 1995 of all the public fundsfor education, 33.53% were spent on thevocational and professional education ofyoung people. Donors finance the upgrad-ing of the system and pilot schoolsthrough bilateral and other internationalagreements.

Vocational education and trainingin Bulgaria - Fact sheet

Continuing training

The division of policy responsibilities oncontinuing training between the Ministriesof Education and Labour is unclear. Amajor problem for continuing training isits separation from current reforms of ini-tial school-based vocational education andtraining. The main current challenge incontinuing training is to address the im-minent redundancies of teachers throughre-training in order to avoid unemploy-ment.

International support activities

Through bilateral and multilateral inter-national agreements, donors make verysignificant contributions to the vocationaleducation and training system. A PHAREpilot project launched in 1993 targetedpost-secondary vocational education andtraining and reviewed and developedprinciples for the reform of the whole vo-cational education and training system (forexample curriculum development for 5occupational profiles and a review ofpost-secondary system). This laid thefoundations for expansion into muchlarger PHARE programmes in 1995 and1996 on education and training, which in-clude the development of standards andassessment procedures, teacher training,and preparatory work for the develop-ment of the legal framework. Significantbilateral vocational education and train-ing projects are being carried out in part-nership with Germany (establishment of3 training centres, economics training in5 vocational schools), Austria (trainingfirms), and Denmark (economics curriculain post secondary schools) and others areunder development with amongst othersFrance and the UK.


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National priorities

In the absence of a coherent policy docu-ment at government level, the Board ofthe Ministry for Education and Sciencehas adopted the following guidelines forthe development of the vocational edu-cation and training sector (Concept forthe Development of Secondary Educa-tion, 1996):

❏ to develop a system for teacher train-ing;❏ to establish an independent agency forvocational qualifications;❏ to prepare a new list of occupations inthe secondary and post-secondary voca-tional education and training;❏ to develop new curricula;

❏ to develop a modular approach in vo-cational training.

Establishment of a National Observa-tory

The European Training Foundation hassupported the establishment of a NationalObservatory in Bulgaria (hosted in thePMU-Education, ul. Graf Ignatiev 15, So-fia). The National Observatory gathers andanalyses information on developments ofthe vocational training system and thelabour market. On the basis of this infor-mation the National Observatory and theFoundation periodically produce countryreports on vocational training develop-ments in Bulgaria.


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The Ministry of Labour is in charge ofdeveloping and implementing the govern-ment’s labour market policy, includingactive employment policy, through thelabour offices.

Financing vocational training

State technical and vocational schools arefunded out of the governmental budget,the principal share coming from the Min-istry of Education, Youth and Sports. Thegovernment also provides financial con-tributions to private vocational schools.These amount to 60-80 % of the contri-butions provided to state vocationalschools. Total expenditure on educationamounted to 5.9% of GDP in 1995, ex-penditure on vocational education andtraining amounts to an estimated 1.3% ofGDP.

With regard to continuing vocational edu-cation and training, there is a broad rangeof funding models, from governmentalfunding to individual investment. Com-panies are estimated to invest about 1%of the gross payroll cost in training andeducation of their personnel.

Continuing training

Although the market for continuing vo-cational education and training is well de-veloped, activities in this area lack a co-ordinated and systematic approach. Thesupply side has reacted mainly to thedemand of individuals who need to up-date their knowledge and skills to newlyevolving labour market requirements. Atpresent, there are approximately 1,500institutions providing continuing training.They offer a wide range of short-termprofessional courses and seminars. Thesefocus, in particular, on management, mar-keting, computer literacy, economics andlanguages.

Overview

A long-term coherent policy to adapt thevocational education and training systemto evolving labour market needs has notyet been developed. The approach reformhas been mostly bottom-up, relying onthe initiative of schools which have beengranted a high degree of autonomy. Im-provements, innovations and adjustmentsof the system have been introduced step-by-step with a view to creating a flexible,adaptable system with a wide range ofoptions attractive for students, offeringthem favourable prospects in the labourmarket.

The former system of vocational educa-tion and training, characterised by a rigiddivision between secondary technical andsecondary vocational schools, has beenbroadened by the following new ele-ments:

❏ integrated secondary schools (combin-ing secondary technical and vocationalschool education);❏ higher professional schools (enablingsecondary school graduates to acquirepost-secondary technical qualificationswith a practical orientation).

Responsible bodies

The Ministry of Education, Youth andSports has the overall responsibility forthe education system, including vocationaleducation and training. It is responsiblefor the development and implementationof the government’s education policy, in-cluding budget administration and con-trol. A minor part of vocational educa-tion and training is financed and super-vised by sectoral ministries (agriculture,interior, defence). School administrationat district level is carried out by the Dis-trict School Offices which are directly re-sponsible to the Ministry of Education.

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National priorities

The main priorities of the government are:

❏ to create a flexible, adaptable voca-tional training system that responds to thechanging requirements of the labour mar-ket at national and regional level;❏ to establish links between initial andcontinuing vocational education and train-ing;❏ to develop further post-secondary non-university vocational training (higher pro-fessional schools);❏ to improve the quality of vocationaleducation and training by setting upmechanisms for quality assurance andevaluation;❏ to develop further and implement edu-cational and professional standards com-parable to those in the EU and to linkthem to the needs of the labour market;❏ to foster systematic social partner in-volvement in vocational training at na-tional, regional and local level;❏ to encourage the decentralisation of vo-cational training by creating a regionallevel of educational administration;❏ to revise the financing system of voca-tional training with a view to stimulatingparticipation by enterprises.


The European Training Foundation hassupported the establishment of a NationalObservatory in the Czech Republic(hosted by the National Training Fund,Václavské námesti 43, 110 00 Prague 1).The National Observatory gathers andanalyses information on developments ofthe vocational training system and thelabour market. On the basis of this infor-mation the National Observatory and theFoundation periodically produce countryreports on vocational training develop-ments in the Czech Republic.

Some sectors are addressed in a morestructured way. Re-training programmesfor the unemployed are organised throughlabour offices and usually financed by theMinistry of Labour and Social Affairs. Largecompanies usually offer on-the-job train-ing and in some cases apply a systematicapproach towards staff development.


About 16.5 million ECUs of foreign as-sistance provided to the Czech Republicin 1993 and 1994 were granted for sup-porting vocational education and training.

Many PHARE programmes were focuseddirectly on vocational education and train-ing or contained major vocational educa-tion and training components. The 1991Labour Market Restructuring Programmeprovided a Strategic Study for Reform ofVocational Education and Training. Ap-proximately 50 million ECUs were allo-cated for Human Resource Developmentunder different PHARE and Tempus pro-grammes, including the upgrading of 19pilot vocational education and trainingschools, as well as the National TrainingFund and PALMIF (Pro-active Labour Mar-ket Intervention Fund), which was a la-bour market action aimed at providinggrant support to employment projects witha continuing vocational education andtraining component. The 1992 Renewalof Education System Programme sup-ported also the development of higherprofessional schools.

The vocational education and trainingcomponent of bilateral assistance is usu-ally targeted at specific projects such ascurriculum development, student ex-change programmes, etc. based on directlinks with partner institutions.


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act independently in matters of schoolmanagement, the Ministry of Educationlays down the policy and the rules.

Following a period of frequent re-organi-sation of research and pedagogical cen-tres in 1993 the Estonian Teacher Train-ing Centre was established. This hashosted the National Centre for Exami-nation and Qualifications since Janu-ary 1997, which co-ordinates trainingcourses and training providers.


Costs for education and training are fullymet at the state level. The law providesthat schools receive private funding bothfrom companies and individuals, but thisis presently at a low level. There are notuition fees in state schools or state insti-tutions of higher education. Students inhigher education are supported by stateloans (since 1992). To improve financingin vocational training, a special fund hasbeen suggested financed by a 3% tax onemployers. Two-thirds would be used fortraining by employers and one-third fordistribution by the capital committee.

Continuing training

Although the law provides for vocationalschools to offer flexible short-term up-grading and re-training for adults, a co-herent national training policy, compris-ing both initial and continuing training,does not yet exist. Neither is there a train-ing system for the unemployed or redun-dant workers. During recent years, over40 state-supported adult education insti-tutions have been established. Many ofthese are based on private initiatives andfocus mainly on management and foreign-language training. The state budget for1996 includes a small budget for fundingfor planned adult education.

Overview

Since independence in 1991, successivegovernments have kept the country onthe road towards a market-based system.The economy has been restructured andsubstantial progress has been made in theliberalisation of prices, removing tradetariffs and restrictions, and in attractingforeign investment.

Although a coherent policy for adaptingthe vocational training system to the needsof the labour market is not yet in place,the Ministry of Education is working on apolicy document. The overall objectivesremain :

❏ alignment to present-day labour mar-ket needs in a changing economy withfull involvement of social partners;❏ the establishment of trade councils; and❏ reform by the extension of pilot pro-grammes.

Responsible bodies

The Ministry of Education is responsi-ble for all aspects of education includinginitial vocational training administration,approval of admissions, system develop-ment and planning, national curricula de-velopment, approval of school coursesand study programmes, inspection ofschools, supervision of final certificateissue and organisation of research work.It was restructured in 1996, when theVocational Education Department wasre-established. The Department has threeunits - the Educational Management Serv-ice, Curriculum Service and the Adult Edu-cational Service.

Some vocational training institutions areunder the responsibility of sectoral min-istries (for example the Ministry of Ag-riculture, the Ministry of Transportand Communications), local authoritiesor private organisations. Although schools

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The PHARE 1994-97 Vocational TrainingReform Programme worth 3 million ECUhas supported curriculum development,teacher training, learning material upgrad-ing, partnerships with EU schools andpolicy development.

PHARE also provides assistance throughsectoral programmes which often includetraining, for example, the Cross-borderCo-operation programme for the BalticSea region and the Information systemsprogramme.

PHARE and bilateral assistance to the Min-istry of Social Affairs have focused on im-proving the employment service and theinformation system. The Ministry, with theexecutive National Labour Market Board(NLMB), aims at refining an active labourmarket policy to help people to find em-ployment and support job creation.

During 1997 a series of preparatory meas-ures for the EU’s Leonardo da Vinci pro-gramme have been carried out includingthe definition of the national financial con-tribution and several media events.

Bilateral activity mainly with Baltic part-ners includes demonstration centres fortraining in commerce metallurgy and elec-tronics. The Nordic Council has launcheda large teacher training programme.

National priorities

These include the following:

❏ to design and implement a coherentvocational education and training policywith a view to EU accession;

❏ vocational training school auditing andcurricula development, national occupa-

tional competence guidelines and train-ing standards, also for continuing voca-tional training;

❏ to establish a continuing education andtraining system integrated with initialtraining providing management trainingand support to SME development;

❏ developing a national labour market/manpower planning information system;

❏ upgrading equipment across the entirevocational training system;

❏ to improve teachers’ and trainers’ edu-cation;

❏ strengthening the involvement of so-cial partners in training;

❏ developing a career guidance andcounseling system;

❏ action to help disadvantaged and spe-cial groups and areas;

❏ the dissemination of the results of the1994-97 PHARE Programme.


The European Training Foundation hassupported the establishment of a NationalObservatory in Estonia (hosted in theFoundation for Vocational Education andTraining Reform, Pärnu mnt.57, EE0001,Tallinn). The National Observatory gath-ers and analyses information on devel-opments of the vocational training sys-tem and the labour market. On the basisof this information the National Observa-tory and the Foundation periodically pro-duce country reports on vocational train-ing developments in Estonia.


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Overview

Alongside the progress that has beenmade in laying the foundations for a mar-ket economy, Hungary has defined strat-egies to align the vocational education andtraining system with the new needs of theeconomy. It has also made considerableprogress in setting up the legislative andinstitutional framework to support thesestrategies.

Hungary has opted for an output controlapproach to training and set up instru-ments for quality standards. The latterconcern the establishment of a NationalVocational Qualifications Register, theidentification of professional and exami-nation requirements for each qualificationincluded in the Register and developmentof central curricula (which will be adaptedto the local needs by schools). It has alsoopted for a decentralised approach to themanagement of the training system andintends to involve all stakeholders in thedecision-making process for training.

Remaining major challenges include:

❏ further strengthening the interactionbetween the economy and the trainingsystem;

❏ continuing modernisation of trainingstandards and provision;

❏ supporting the participation of all par-ties to improve the quality of initial andcontinuing vocational training.

Responsible bodies

The Ministry of Labour has the overallresponsibility for vocational education andtraining.

The Ministry of Education has respon-sibility for the definition of curricula andsupervision of general subjects.

Sectoral Ministries are responsible forthe identification of the qualifications andprofessional requirements for occupationsin their economic sector.

The local governments (school ownersand maintainers) have increased respon-sibilities in the management of vocationaleducation and training.

The National Vocational TrainingCouncil is an advisory body to the Min-istry of Labour in which all vocationaltraining stakeholders (including socialpartners) participate.


In 1996, the education budget accountedfor 7.8% of GDP. The two main sourcesof funding for vocational training are thestate budget and a training levy on em-ployers of 1.5% of their payroll cost. Thestate, through the local governments, pro-vides a per capita subsidy which schoolsare free to spend as they consider appro-priate. In 1995, 43% of the employers’training levy was spent on training theirown employees, 37% on financial assist-ance to vocational education and train-ing schools and 20% remitted to the Vo-cational Training Fund.

Continuing training

Efforts for the promotion of continuingvocational training have mainly focusedon the re-training of the unemployed orpeople in risk of unemployment due toindustrial change. Regional Labour Devel-opment and Training Centres have beenset up so as to ensure a flexible supply ofvocational training responding to regionalskill needs. Training and re-training of theunemployed can also be supplied byschools or private training providers. Cur-rent policy considerations also concern

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the support of training activities for theemployed.


Several PHARE programmes have beenwholly or partly concerned with voca-tional education and training reform. Im-portant measures supported include thedevelopment of an information centre,study visits abroad for vocational teach-ers, setting up language training centres,restructuring apprenticeships, promotingactive employment measures, improvingadult training standards, reforming cur-ricula in secondary vocational schools, aswell as providing training in specificgrowth sectors and for middle and seniormanagers.

A ‘Human Resource’ World Bank devel-opment loan provided substantial sup-port to the development of a new modelfor the secondary vocational school andthe establishment of 9 regional trainingcentres for youth and adult training. Alarge number of bilateral activities in-clude management training, languagetraining and development of a standard-ised examination system for secondaryeducation (with the Netherlands), openlearning resources (with the UK), per-sonalisation of training, transferability ofskills and mobility of workers (withFrance), training for disadvantagedyouth, development of new curricula(with Germany) and mutual recognitionof different skill qualifications (with Aus-tria).

National priorities

The present priorities are :❏ increasing the percentage of those witha vocational qualification;❏ continuing modernisation of vocationaleducation and training programmes tak-ing into account training standards simi-lar to those in EU countries;❏ developing an accreditation system andappropriate training programmes for post-secondary vocational training;❏ consolidating social partners’ involve-ment in vocational education and training;❏ further involving the business sector intraining;❏ implementing a system for continuingvocational training for both the employedand the unemployed;❏ developing a system for the identifica-tion of skills required by of the labourmarket.

Establishment of the National Ob-servatory

The European Training Foundation hassupported the establishment of a NationalObservatory in Hungary (hosted in Na-tional Institute of Vocational Education(NIVE), Berzsenyi D. u. 6, 1087 Budapest).The National Observatory gathers andanalyses information on developments ofthe vocational training system and the la-bour market. On the basis of this infor-mation the National Observatory and theFoundation periodically produce countryreports on vocational training develop-ments in Hungary.


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Overview

Latvia faces the challenge of developinga coherent national strategy in initial andcontinuing vocational education and train-ing. Reforms are in their starting phase,with a focus on initial training. Reformsrely heavily on PHARE programme sup-port. The main activities have been themodernisation of curricula for 10 occu-pational profiles and 5 general subjects,the up-grading of school equipment andthe training for teachers and school man-agers in 18 schools. A new law for voca-tional training is being prepared to alignLatvia with European standards.

Responsible bodies

The Ministry of Education and Scienceissues regulations, by-laws and guidelinesfor initial and continuing training. It co-ordinates the development of curricula,determines the proportion of general edu-cation subjects and their level and is re-sponsible for the legislation affecting allprofessional training institutions. The Min-istry’s vocational training department ac-credits the qualifications and the new vo-cational training programmes for state andprivate institutions and assesses the ex-isting ones.

Sector ministries (Agriculture, Welfareand Culture) determine curriculum stand-ards for professional subjects in theschools under their authority, administerfunds and create legal documents whichregulate issues specific to these schools.

The Ministry of Welfare is responsiblefor training and retraining of the unem-ployed.


The vocational institutions of Latvia aremainly financed out of the state budget,

with the relevant ministries allocatingmoney to the schools. There is a cleardistinction between basic financing anddevelopment expenses. Basic financingaccounts for 97% of the budget and cov-ers expenses for maintaining an educa-tional institution, fees for the employeesof the educational branch, transportationexpenses, energy and other resources.Development expenses are for major im-plementations and changes in educationalactivities and for strategic investments.

For continuing training the breakdown offinancing is as follows: state budget forre-training unemployed people 47.5%,tuition fees paid by the students 38%,firms, organisations 10%, municipalbudget 2.2%, other sources 2.2%.

Continuing training

The Department of Continuing Educationof the Ministry of Education and Sciencehas established 25 regional Adult Educa-tion Centres across the country in con-junction with the Latvian Adult EducationAssociation. The Ministry of Welfare’s StateEmployment Service has the responsibil-ity for unemployment registration, guid-ance, training and re-qualification. Ac-cording to the figures of the State Em-ployment Service, 7.6% of all unemployedpeople attended retraining courses in1995. The private sector offers differentkinds of courses providing a non-diplomaeducation. In-company training in thenewly established companies is underdevelopment without official quality con-trol.


Donor contributions made up 14% of thevocational training budget for 1996. Themain international support is related toPHARE programmes (5.5 million ECUs

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between 1994 -1996) and its impact oninitial training is already visible. The aimof these projects is to support moderni-sation and reforms of the initial vocationaleducation and training system in curriculadevelopment, teacher training, upgradingof teaching equipment, partnership withEU schools, development of educationpolicy and dissemination of results. Oneof the programmes concerns post second-ary in-company and continuing training.

For the period 1997-2000, the Ministry ofEducation and Science will seek supportfrom PHARE for the ‘VET 2000’ reformprogramme, to develop and implement asecondary and higher education and train-ing system. PHARE is also promoting so-cial dialogue and training of policy mak-ers through its Staff Development andvocational training programmes and sup-porting the labour market survey preparedby the national statistics office.

Major bilateral co-operation projects ex-ist with Germany, Denmark, Canada andthe Nordic Council to assist in or developprojects for staff training, the developmentof a business training network, the crea-tion of a training centre for metal tech-nology, training for the unemployed andup-grading for adults, a teacher trainingsystem and the improvement of businesseducation.

National priorities

The main national priorities are to:

❏ establish a concept for vocational train-ing;

❏ prepare a vocational training law;

❏ disseminate the pilot phase of PHAREprogrammes;

❏ develop a national occupational andeducational standards system;

❏ develop the post secondary and terti-ary vocational training;

❏ develop training of teachers and schoolmanagers.


The European Training Foundation hassupported the establishment of a NationalObservatory in Latvia (hosted in the Aca-demic Information Centre; Valnu iela 2;1098 Riga). The National Observatorygathers and analyses information on de-velopments of the vocational training sys-tem and the labour market. On the basisof this information the National Observa-tory and the Foundation periodically pro-duce country reports on vocational train-ing developments in Latvia.


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Overview

The 1994 “General Concept of Education”government paper presented the globalobjectives of: strengthening vocationaltraining institutions, decentralising voca-tional training policy formulation, identi-fying alternative private funding, improv-ing standards and skill mis-matches andaddressing the needs of disadvantagedpeople and areas. So far reform has con-centrated on curricula modernisation and,beyond the draft law, no significantprogress has been made in the legalframework. Future policy will propose thefuture structure of the vocational trainingsystem including: the licensing of voca-tional training institutions; counselling,initial and continuing training, financing.This framework will be based upon co-operation with the social partners.

Responsible bodies

The Ministry of Education and Sciencehas overall responsibility for initial voca-tional education and training. Responsi-bility for post-secondary vocational col-leges and vocational training schools liespredominantly with this Ministry, althoughsome professions have specialist schoolswhere other ministries have responsibil-ity, for example the Ministry of Agricul-ture.

The Ministry of Social Security andLabour is responsible for continuingtraining.

The Lithuanian Vocational TrainingCouncil (composed of ministries, voca-tional training institutions and social part-ners) provides advice on strategic voca-tional training issues.

The Lithuanian Labour Market Train-ing Authority (AVTCC) organises labourmarket re-training via regional centres andservices.

The Lithuanian Chambers of Com-merce, Industry and Crafts are seekingto establish a network of chamber train-ing centres.


Vocational training is mainly financedfrom the state budget, with a limitedamount from the labour exchanges, em-ployers and charitable sources. In 1996,71 million Litas (US$ 17.75 million) wereallocated to 65 vocational schools and 62million Litas (US$ 15.5 million) to 37 in-stitutions of further education (an increaseof 35% on 1995 levels). 56.5 million Litas(US$ 14.125 million) were allocated forlabour market policy training in 1995.

Continuing education and training is fi-nanced both through the state budget ofthe Ministry of Social Security and Labour,and the Employment Fund, an inter-min-isterial fund of state budget subsidies andwage fund contributions managed by theLithuanian Vocational Training Council. In1996, the estimated allocation for continu-ing training was 370,000 Litas (US$ 92,500)from the Ministry, and 52 million Litas(US$13 million) from the EmploymentFund.

Education represented 22% of the nationalbudget, 5.7% of GDP. The budget alloca-tion to vocational training in 1995 was0.67% of GDP. It is estimated that non-state sources represent about 5% of thebudget.

Continuing training

Under the responsibility of the Ministryof Social Security and Labour, the LabourMarket Training Authority is responsiblefor continuing training, including the re-training of the unemployed. It has 6 re-gional labour market training services and14 training centres which operate flexible(modular) curricula. Presently adult re-

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training is only supported if a job is guar-anteed afterwards. 95,000 adults partici-pated in schemes in 1995 (4.5% ofworkforce). Paid leave for continuingtraining is foreseen within vocationaltraining legislation. Currently 95 privateinstitutions provide continuing trainingand a substantial amount is deliveredwithin companies.


The EU PHARE Programme has been thelargest donor since 1991, supporting in1993-94 a programme for the developmentof the labour market and unemployedtraining systems, in 1995 a 2-year pro-gramme on vocational education andtraining, and a multi-lateral programmefor distance education.

Since 1992, the Tempus programme hassupported the restructuring of universityeducation in Lithuania. It is a full partici-pant in the Leonardo da Vinci programmeand a national coordination unit has beenset up.

A Nordic-Baltic Co-ordination Group onvocational training teacher training hasbeen set up. Single country projects in-clude training of teacher trainers, ‘learn-ing-company’ concept development, theestablishment of an institute of vocationaleducation, vocational training for disabledpeople, and a ‘dual-system’ for trainingin metal trades, employment services sup-port and curriculum development in spe-cific occupations. A World Bank loan hasbeen agreed for the computerisation ofthe Lithuanian education system.

National priorities

The main priorities for Lithuania are:

❏ the establishment of the legal frame-work for vocational training;❏ labour market studies on demand forspecialists and the development of therelationship between schools, enterprisesand the labour market;❏ encouragement of the involvement ofthe social partners in vocational training.❏ improving financial and managementprocedures, and information and telecom-munication technologies, especially inrural areas;❏ modernisation of equipment and ma-terials;❏ new methods of curriculum develop-ment;❏ improvement of teacher training andteacher qualifications.


The European Training Foundation hassupported the establishment of a NationalObservatory in Lithuania (hosted in theMethodical Centre for Vocational Educa-tion and Training, Gelezinio Vilko g.12,LT-2600, Vilnius). The National Observa-tory gathers and analyses information ondevelopments of the vocational trainingsystem and the labour market. On thebasis of this information the NationalObservatory and the Foundation periodi-cally produce country reports on voca-tional training developments in Lithua-nia.


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Overview

Reform efforts have mainly been initiatedon the regional, local and school levels.Vocational education comprises: basicvocational schools (3 years), secondarytechnical schools (4 to 5 years), second-ary schools of vocational education (4years “lycea”), technical “lycea” (4 years)and post-secondary vocational schools (2years).

The directions of educational changeswere defined in the “Strategy for Poland”.It characterised investment in human capi-tal, including education and science, ascentral to economic transformation andaccession to the EU. Measures concern-ing vocational training include the in-volvement of social partners in curricu-lum development and accreditationschemes at national and local level.

Responsible bodies

The Ministry of National Education,Department for Vocational Educationand Continuing Education, co-ordinatesand implements the overall policy. At therequest of sector ministries, it also deter-mines the classification of professions.The ministries co-operate in: frameworkteaching plans; curricula for training in agiven profession or a vocational profile;terms and conditions of endorsing cur-ricula; textbooks and inventories of suchcurricula; and recommending teachingaids and textbooks.

The Office for Educational Strategyoperates within the Ministry of NationalEducation structure. Its tasks include de-sign and co-ordination of long-term op-erations aimed at the restructuring and de-velopment of national education.

The Ministry of Labour and SocialPolicy manages the training and re-train-

ing of the unemployed as well as voca-tional guidance.

The following other ministries are re-sponsible for delivering training: Ministryof Labour and Social Policy; Ministry ofAgriculture and Food Industry; Ministryof Transportation and Maritime Economy;Ministry of Protection of Environment,Natural Resources and Forestry; Ministryof Culture and Art; Ministry of Health andSocial Security.


The state budget is the main source offunding. Vocational schools receive 22.5%of the total education budget, whilst 7.4%of the funds go to general secondaryschools. Additional funds come from lo-cal administration budgets, donations andspecial funds. The law on education al-lows schools to establish their own spe-cial budgets. The size of such budgetsdepends on the school management’sentrepreneurial talents and the school’sassets, such as premises that can be letout or facilities and staff to run trainingcourses for the public.

Regional labour offices are in charge ofadministering training schemes for the un-employed financed out of the LabourFund and based on the Law on Employ-ment and Counteracting Unemployment(1996).

Continuing training

Continuing training is the first segmentof vocational training to have appliedmarket principles. In 1996, there were4,936 establishments for continuing train-ing run by over 2,000 providers that of-fered training to over 1.65 million peo-ple. In 1996, 44,000 unemployed peopleparticipated in re-training courses, of

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whom 60% subsequently found jobs. Thescarcity of continuing training places inrelation to the demand has led the na-tional authorities to identify distancelearning as a priority for the future, par-ticularly in rural areas, as a means to in-crease access to continuing training.


Support, largely from the G24 countriesand organisations, includes the “Employ-ment promotion and services” project; aUS$ 8 million World Bank loan grantedto the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy,including US$ 9 million for an Adult Train-ing Component. Substantial bilateral sup-port has also come from the USA, Ger-many, France and the UK.

The EU through PHARE is by far the larg-est foreign contributor to education andtraining reforms with about 33 millionECUs for education and training pro-grammes.

National priorities

The government has set the following stra-tegic targets:

❏ developing a national framework ofqualification and curriculum standards, aswell as quality assurance and evaluationsystems;

❏ reducing training in basic vocationalschools and increasing training in full sec-ondary education, especially in rural andhighly industrialised areas;

❏ increasing the percentage of studentsamong the 20-24 age group to 33-35 %;

❏ diversifying and expanding post-sec-ondary training opportunities through theintroduction of professional post-second-ary institutions offering bachelor degrees;

❏ developing lifelong learning to provideopportunities for training and re-trainingfor all age groups;

❏ developing a vocational counsellingand guidance system both inside schoolsand in specialised institutions.


The European Training Foundation hassupported the establishment of a NationalObservatory in Poland (hosted in the TaskForce for Training and Human Resources(BKKK), 79 Koszykowa, 02 008 Warszawa).The National Observatory gathers andanalyses information on developments ofthe vocational training system and the la-bour market. On the basis of this informa-tion the National Observatory and theFoundation periodically produce countryreports on vocational training develop-ments in Poland.


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Overview

Romania has made steps towards themodernisation of its system. Neverthe-less, there is not yet a systematic, com-prehensive and coherent approach to thereform process. To date, the vocationaleducation and training system is charac-terised by a high degree of centralisa-tion, a weak school infrastructure (dueto under-investment for a long period),a lack of well trained administrative staffin the bodies responsible for vocationaleducation and training, a lack of welltrained teachers/trainers and an outdatedand narrow curricula in the majority ofschools. Limited financial resources areone of the major constraints for the con-tinuation of reforms.

Major challenges include developing a le-gal framework for vocational educationand training, institution building, and in-vesting in equipment and human resources

Responsible bodies

The Ministry of Education has the over-all responsibility for vocational educationand training within the formal educationsystem. It develops strategies and poli-cies, prepares legislation and managespublic education. It also approves cur-ricula, national assessment standards andthe school network.

The regional representatives of the Min-istry, the County School Inspectoratesensure the implementation of and com-pliance with the policies and decisionsof the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Pro-tection and its regional branches, theCounty Labour and Social ProtectionDirectorates, are responsible for the re-training and further training of the labourforce.


The education budget is 4% of GDP. In1995, the budget for vocational educationand training (provided within the frameof the formal education system) was 0.52%of GDP. The main source of financing isthe central budget. Local public adminis-trations also contribute to building, repair-ing and maintaining schools.

Continuing training of the unemployed isfinanced by the Ministry of Labour andSocial Protection out of the EmploymentFund, made up largely of employers’ con-tributions (5% of their overall gross pay-roll costs) and employees (1% of theirgross salaries). About 20% of the fund isused for continuing training of the unem-ployed. Budget subsidies also contributeto cover funding gaps.

Continuing training

Training activities are planned on the ba-sis of an annual national framework pro-gramme which brings together individualprogrammes developed by each county.Continuing training courses are organisedwithin County Training, Re-training andFurther Training Centres, schools or othertraining units. The new government hasplanned a rapid restructuring of theeconomy which is expected to increaseunemployment. Therefore, it also plan-ning to support training for the workerswho will become redundant and promotethe training of the employed in order toadapt their skills to the new requirementsof the economy.


PHARE has supported developments invocational education and training par-ticularly with a 25 million ECUs pro-gramme on vocational education and

Vocational education and trainingin Romania - Fact sheet


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training reform (1994-1997). The pro-gramme focuses on the national level andthe policy framework of curriculum de-velopment, assessment and standards,teachers for vocational education andtraining strategy reviews, etc. At schoollevel it supports implementation of newcurricula and teaching methods, devel-opment of new teaching and learningmaterials, specification of appropriateschool equipment for the new curricula,etc. A number of other programmes hadvocational training components, such asthe programme for Active EmploymentMeasures, the Repede programme onmanagement development, the LabourMarket in Romania programme, and thesmall and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) and Regional Development pro-gramme.

Within its programme on education re-form, the World Bank Project (includinga loan of US$ 50 million) has helped toestablish the Council for OccupationalStandards and Assessment. The WorldBank has also started a programme onEmployment and Social Protection (1996-2000) components of which concern thedevelopment of continuing training (witha loan of US$ 14.6 million, matched by aRomanian contribution of US$ 6.5 million)and career counselling for young peopleand adults (a loan of US$ 6 million)

A number of bilateral programmes havesupported the setting up of training cen-tres for the unemployed (Germany) andfor management and business develop-ment (the USA, the UN and the UK).

National priorities

The main priorities for the governmentare to :

❏ build a comprehensive legal and insti-tutional framework for vocational educa-tion and training;❏ decentralise the management of thesystem;❏ increase financial resources through aparticipatory financing system, which willpool funds from the central budget,budget of local authorities and other stateand private agents and set up a vocationaltraining fund;❏ develop an information system andmechanisms for optimising the demandand supply for vocational training at na-tional, regional and local level;❏ base the training system on vocationalstandards as benchmarks for quality.

Establishment of the National Ob-servatory

The European Training Foundation hassupported the establishment of a NationalObservatory in Romania (hosted in theInstitute for Educational Sciences (37,Stirbea Voda str., sector 1 Bucharest). TheNational Observatory gathers and analy-ses information on developments of thevocational training system and the labourmarket. On the basis of this informationthe National Observatory and the Foun-dation periodically produce country re-ports on vocational training developmentsin Romania.


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Vocational Education and Trainingin Slovenia - Fact sheet

Overview

Reforms combining EU practice andSlovenian traditions, are being introducedby legislation (Law on Vocational and Pro-fessional Education and Law on AdultEducation, 1996). The main reformsshould be fully implemented by the year2000. The principal aim is to enable eve-ryone, even those with weaker learningabilities, to acquire at least basic voca-tional education. Reforms also improvethe links between the school system andthe employment system and aim to facili-tate the transition from education to work.

Responsible bodies

The Ministry of Education and Sporthas responsibility for the school systemand is the main policy-making body withbudgetary responsibility and control.Some 14 school boards (administrative re-gions) are to be established as part of thisMinistry.

The Ministry of Labour, Family andSocial Affairs has the responsibility ofpreparing a list of occupations/occupa-tional groups, the level of their require-ments and the main tasks performedwithin each of them. The list will be basedon proposals and suggestions from theemployers.


Vocational education and training is cur-rently financed out of the state budget.The Ministry of Education and Sport re-ceives the funds and allocates the moneyto schools. From all public funds for edu-cation in 1995 (5.85% of GDP), 11.3 %went to secondary level vocational andprofessional education for young people.With the reform of the vocational train-ing system and the introduction of thedual-system, the employers will contrib-

ute to its financing. The state budgetfunds for continuing training are mainlyallocated by the Ministry of Labour, Fam-ily and Social Affairs (some programmesfor adults are co-financed by the Minis-try of Education and Sport). In the craftsector a fund has been established tosupport workers training. According tothe collective agreement the craftsmenare obliged to pay 1% of gross wagesinto this fund.

Continuing training

The Employment Law (1990) guaranteesemployees the right to continuing train-ing and education. Innovative trainingactions are being targeted at disadvan-taged persons and regions. For the former,“job club” initiatives are training long-termunemployed in job application skills. Apilot Training Development Fund is be-ing developed in Slovenia’s region ofhighest unemployment (Maribor). Thiswill give incentives to training providersin the region to develop new flexibletraining programmes for skills in demand.

The certification system will be a majorinnovation in continuing training. It willbe flexible and based on nationallyadopted standards of knowledge andcompetence. The certificates will be na-tionally recognised.


At present there are around 25 bilateralagreements between Slovenia and othercountries and international organisationsfor co-operation in the spheres of educa-tion, culture and science.

PHARE programmes are making a majorcontribution (3 million ECUs on vocationaltraining reform from 1995 to 1997, 14.79million ECUs from Tempus from 1992 to


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1996) to the vocational training reformson all of the key issues: higher educa-tion; apprenticeship system; curriculamodernisation; certification; non-univer-sity higher vocational training; dissemi-nation; social partner involvement; voca-tional counselling and guidance; etc. TheMinistry of Education is using the PHAREvocational training programme to stimu-late the reform from basic vocational edu-cation at secondary level to the highernon-university professional level. To thisend it implements projects for curriculumdevelopment, teacher training, policy de-velopment and establishment of newstructures. In 1997, adult training reformis also being promoted through this pro-gramme.

National priorities

The main priorities for the Governmentare:

❏ further development of post-secondarycolleges;

❏ the introduction of the dual-system;

❏ encouraging (and strengthening) socialpartnership with chambers and trade un-ions and transferring part of the respon-sibilities (and financing) for the vocationaltraining system, especially to employers;

❏ curricula modernisation for all typesand levels of training;

❏ development of master craftsmancourses;

❏ development of a certificate system forcontinuing training based on standards(the regulation for this certificate systemis under preparation as well as the list ofoccupations concerned, including quali-fication requirements for each occupa-tion);

❏ encouraging decentralisation of voca-tional training policy and strengtheningregional economic development in linewith overall policy priorities.


The European Training Foundation hassupported the establishment of a NationalObservatory in Slovenia (hosted in theCentre for Vocational Education, Kavci-ceva 66, Ljubljana). The National Observa-tory gathers and analyses information ondevelopments of the vocational trainingsystem and the labour market. On thebasis of this information the National Ob-servatory and the Foundation periodicallyproduce country reports on vocationaltraining developments in Slovenia.


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Bulgaria

110,993 km2

8.34 million75.1 per km2

67.8

-5.0

9.9

4209

-10.9% (1996)

123 (1996)

13.7% (1996)

37.7

under 24: 22.7(march 1997)

57.2

4.0

4.9

1.7

higher education:5.1secondary levelcertificate: 8.7primary, or lowersecondary leveleducation: 12.8

1993

yes

the CzechRepublic

78,864 km2

10.3 million131 per km2

74.7

-0.1

94.0

9,410

+4.0 (1996)

8.8 (1996)

3.4 (1996)

6.1 (1996)

13.0 (1996)

84.3 (1995 - agegroup 14-19)

8.7

5.9

1.3

university gradu-ates: 0.7 (1996)full secondaryeducation gradu-ates: 1.3 (1996)primary and lowersecondary educa-tion: 9.4 (1996)

1993

yes

Estonia

45,227 km2

1,462,130 (1997)32.3 per km2

69.8

-1.0

5.9

3,920

+4.0 (1996)

23.0 (1996)

10.2 (fourth quar-ter 1997)

11.8 (1994)

23.6

25.9

14.0

5.3

1.2

higher education:13.2secondary levelcertificate: 18.4primary, or lower,level education:10.6

1995

yes

Hungary

93,033 km2

10.2 million110 per km2

62.6

-0.03

33.4

3,343

+1.0 (1996)

23.6 (1996)

9.2 (1996)

15.7

27.7 (1996)

73.0

N/A

7.8 (1996)

N/A

university degreeholders: 3.2acquired second-ary level certifi-cate: 11primary, or lower,level education:7.5

1994

yes

Lithuania

65,200 km2

3.7 million56.9 per km2

65.0

-1.1

14.0

4,100

+3.6 (1996)

24.6 (1996)

7.3 (1996)

5.1 (1996)

42.0(16-29 year olds)

36.7

8.4 (1995/96)

5.7

0.7


1995

yes

Area

Population/Population density

% urban population

% population growth

GDP in billions of ECU

GDP per capita in purchasingpower parity (ECU)

% GDP increase/decrease

% annual inflation

% unemployment(ILO methodology)

Young unemployed %(age group under 25)

% young unemployedof all unemployed(age group under 25)

Participants of initial vocationaleducation and training as % of allstudents of secondary education

Drop-out rate as % of initial voca-tional education and training stu-dents

Education budget as % of GDP

Vocational education and trainingbudget as % of GDP

Unemployment rate %by educational attainment

Signed the Europe Agreementwith the European Union in

Candidate for EU membership.

Notes: Data refers to 1995 if not indicated. Data on Slovakia is not available.

Key indicators on Central and EasternEuropean countries


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Romania

237,500 km2

22.6 million (1996)123 per km2

54.4 (1992)

0.2

93.0

4,100

+4.1 (1996)

38.8 (1996)

8.0

20.6

N/A

68.5

N/A

4.0

0.5

university degreeholders 2.7secondary levelcertificate 8.5primary, or lower,level education 5

1993

yes

Area

Population/Population density

% urban population

% population growth

GDP in billions of ECU

GDP per capita in purchasingpower parity (ECU)

% GDP increase/decrease

% annual inflation

% unemployment(ILO methodology)

Young unemployed %(age group under 25)

% young unemployedof all unemployed(age group under 25)

Participants of initial vocationaleducation and training as % of allstudents of secondary education

Drop-out rate as % of initial voca-tional education and training stu-dents

Education budget as % of GDP

Vocational education and trainingbudget as % of GDP

Unemployment rate %by educational attainment

Signed the Europe Agreementwith the European Union in

Candidate for EU membership.

Latvia

64,589 km2

2,479,900 Million38.4 per km2

68.9 (1996)

-1.1 (1996)

3.4

3,159

2.5 (1996)

17.6 (1996)

18.3 (1996)

age 15-19: 14.2;age 20-24: 21.8;

25.6

50.9

13.0

5.2

0.6

highereducation: 2.46secondaryeducation: 7.04primaryeducation: 10.92

1995

yes

Poland

312,690 km2

38,609,000119 per km2

61.8

1.97 (1994)

90.2

2,359

+6.0 (1996)

19.9 (1996)

12.4 (1996)

28.7 (1996)

N/A

78.0

13.0

6.2 (1994)

0.7

N/A

1991

yes

Slovenia

20,250 km2

2 million (1996)98 per km2

50.1

between 0 and 1

14.2

7,236

+4.0 (forecast for1997)

9.7 (1996)

7.3 (1996)

18.8 (1996)

7.3

77.6

20.0

5.85

0.6


1996

yes


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Sources: European Commission, UN, World Bank, OECD

GDP per capita as % of EU average

Latvia

Estonia

Lithuania

Poland

HungarySlovakia

Romania

Bulgaria

8%

5%

14%

20%

14%

19%

7%

7%

42%

11%

Czech. Rep.

Slovenia

Documents

Vocational education and training in Bulgaria - Fact …...PMU-Education, ul. Graf Ignatiev 15, So-fia). The National Observatory gathers and analyses infor mation on developments