Project description

Title: Renewal of basic and continuing vocational training
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Kosovo
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
Overall term: July 2000 to December 2009

Context

The vocational training system in Kosovo is undergoing a process of reform. This reform is taking place against the background of very high youth unemployment: more than half of those registered as unemployed are youths. In April 2006, the vocational training law was passed which regulates formal vocational training accessible to all social groups. The objective is the provision of training in the vocational schools which corresponds to the current and future needs of industry. Here, particular importance is attached to the compatibility of the training with EU standards. This is expected to increase the attraction of Kosovo as a location for investors as well as making the labour force more mobile. The pre-university education strategy for the period from 2007 to 2017 provides a further foundation stone for developing a training system in which assurance of quality and effectiveness consistent with EU harmonisation plays a central role. Practical, company-supported training is currently still inadequately carried out. The private sector is not yet systematically involved in planning and implementing vocational training.

Objective

A viable system of basic and further vocational training, geared to European principles, is established in Kosovo. The prospects for employment and integration of those leaving public vocational schools are sustainably improved, and unemployment is significantly reduced among young people .

Approach

The development cooperation project with Kosovo is part of the priority area of promotion of Sustainable Economic Development.

Advisory services to the vocational training division of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology concentrate on establishing steering, coordination and quality assurance structures for basic vocational training. The priority area is collaboration to improve institutional framework conditions in vocational secondary schools. Technical and managerial staff of technical secondary schools and training centres undergo in-service training; the transition from basic vocational training to vocational practice is facilitated.

Government educational organisations and the private sector are motivated to regard investments in education as a central contribution to securing greater economic autonomy and as a preparation for the pending European competition. Training focuses on curriculum development, methodological and technical in-service teacher training and development of the examination system. All measures are designed to enable policymakers and officials to apply the experience gained independently and, as multipliers, to impart the lessons learned to others.

The project, implemented by GTZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and with particular reference to the EU, supports Kosovo’s education strategies (2007 to 2017) and is compatible with the activities of the other donors. Vocational training projects are coordinated and procedures agreed with other participants; for example, with the EU and Swisscontact, the development organisation of Swiss industry.

Results achieved so far

The political will to move towards practical, needs-oriented basic vocational training has been reinforced.  The ministry responsible for vocational training is increasingly in possession of the technical capacities needed to create the preconditions in the state-sector vocational schools for carrying out the vocational training reform. Since 2004/2005, all vocational schools in Kosovo have been operating according to curricula jointly drawn up with the private sector. Cooperation between the sovereign education organisations and social partners is being institutionalised. Companies are showing growing interest and readiness to participate in the reform of vocational training. All vocational school administrators and supervisory staff are soundly prepared for the increasingly demanding tasks of school management. Vocational schoolteachers have undergone further training in modern learning/teaching methods and educational basic principles, so that their teaching is now more student-centred.