Implementation of LLL strategies in SEE: Current challenges

Branko Dijanošić, POU Ludbreg

Background

Declaration by the Ministers of Education and Higher Education South Eastern

Europe on the occasion of the International Conference"LIFELONG LEARNING. ADULT EDUCATION AND EMPLOY ABILITY"

on 16-17 October 2003 at Skopje, Macedonia

Declaration was signed by: Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Albania Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of BiH Ministry of Education and Science, Republic Bulgaria Ministry of Education and Sport, Republic of Croatia Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Kosovo Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Macedonia Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Montenegro Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Romania Ministry of Education and Sport, Republic of Serbia Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Republic of Slovenia

The Ministers agreed to the following action plan

to be carried out by the end of 2005 Establishment of a separate department/responsible

persons in every Ministry of Education responsible for adult education and lifelong learning

Provision of a legislative framework for adult education and lifelong learning, including a law on adult education

Creation of wider opportunities for andragogical studies in every country or territory and in the whole region

Organization of at least two follow-up meetings at expert level to report on activities and outcomes, and to exchange experience in adult education.

Expert meeting 2006

Declaration by the participants on the occasion of the International Conference:

“Lifelong Learning & Adult Education - Key factors for economic and social

regeneration in South Eastern Europe”

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 19 – 20 September 2006

To facilitate progress these key points need to be prioritized Development of a lifelong learning strategy in which adult education

is an integral part. It must adopt a flexible approach to accommodate altering labor market conditions and the social change by which South Eastern Europe will be affected within the coming years.

The development of a quality adult education sector needs to be ensured, focusing on the adjustment to European standards including the adaptation of certification systems in the European Qualification Framework.

Adult education must be embedded in the legal framework. This framework should guarantee a diverse offer, including a commitment to both the financial promotion/support of adult education offers and the development of the institutional infrastructure of adult education organizations.

Adoption of strategies and laws for AE in SEE countries (by 2009)

Country Adult Education Strategy Adult Education Law

Albania - -

Bulgaria Midterm LLL Strategy 2007- 2013, adopted 2008 Not yet

Bosnia and Herzegovina

- Law on Adult Education only Republika Srpska (July 2009)

Croatia Strategy on Adult education (2004)

Action Plan for the Implementation of Strategy for AE (2004)

Adult Education Act (2007)

4 By-Laws in AE (2009)

Kosovo Mainstreaming with Europe: an adult learning strategy for Kosovo 2005-2015 (2004)

Law on Education of Adults (2005)

Macedonia Programme for Adult Education in context of LLL Law on Adult Education (2008)

Montenegro Strategy for AE 2005- 2015 (2006)

Adult Education Plan 2006-2010 (2006)

Low on Adult Education (2007)

Serbia Strategy for the development of AE in Republic of Serbia (2006)

Action Plan for its implementation 2007-2009

Not yet

Romania Draft of national LLL Strategy in preparation Not yet

Challenge 1

Adoption the Strategies and law on LLL and AE in all countries in SEE

To create an enabling environment for LLL and AE and point out the main milestones for AL policy.

To create framework that empowers stakeholders and enables government to work in partnership with them

Financing of AE All stakeholder, government, employers and individuals need to

contribute to the financing of AE

State budget allocate low to the AE in SEE countries (around 3,5%) EU average 5,22%

Public funding of other ministries (training of employees, training the competencies, professional development, etc.)

National Employment Service (financing active labor market measures, training unemployed with specific target groups etc.)

General remark: there is no data that can provide information on the fund being used in AE, therefore there is question of the responsible usage of public funds

Challenge 2

Acknowledging the stronger role of social partners in the process regarding funding of the employee learning, necessity of continuous workforce training on-the-job, raising participation levels in AE

Partnership building and networking across the government-employment-learning-civil society span at all levels

Maximizing public funding and co-funding of AL

Background in AL in SEE

www. etf.europa.de

Challenge 3 Promotion of LLL in general especially for

those who haven’t finished regular education (example: primary education)

Modernizing the general and vocational curricula

Develope vocational standards and national qualification frameworks

QUALITY OF ALE: provision, participation, achievments

Wide range of providers within public sector in ALE in SEE (ministries, national agencies, employment agency, workers, open universities, elementary - secondary schools, public VET etc.)

Private sectors – companies, private training centers, commercial providers (skills that are labor market demand)

NGO – third group of providers, non formal education, researches

Challenge 4

AE providers are crowded and unstable in SEE therefore it is need to create functional and comprehensive system of ALE in the region

Participation in AE

Most of the countries in SEE do not conduct comprehensive national surveys in AL participation (data are mainly provided for formal learning)

Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia are included in Eurosat study of LLL from 2006. Bu and Ro have the lowest participation in LLL (1,3%) – similar result is in OECD 2008

Challenge 5

Create measures to mobilize learners to increase the participation in ALE

Adult Education Festival (or Lifelong Learning Week) and Fairs

Create specific programmes for targeted groups (people from rural area, Roma, demobilized soldiers, invalids etc

Monitoring and Evaluating AE Major steps in achieving quality assurance based on learning

outcomes of learning programmes is introduction of National Qualification Framework in accordance with EQF

Establishing NQFs is difficult process because of the need of involving several partners in approach and create consensus among them as the framework for skills and and competencies recognition must be flexible

Validation on non-formal and informal ALE is still a big problem in SEE countries

Challenge 6

Most of the countries in the SEE are at the very beginning of introducing QA system, indicators and quality management tools in AL

Establishment of national or regional governmental bodies to monitor and/or evaluate AL

Status and Training of Adult Educators

In SEE countries there is no consensus about required qualifications of the staff engaged in AE – generally they need a university diploma

They don’t have adequate knowledge and competencies to teach adults – they need training

The government and NGOs organize numerous train-the-trainer (ToT) for AE staff where they could obtain knowledge and competencies needed for their teaching activities

Challenge 7

Collection a comprehensive data on the number of such courses, duration, content, participants and evaluation

Determine competencies and qualification teacher

(trainer) in adult education

Define precisely who, at what level, with what kind of competencies and under what conditions could work in AE

Research, Innovation and Good Practice In all countries in SEE there is a clear idea of the importance of

research as one of the AE field

However there is a lack of systematic approach to research on AE – partly because of the lack of institutions addressing the topic and lack of funding

In spite of this problems research is rather lively and diverse – some reasrchies are directly related to ALE, most are not directly focused but results have a certain relevance

Since there is no systematic approach it is difficult to identify the priorities, the key studies

Challenge 8

Support and implementation of international instruments and standards for research, follow up and evaluation in LLL

Implementation of unique methodology for statistical follow-up of results in AE

Main Achievements and Constrains for LLL in SEE

The situation varies greatly in the different countries but clear priorities and tasks for future can be identified in many policy documents LLL and AE strategies

Some achievements are in the field of governance, decentralization, curriculum development, teacher training and retraining, qualification frameworks, certification system and higher education

Major constrains and weaknesses Low priority is given to education and training of adults by the

governments in SEE (there is not yet clear vision on the part of the political decision makers and employers that human capital development is a key requirement for the future)

Public and private investment in LLL is very low

Inappropriate and outdated governance schemes (lack of coordination and cooperation between different stakeholders)

Insufficient cooperation and exchange between the countries in SEE

References

http://www.dvv-soe.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=206&Itemid=368

http://www.erisee.org/node/47

www. etf.europa.de

Contact: branko.dijanosic@pou-ludbreg.hr