VYTAUTAS MAGNUS UNIVERSITY Centre for Vocational Education and Reserach

VYTAUTAS MAGNUS UNIVERSITY

Centre for Vocational Education and Reserach

THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING SYSTEM IN LITHUANIA

Vidmantas Tūtlys

12 November, Kaunas 2007

VDU PRSC, T. Sabaliauskas, 2002

Reform of VET System

The 1st stage (1988-1992) A new vision of VET was created, VET policy and

strategy were formulated and international cooperation was developed. Organizational restructuring of the vocational schools.

The 2nd stage (1993-1996) It is a stage of decentralization. The renewal of

teaching and learning curriculum, development of social partnership, etc.

The 3rd stage of the reform started in 1997 Main goal - to achieve a level of VET in Lithuania

that would correspond to international standards; to assess the quality of study programmes; to work out teaching/study standards.


Documents regulating Education

in Lithuania

1991 – Law of Education 1992- The General Concept of Education in

Lithuania 1997- Law of VET 1998 – White paper of Vocational Education and

Training 2000 – Law of Higher Education 2007 – Ammendment of the Law of VET

introducing the national Qualifications System of Lithuania

Other: Classification of levels of Vocational Education, the Structure of the National Vocational Standard, Law of Special Education, Law of Non-formal adult Education

On-comming legal regultions: in 2008 Law of Qualifications for the legal approval of the National Qualifications System and NQF


VET Administration structure

Ministry of Education and Science (SMM) is responsible for the development of a general policy and strategy of VET (http://www.smm.lt)

Ministry Social Care and Work (SADM) is responsible for labour market vocational training (http://www.ldrmt.lt)

The Methodological Centre for VET guarantees didactical provision of VET and develops vocational education and training standards (http://www.pmmc.lt)

Lithuanian Labour Market Training Authority (LDRMT) implements the policy of labour market vocational training and counseling, expertise and coordination functions through regional authorities and training centres (http://www.ldrmt.lt)

Centre for Vocational Education and Research at Vytautas Magnus University (VDU PRSC) is an institution that performs VET research (http://www.vdu.lt/prsc)


Vocational Education and Training

Vocational schools Colleges Professional colleges

PRIMARY SCHOOL

1

2

3

4

BASIC SCHOOL

5

6

7

8

9

10

8

9

10

11

12

1314

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

VOCATIONAL SCHOOLSGENERAL SECONDARY EDUCATION SCHOOL

GYMNASIUM SECONDARY SCHOOL

1 STAGE

2 STAGE 3

4 STAGE

PROFESSIONAL COLLEGES

COLLEGES

UNIVERSITIES

PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION

LEGENDTOWARDS LABOUR MARKET MATURITY CERTIFICATE MAJOR ROUTE OPTIONAL/POSSIBLE ROUTE

TECHNOLOGICAL GYMNASIUM

HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS


Vocational schoolsTeaching programmes

I stage vocational training For children under 14 years of age. Duration - 2-3 years.

Opportunities are created for those who desire to acquire basic education and obtain a vocational qualification. First stage curricula lead to a Level 2 vocational qualification (ISCED 2)

II stage vocational training For basic school leavers who wish to obtain vocational

qualification. Duration - 2 years. This curricula lead to a Level 3 qualification (ISCED 3)

III stage vocational training For young people from the age of 16 who have already acquired

a basic education. It provides an opportunity to obtain both professional qualification and a secondary school education. Duration - 3 years . Vocational qualification correspond to a Level 3 qualification (ISCED 3)

IV stage vocational training For secondary school or gymnasium leavers who wish to obtain

a vocational qualification. Duration - 1 - 2 years. The studies lead to Level 4 qualification (ISCED 4)


92%

8% 0%

Budget of state

Resources earned by school

Charity, national ir international donors

VET financing


Creation of the National Qualifications System of Lithuania

On 7 March 2005, the Lithuanian Labour Market Training Authority commenced the implementation of a national level project “Creation of the National Qualifications System” as financed by the European Social Fund of the European Union.

The principal aim of this project is to create a uniform and transparent qualifications system which would cover all levels of qualifications, secure transition between the levels, ensure the variety of ways of acquiring a qualification, and provides a possibility to flexibly respond to the requirements of the changing environment.


What is the contents of the national qualifcations system ?

The NQS is composed of the following sub-systems:

1. National framework of qualifications

2. Processes: - designing of qualifications;

- supply / acquisition of qualifications;

- evaluation and recognition of qualifications;

- management and quality assurance of the NQS.


What are the basic principles of the NQS ?

- Relations between the system of activities and system of education.

- Consideration of the education system of Lithuania : its structure, development, experience, traditions, development trends.

- Methodological validity. There is established the unified theoretical understanding of the qualifications and qualifications framework. The concepts of qualifications and framework of qualifications match the European Qualifications Framework.

- Social partnership. - Transparency and comprehensibility of qualifications. - Compatibility of the processes and measures

composing the NQS.

QUALIFICATIONS QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKFRAMEWORK

8 levels8 levels

ASSESSMENT / RECOGNITION

OF QUALIFICATIONS

MANAGEMENT OF NQSDESIGNING OF

QUALIFICATIONS

ACQUISITION OF QUALIFICATIONS

ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE LEGAL BASIS

QUALIFICATIONS SERVICE

BOARD OF QUALIFICATIONS

RESEARCH OF ACTIVITIES

STANDARD SETTING INSTITUTIONS

NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL

STANDARDS AND QUALIFICATIONS

ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS

ASSESSMENT METHODS

ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION INSTITUTIONS

CURRICULA OF FORMAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (VET, HIGHER EDUCATION)

INFORMAL AND EXPERIENTAL LEARNING

QUALIFICATIONS PROVISION INSTITUTIONS

National qualifications system


Role of the NQF in the processes of the System - Designing of qualifications

TASKS OF ACTIVITIES

Definition of the qualification units – groups of competences needed for the execution of the

tasks of activities.

Competences (functional, cognitive, general) constituting the qualification unit and defined by the research of activities.

Designing of competences

and qualifications

SYSTEM OF ACTIVITIES

Attribution of the newly designed competences and qualifications to the levels of qualifications in the NQF

National Qualifications Framework


Role of the NQF in the processes of the System - Provision of qualifications

AIMS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Provided knowledge

Provided functional

skills

Provided key skills

Acquired (achieved) learning outcomes – knowledge, skills and key skills.

SYSTEMS OF VET AND HE

Provision of the learning outcomes

leading to the competences

and qualifications

Ensures continuinty in the transition of learners from the IVET to HE and from the IVET to CVT.



Role of the NQF in the processes of the System – Evaluation and Recognition of

qualifications

Evaluation and the learning outcomes

Recogntion of acquired competencies and

qualifications

SYSTEM OF ACTIVITIES

Evaluation and recognition of competencies

and qualifications

Information for the evaluation of the learning outcomes, provision of the criteria for evaluation



Challenges of the implementation of the integrated NQS and NQF –

System of Education

Integration of the higher education qualifications (especially provided by the universities) in the common framework.

Institutional improvement of the transition pathways from the IVET to higher education and from the IVET to CVET.