Presenting: Kosovo Pedagogical Institute research team GIZ researcher ETF Manager for Kosovo

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PresentingKosovo Pedagogical Institute research
teamGIZ researcherETF Manager for Kosovo

• Torino Process Review - an evidence- analysis of
  VET policies in Kosovo
• Process, Methodology and Preliminary findings on
  VET developments

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Torino Process

• The Torino Process is
• a participatory process
• leading to an evidence-based analysis of VET
  policies in a given country.

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Purpose

• To build consensus on ways forward in VET policy
  and system development. This includes
• determining the state of the art and vision for
  VET development in the country
• and
• an assessment of whether countries are achieving
  the results they want

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Purpose

• Country actors develop common understanding of
  VET vision, priorities and strategy
• Home-grown and affordable VET policies are
  designed and evaluated, based on
  evidence/knowledge and collaboration
• Analysis and achievements are updated at regular
  intervals
• Opportunities for policy learning within and
  among partner countries and with EU
• Policy priorities inform ETFs support strategy
  and recommendations to the European Unions
  external assistance
• Countries are better able to coordinate donor
  contributions.

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Four Principles

• Ownership by partner country stakeholders
• Broad participation as basis for reflections and
  consensus-building/policy learning
• Holistic approach, VET for both young people
  adults and links to economic social demands
• Evidence or knowledge-based assessment

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Analytical Framework

• Slight adjustment from 2010 - among others
• Definitions of external efficiency, and internal
  quality and efficiency
• Entrepreneurial learning included under VET and
  economic competitiveness
• New section on Governance, including financing
• More emphasis on adult training

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ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK key questions

• Policy vision What is the vision for VET
  development and does that comply with the broader
  socio-economic development objectives?
• VET in relation to economic competitiveness Do
  skills offered by VET system match those required
  by the labour market econ. development?
• VET in relation to social demand and social
  inclusion Do institutions, as well as programmes
  and skills offered by VET system match
  aspirations of individual learners, as well as
  the needs of vulnerable groups?
• Internal quality efficiency Which further
  reforms are necessary to modernise the various
  building blocks of the VET system?
• Governance and financing Are budgets, the
  management of the system, as well as
  institutional capacities adequate to bring about
  the desired changes in the VET system?

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Process and Methodology
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Organizing the Torino Process Review

• Contact institution for liaison with ETF and
  Kosovo institutions (MEST, KPI and relevant
  partners) nominated GIZ
• Implementation modality selected by country
  representatives at the launching of the Torino
  Process Review 2012 (November, 2011)
  self-assessment
• Self-assessment modality Kosovo MEST and
  partners coordinated by GIZ collects relevant
  research, including data, organizing the
  consultation process, drafting and validating the
  final report, with the ETF providing support to
  ensure the quality of the final report.
• Kosovo Pedagogical Institute and a research team
  comprised of 6 members, appointed for the main
  research work

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Analytical Framework and scheme of report
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Process

• Launching of the Torino Process Review 2012
  November, 2011. Results from the four working
  groups from the consultation workshop
  proceedings.
• Capacity development, mentoring an couching for
  Gathering the Evidence for Assessing VET systems
  in Western Balkans and Turkey Representatives
  from MEST, MLSW, SAK, NQA, GIZ, KPI in regional
  and EU networks throughout 2011 and 2012

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Process

• Regular meetings and consultation process between
  GIZ researcher and KPI research team
• Regular workshops (GIZ KPI research team) with
  the aim of tracking continuously the new
  findings, data missing and gaps that need to be
  filled.
• Further support has been continuously provided
  Kosovo coordinator to liaise with ETF Kosovo
  manager ? ETF Statistics Team.

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Indicators ETF Manual

• A practical guide on how to use indicators in a
  national policy-making context (in three
  languages).
• What constitutes an indicator and what a
  prerequisite for a successful information system
• Examples from the EU to the global level of
  indicators on education for all and governance
• International classifications for international
  comparisons (for e.g. PISA)
• Focus on TP analytical framework for analysing
  VET systems.

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STATISTICAL DATA

• (Internationally) available indicators gathered
  centrally by ETF Statistics Team
• Kosovo research team (KPI and GIZ, with the
  support of MEST, MLSW and SAK) complemented these
  with its own national data.
• Desired data specified in Analytical Framework,
  plus Guidelines on Quantitative Indicators
  (definitions, sources).

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Gathering data and searching for evidences

• Available indicators found in different
  statistics sources/institutions (SAK, MLSW, MEST,
  etc.)
• Data gathered by the research team of TP (KPI,
  GIZ, ETF) following the ETF Manual on the use of
  quantitative indicators
• Reference to national and international mid-term,
  annual, biannual reports and policy papers
  issued by governmental, non-governmental and
  supra-national organizations
• Participation in JAR (working groups), draft VET
  Law and Adult Law revision, donor coordination
  meetings, sub-sector working groups, VET related
  workshops and other meetings.
• Interview with a number of representatives from
  stakeholder groups (getting complementary
  information in light of missing published
  reports)

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Gathering data and searching for evidence

• In-depth literature review
• Analysis into strategies, laws, communications,
  etc.
• Analysis of occupations/skills needed on the
  labour market (compared to VET programmes on
  offer).
• Observations at VET related events/fairs
  (Practice Firms exhibition, etc.)
• Direct request for missing published data and
  information to relevant source providers
  (external impact evaluation reports, annual
  progress reports issued by donor organizations,
  etc.) through standard formulars prepared by the
  research team or only direct specific questions

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PRELIMINARY FINDINGS
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1. Vision for VET development 2. VET vision and
sustainable development3. Priorities
translating VET vision into policy measures and
actions
Vision for VET system development

• Socio-demographic factors and trends
• Main economic changes
• Labour market trends and (un)employment
  challenges
• How is the VET system addressing them?

External efficiency economic
External efficiency social

1. Main social challenges (vulnerable learners,
   communities, other groups education and labour
   market opportunities and challenges)
2. How is VET addressing them?

Internal efficiency and quality

1. How is quality defined at provider level
2. Strengths and weaknesses in quality and internal
   efficiency
3. What are the main priorities and further policy
   actions

Governance and financing

1. Management (decentralisation) of the VET system
2. Quality assurance mechanisms
3. Social partner involvement and investments in the
   VET system
4. What are the main priorities for improving
   governancefinancing

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Vision and state of the art in VET sector
2011-2016 strategy long term

• Objective develop sustainable links between
  VET and global social and economic developments.
  
• Key targets
• 1. Students professional practice in VET is to
  be carried out in close cooperation with
  enterprises
• 2. By 2015 vocational schools must have financial
  and operational autonomy
• 3. Centres of Competence must become an integral
  part of the national VET system
• 4. Professional profiles offered by VET
  institutions must become relevant for the labour
  market
• 5. There must be a comprehensive and functioning
  evaluation system in VET
• 6. VET curricula must be in line with the needs
  of the labour market and meet international
  standards
• 7. There must be an increased mobility and
  employability of the graduates from VET both in
  the local and foreign market
• 8. A functional national qualifications system
  and procedures for equivalence and accreditation
  must be in place.

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Short-term priorities JAR 2012

• Priorities set in a participatory process by the
  majority of VET stakeholders (JAR,2012)
  encompassing a one year period
• Improve professional practice in VET schools
  Students professional practice is organized in
  close cooperation with enterprises.
• Develop VET curricula and teaching and learning
  materials VET curricula are in line with labour
  market needs and international standards.
• Strengthen links between VET and the labour
  market Professional profiles offered by VET
  institutions are relevant for the labour market
  and human resource development of Kosovo.

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Vision for VET system development

• ACHIEVEMENTS
• Reforms movements continuous reforms movements
  in quality assurance (validation and
  accreditation of programmes), implementation of
  standards, curricula, assessment and
  certification and qualifications in line with
  National Qualifications Framework.
• Emergence of new system systemic and permanent
  institutional arrangements are in place and
  revision of existing legislation in cooperation
  with social partners and other VET stakeholders
  (re-functioning of CVET and development of AVET
  articulated in the VET draft Law and in the
  process of review) (VET Draft Law and Review of
  CVET AVET)
• Good examples for education and training teacher
  training, quality assurance and curriculum
  development principles.

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CHALLENGES

• The coherence of strategies and legal framework
  (isolated sectorial strategies and laws)
• Dissemination of evidences
• Policy decision based on partnership
• The system is still faced with pilot phase
  projects and without consolidated policy learning
  and systemic impact assessment
• Evidence-based policy making process is not yet a
  sector-wide approach
• Little ownership in national led policy
  discussions, mainly donor-driven and external
  expertise (international and local input)
• There is a considerable risk for lack of
  embeddedness of VET reform elements in existing
  national traditions, preferences, structures and
  practices.
• The VET Division is still facing understaffing
  and lack of capacity to handle all the ambitious
  goals set forth

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In general, short-term priorities for VET have
been set by line ministries, social partners and
other stakeholders (JAR, 2012)

• The question is
• HOW will these priorities be translated into
  specific policy measures and actions?
• Short term, mid-term, long-term

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External efficiency economic

• Socio-demographic factors and trends
• The population growth is at fairly constant rate
  (0.6)
• The waned conditions in the external labour
  market are reported to have had an impact in
  Kosovos labour market - declines in remittances
  observed (MEF, 2010)
• Informal economy continues to range from 35- 50
  of GDP (MEF, 2010)
• The main economic sector in Kosovo comprises of
  services (with a share of GDP of 68 in 2010)
  followed by industry (20 in 2010) and
  agriculture (12 in 2010)
• The highest share of employed persons works in
  services (71 in 2009). One in four employed
  works in industry and only 6 works in
  agriculture.

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Labour market

• Kosovo has not undertaken an LFS since 2009 but
  data from administrative sources are available
  (MLSW, 2012).
• Even though recent data are not available,
  indications are that youth unemployment might be
  even higher (World Bank, 201226).
• In general, Kosovo managed to reduce unemployment
  somewhat but from the very high levels (World
  Bank, 201224). It is still estimated as the
  highest in Europe (47,5, LFS, 2009 and 35-39 ,
  MLSW)
• The highest share of employed persons works in
  services (71 in 2009). One in four employed
  works in industry and only 6 works in
  agriculture
• Job market is invaded with an average of 30,000
  young jobseekers every year (MLSW, 201229), and
  little opportunities - 3000-4000 new jobs per
  year(USAID, 20096 )- are at their disposal
  (UNKT, 2012). 

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Skills offered by VET system vs. those required
by the labour market

• Employers studies based on a number of VET
  profiles under the reformed curricula (GTZ, 2009
  GIZ2012) requires more occupational competences
  (discipline specific) but VET offers more
  theoretical oriented.
• The demand for a certain group of qualifications
  and open vacancies (Construction related and
  agriculture related) (that are offered by VET
  providers) is increasing as reported by employers
  alliance(AKB,2012). However, there is little
  evidence whether VET offers are being guided by
  these demands (no data on VET learners labour
  market whereabouts for e.g. tracer studies).

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Skills offered by VET system vs. those required
by the labour market

• A number of innovative practices are contributing
  to improvement of VET learners entrepreneurial
  attitudes and skills (such as Practice Firms,
  CoCs).
• However, there is a considerable percentage of
  vocational
• schools students (18) that do not engage in any
  professional practice that could offer them
  entrepreneurial based learning or similar(as
  based on a small sampled research, KPI, 2012
  unpublished work).

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Main challenges at stake

• Kosovos VET system faces fundamental problems in
  guiding policies and reforms based on the labour
  market demands.
• Regular research is limited and a big picture
  cannot be offered by little pieces of
  information.
• Despite some NGOs, research institutes and
  business alliance to provide data about the
  employers feedback, satisfaction and further
  demands for competences, a VET oriented and
  occupational wide-covering research system is not
  yet in place.
• The research capacity, particularly that of
  universities and research institutes in the
  country remains very weak (EC, 201130).

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The question remains
The lack of a mechanism to track down the
employability of VET graduates is acknowledged in
the strategic and policy level (KESP 2011-2016)

• What are the main priorities for improving
  external economic efficiency in the VET system?
  Who will undertake the responsibility of the
  abour market and graduates research?

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External efficiency social

• A decrease of 10.21 percent in enrolment rates in
  adult education (MEST, 2012)is observed in the
  school year 2011/2012 as opposed to the period
  encompassing 2004-2008.
• The ALMPs have reached out only to 9 of the
  minority groups and 9 of persons with
  disabilities (UNDP,2011).
• The majority of Kosovars aged 15 (53) have not
  completed upper secondary education (40.6 of men
  and 65.4 of women) (2009).
• The employment rate is lower for 15-24 age group
  with only 10.7 to 3.7 for males and females
  (SOK, 2009).
• The majority of unemployed continue to be long
  term unemployed (12 ). There is continuous
  correlation between the unemployed and the
  (lower) educational attainment

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External efficiency social

• More specifically, the inclusion of women in VET
  proves to
• be of high concern not only in terms of access
  but also in
• the disproportional representation amongst
  certain biased
• profiles offered in the schools (Kastrati,
  201014)
• Women from the Roma Ashkali Egyptian communities
  are represented only with 25.05 in VET, whereas
  women from other communities make around 50 in
  this sub-sector.
• Two-thirds of inactive men and 80 of inactive
  women have less than upper secondary education
  (SOK,2009, LFS).
• Women representation in the labour market remains
  still very low 28,7 and less than half of those
  employed (12)work under a permanent full-time
  contract.

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External efficiency social

• Data from the MEST (2010-2011) indicate a slight
  decrease in enrollment rates in general
  upper-secondary education (2.21). The enrollment
  rate in vocational schools is estimated 54.85,
  marking a decrease of 3.33.
• In addition, the drop-out rate of vocational
  school students persists to be high. By the end,
  of school year 2009/2010, the percentage of
  students that dropped out of the entire
  upper-secondary education was 2.98, whereby
  81.12 of them were of the vocational track
  (MEST, EMIS, 2012).
• Another report indicates that RAE communities has
  the highest drop-out tendencies, with even higher
  rates observed in RAE girls (RIINVEST, 2009).

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External efficiency social

• Ethnic minorities also suffer from even higher
  unemployment and economic inactivity than the
  population in general. 25 of RAE adults have
  some sort of permanent or temporary job (not
  including informal activities) and 45 of adult
  men are seeking a job (KFOS/COMPASS, 2009)
• VET for students with disabilities (intellectual
  impairments, blindness, speaking or hearing
  impairment) is organized around five Resource
  Centers.
• Altogether 143 students have been involved in the
  school year 2011/2012 (Resource Centers, 2012)
  marking a 12 increase in enrollment as compared
  to the previous year (98 in 2010/2011, MEST-SMIA,
  2011/2012). Encouraging results are noticed in
  the 10th grade of vocational education, with a
  42 enrollment rate of this group (Resources
  Centers, 2012).

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External efficiency social

• Some progress is observed in the increased
  enrollment rates of students with disabilities
  but also the attempts to involve the minorities
  in the system by providing curricula in all
  minority languages and teacher training for
  minority staff.
• Other efforts to target the ethnic, gender and
  disability components can be observed in both
  system level and project level.

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External efficiency social

• However, Those unfortunate enough to have missed
  out on education opportunities struggle to access
  catch-up or vocational training schemes
  particularly rural women, among the poorest of
  the poor (UNDP,20125)
• Currently, vocational training programmes do not
  seem to meet the needs of those most excluded
  from the workforce the illiterate, the poor and
  highly dependent women (UNDP,201293).
• Despite clear needs, catch-up learning course,
  vocational training and positive-discrimination
  hiring policies are not yet e?ectively targeting
  excluded women in Kosovo(UNDP, 201275).
• Pro-active measures to encourage enrolment and
  retention RAE communities children need to be
  implemented (European Commission Progress
  report, 2011).

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The question remains
External efficiency social

• What (further) policy initiatives or actions are
  foreseen for addressing the needs of individual
  learners (including those from vulnerable
  groups), and how will these policies and actions
  be implemented at national-regioanl level?

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Internal efficiency quality

• Kosovo KESP 2011-2016
• quality is the key objective in VET and is
  addressed
• through a number of features
• improvement of approach,
• quality and relevance of VET and
• improvement of coordination
• and its relevance with the labour market,
• the strengthening of management and institutional
  capacity and
• the broadening of financial base for a
  sustainable development of the strategic plan
  (KESP, 2010).

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Internal efficiency quality

• In spite of all positive intentions and
  objectives for the initial and continuing VET
  quality and internal efficiency, general
  observations stated in KESP and JAR (2012)
  indicate considerable challenges.

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Internal efficiency quality

• Based on estimated figures for the general
  upper-secondary education (without disaggregated
  data for VET) on teacher-student ratio, a similar
  ratio has remained in the school year 2011/2012
  as compared to that of 2010/2011.
• Large number of students for every one teacher
  (19.61).
• Considering this quality indicators and given
  that a professional practice for vocational
  tracks requires a ratio of 6-81 it can be
  implied that the internal efficiency of
  professional practice comprises a big challenge
  in VET
• However, these estimations are rather roughly
  carried out and the issue of internal efficiency
  of VET needs further analysis

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Internal efficiency overall performance

• Kosovos overall performance can be implied based
  on national assessments, as there are no
  functional international assessments in place,
  such as PISA, PIRLS, TIMSS, etc
• A negotiation phase between the MEST and the
  World Bank in supporting Kosovos education
  system enter PISA assessment is underway.

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Internal efficiency overall performance

• Results from the State Matura exam indicate low
  completion and achievement rates of the VET
  sub-sector students
• vocational education I 32.7
• vocational education II 12.10 and
• vocational education III 37.0.
• attainment rate in native language is 45,
• whereas in maths 37 (MEST, 2011).
• Results demonstrate that the Matura exam
  comprises of
• more general subject-oriented. Therefore it is
  penalizing vocational schools students.

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Internal efficiency overall performance

• Policy initiative to reform the existing Matura
  exam the Matura exam of the school year
  2011/2012 will consist of 5 types of exams for
  vocational schools (I-5), as opposed to the
  current existing delivered in 3 types only
  (I-III) (MEST, State Matura, 2012).
• The main question remains what do these reformed
  types of exams for vocational schools consist of?

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Internal efficiency strengths

• The NQF makes an important building block in the
  reform of Kosovos education and training system.
  
• In response, the National Qualifications
  Authority has undertaken rapid actions towards
  the accreditation of VET programmes
• Upon the launching of the first accreditation
  phase, a number of VET programmes have been
  accredited but under the condition of fulfilling
  a certain group of unmet criteria within a year.
• Stronger support is needed for the NQAs
  institutional capacity to lead the developments
  of Kosovos NQF (EC Progress Report, 2011).

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Internal efficiency strengths

• Previous Torino Process Reports (2010) concern
  lack of VET capacity to handle the validation and
  accreditation process
• In response the NQA has began with the first
  activities(workshops and trainings) delivered to
  vocational schools representatives (through
  external experts) with knowledge and information
  about the self-evaluation report and the entire
  accreditation process in forms of training and
  capacity building

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Internal efficiency weaknesses

• Observation process of curricula reform that
  started in 2009/2010 is being developed at a very
  slow pace
• MEST has meanwhile approved the National
  Curricula Framework in 2011 and is further
  designing the Core Curricula for certain
  education levels.
• To date only the learning outcomes  for general
  upper-secondary education have been designed and
  nothing is available for the vocational education
  and training, yet .
• This delay indicates the low attention that the
  government is paying to the implementation of
  curricula for VET, which shows no progress as
  compared to the Torino Process report of 2010

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Internal efficiency weaknesses

• The study shows that only 22 of teacher
  respondents claimed that they have adequate text
  books for relevant subjects covering both theory
  and practice (KPI, 2011 manuscript based on a
  small sample)
• the rest of them combine the information of the
  existing text books with those from other
  literature available from the university
  (adjusting it to the students needs), internet
  and other external sources (KPI, 2012 Manuscript,
  though based on a small sample).
• What does this imply? A weakness or a strength?
• Developments in reforming training curricula
  require that teacher training be adjusted to
  these changes,
• referring to the catalogue of accredited programs
  for teachersprofessional development it is shown
  that
• only 6 programmes have been accredited and they
  all have been designed prior to the process of
  curricula reform(MEST, 2011 Catalouge of
  accredited programmes for teachers and managers
  professional development)

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Internal efficiency weaknesses

• There is a high portion of students (18) that do
  not go through any professional practice (IPK,
  2011) (due to the lack of mechanisms for building
  relationships between vocational schools and
  enterprises)
• Apart from the internship scheme (as part of the
  ALMPs targeting vocational schools students)
  which provides some financial support to both
  student and hosting companies, there is no other
  evidence on mechanisms and/or incentives provided
  to enterprises for offering professional practice
  for VET students
• The establishment of centres of competences,
  equipment of schools with workshops and the
  financial support for practice firms offered by
  the MEST and donors demonstrate some progress but
  rather based on activities. However, very
  fundamental challenges are reported.

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Based on the above, the main question is

• Are there major priorities that are not being
  adequately addressed by current policies or
  actions?

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Governance including financing

• Governance within MEST, VET Division (still
  understaffed)
• Other line Ministries
• Limited national VET research capacities.
• Institutional re-arrangements CVET
  re-functioning and proposal for the establishment
  of AVET (and their determined roles and
  responsibilities with the new draft Law on VET
  and AET)
• Social partners
• NQA (which recently joined observatory membership
  in European Quality Assurance Reference Framework
  (EQAVET) (to promote and monitor continuous
  improvement of national systems (VET).

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Governance including financing

• Financing of VET remains one of the key
  challenges for MEST and other institutions
• Arrangement for Joint Funding, whereby a Pooled
  Fund would be set up to channel donor funds
  directly through the government system
• Despite the high level importance given to the
  VET and all the ambitious goals set forth (short,
  medium and long-term) there is stil no separate
  budget line determined for this sub-sector
  (Budget of the Republic of Kosovo, 2010, 2011and
  2012).

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Governance including financing

• Data from the same source 21 of the
  governmental grant for educaiton in
  municipalities of Kosovo has been distributed for
  the upper secondary education but with no
  specific implications for VET
• Developments partners allocations to VET have
  decreased from 35 to 22 (MEST JAR, 2012).
• The municipal formula for determining the
  allocation of school budgets is proposed (IDEP
  Component 1.2,2012).

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Governance including financing

• Generally speaking there is a lack of tradition
  of cooperation between government and social
  partners in Kosovo (ETF,200811).
• Achievement MoU signed between MEST and KCHC
  (What are the implications?)
• Some cooperation noted in designing of VET
  qualifications, accreditation. What are the
  developments?
• Higher involvement of social partners in the
  compilation and implementation of legislation
  (Launching of Torino Process 2012, November,
  2011).
• Common understanding amongst different
  stakeholders about the lack of communication and
  link with society and the labour market, with the
  local environment in general (Launching of
  Torino Process 2012, November, 2011).

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The main questions remain

• What are the current issues as regards the social
  partner involvement in the areas of designing
  legislation and strategies, VET financing,
  planning, monitoring and evaluation, designing
  VET qualifications and assessing peoples skills,
  accrediting training providers, etc.?
• What are the institutional capacities available
  for reform/innovation and for incorporating
  change?

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• THANK YOU!