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This report focuses on how 27 countries neighbouring the European Union (EU) are coping with [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 in the field of education and training, as part of the #learningconnects campaign. The report includes information about countries from South Eastern Europe and Turkey, the Eastern Partnership and Russia, the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean, and Central Asia on: (1) support for teachers and trainers through multiple channels; (2) access to internet and outreach measures considering equality, opportunities and digital literacy; (3) decisions regarding examinations, certification and validation; (4) school autonomy in organising digital and online learning; and (5) addressing vocational education and training beyond general education subjects.

Some good practice examples include the continued development of teachers and trainers virtually in Ukraine and Egypt and the focus on vocational education and training (VET) through training and online support in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. In addition, civil society is spearheading initiatives in Palestine, television channels are broadening access for learners in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and emotional support is offered to students through dedicated channels in Israel.

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The Torino Process was launched by the European Training Foundation (ETF) in 2010 and is a biannual participatory analytical review of the status and progress of vocational education and training (VET) in the ETF partner countries. The aims are to acquire current knowledge about policies and their outcomes in a country, and to strengthen ownership, participation and the evidence base of policy formation.

This regional report analyses key trends for further [vocational education and training] VET system development in four countries of Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. These countries are covered by the [European Union’s] EU’s Development Cooperation Instrument. The document draws on the 2012 Torino Process reports from each country. Each of the four countries that participated in the 2012 Torino Process underwent an [European Training Foundation] ETF-led assessment using the five building blocks of the analytical framework: the vision for VET; its efficiency in terms of addressing demographic, economic and labour market needs; how VET addresses social demands, including social inclusion; the quality and efficiency of initial and continuing VET delivery; and how initial and continuing VET systems are financed and governed, including their institutional capacities for change.

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This report belongs to a series of country analyses developed by the European Training Foundation (ETF) at the end of 2005 for all countries in the Mediterranean region, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It contains an overview of the country's social and economical contexts, an analysis of the educational system and a short review of the main initiatives in education and training carried out by international donors in the country. Analyses of national policies and recent donor activities in Kazakhstan indicate that assistance in developing labour market-oriented education and training in the context of lifelong learning, complemented by support to skills development for reducing unemployment and poverty at the local level, is a potential area for effective donor investment. Whenever justified, such as in [human resource development] HRD and labour market policies, or in developing frameworks for competences and qualifications, it will be important to promote regional cooperation with other Central Asian countries.

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The series of reports is indexed from TD/TNC 84.362 to TD/TNC 84.375. Show less

This report belongs to a series of country analyses developed by the European Training Foundation (ETF). It covers: Socioeconomic background; Key policy issues and strategies in human resource development (HRD); EU (European Union) and other donor policies and interventions; Mid-term perspective ETF intervention strategies contributing to added value in national, EU and donor reform-support policies; Work Programme 2007: objectives and indicators. The ETF objectives for Kyrgyzstan are: To review the TACIS (Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States) employment policy project, to contribute to the programming of HRD aspects of the DCI (Development Cooperation Instrument) economic diversification project, and to assist VET (vocational education and training) reform by informing policy development and implementation processes through ETF policy advice activities.

Reform of education and training is still in a preliminary phase. VET governance is split between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour. Although some contacts between basic and secondary VET schools exist at the local level, there is little interaction between the two complementary subsystems at the policy level. These ministries are now aware of the need both to align their VET policies and strategies within an overall national policy framework and to establish dialogue with employers and the donor community. The emerging education and training policies cover most of the critical issues, but much further work is needed to be done in order to identify priorities, work out realistic action plans and support implementation. A real commitment to reform and a capacity to plan and implement changes are still largely absent in public authorities. There are problems of high turnover among policy-makers, poor cooperation between governmental bodies, lack of partnership and participatory approaches, and severe shortage of funds to implement HRD reforms.

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The series of reports is indexed from TD/TNC 90.820 to TD/TNC 90.844. Show less

Limited territorial mobility and restricted access to higher professional education by poor people in Tajikistan have increased even more the social significance of vocational education and training (VET). Existing mechanisms are incapable of using the potential of the available labour force in a labour-abundant region. Various VET components are currently in a poor state. Such a situation requires the implementation of substantial reforms to strengthen the economic and social contributions of the VET system. The analysis undertaken in the 2013-14 round of the Torino Process shows that labour redundancy is still a feature of the country's current economic stage of development. Limited institutional capacity creates a poor quality workforce. After completing primary and secondary education an average of 85,000 to 90,000 young people enter the labour market each year without vocational training. As a result, approximately 80 per cent of those officially registered as unemployed with the employment services are unskilled.

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This report investigates the status of vocational education and training (VET) in Tajikistan. The main assumption is that a productive VET system is necessary to enable local people to take over from qualified Russian workers and professionals who left the country after the fall of the Soviet Union. In Tajikistan, the VET system does not offer the relevant and up-to-date training necessary for a 21st century state. In any case, many Tajiks are not encouraged and do not perceive VET as providing pathways to viable occupations. It is suggested that VET in Tajikistan should have three objectives: (1) maintain the 'poverty alleviation context' so people can gain basic skills to support livelihoods; (2) enable young people and adults to enter and create positions in the labour market; and (3) enhance people's qualifications and lifelong learning skills. An overarching national qualifications scheme is also required, involving all stakeholders - the state, social partners, teachers and trainers, researchers and developers, students and their parents. Recommendations include: moving from institution-based to qualification-based programs; establishing a better integration between theoretical and practical subjects; attracting highly skilled teachers and trainers; developing open pathways so students are less likely to 'dropout'; investing in capacity building; diversifying funding sources; creating a legislative context for VET; and constructing appropriate governance frameworks. Show less

This report represents a participatory review of the progress of the vocational education and training [VET] reform in Uzbekistan developed within the framework of the [European Training Foundation] ETF 'Torino Process' study. The study has been launched by the European Training Foundation (ETF) in 2010 with the aim of providing a concise, documented analysis of VET reforms in its partner countries, including the identification of key policy trends, challenges, constraints, as well as best practice and opportunities for VET system and policies.

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This report belongs to a series of country analyses developed by the European Training Foundation (ETF) at the end of 2005 for all countries in the Mediterranean region, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It contains an overview of the country's social and economical contexts, an analysis of the educational system and a short review of the main initiatives in education and training carried out by international donors in the country. The ETF proposes that donors assist Uzbekistan in reviewing the framework of national qualifications to adapt better to the labour market, support the development of training as an integral part of poverty reduction strategies, and finally support the development of non-academic higher education through support to teacher and trainer training.

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The series of reports is indexed from TD/TNC 84.362 to TD/TNC 84.375. Show less

In the [European Training Foundation] ETF partner countries, a wide variety of initiatives are taking place to improve governance and shape [vocational education and training] VET policies, by increasing the role of sub-national authorities, social partners and civil society organisations. This trend is in line with the European effort to enhance the role of sub-national authorities in the policy cycle, and to increase the autonomy of vocational schools and training centres. There is a growing recognition of the benefits of multilevel participation in the VET policy cycle, and the contribution of such an inclusive process to the development of integrated and comprehensive policies - policies through which VET can play a key role in promoting the welfare of a country. Effective multilevel governance is based on inclusive vertical and horizontal interactions between stakeholders and is linked to the increased effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, transparency, accountability and performance of VET policies and systems. Sub-national entities, or regions, are well positioned to identify human capital needs and opportunities. The participation of the regions in the management of VET has the potential to stimulate economic growth at regional and local levels, and enhance the matching of regional labour supply to market needs.

The present working paper is based on analytical work conducted by the ETF in 2012 and broad consultation with ETF partner countries that included a pilot study on good multilevel governance in VET. The study was conducted in six partner countries, namely Azerbaijan, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Tunisia and Ukraine, and its purpose was to map and assess the involvement of VET stakeholders across different functions of their national VET systems. The partner countries' performance was then compared against a set of principles and indicators of good multilevel governance developed by the ETF.

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This report belongs to a series of country analyses developed by the European Training Foundation (ETF). It covers: Socioeconomic background; Key policy issues and strategies in the Human Resource Development sector in the country; EU (European Union) and other donors' policy and interventions in the country; ETF strategy of intervention in a mid-term perspective; Objectives and indicators for the Work Programme 2007. The ETF objectives for 2007 are: To monitor the final Tacis project, to contribute to the programming of the human resource development aspects of the DCI (Development Cooperation Instrument) support of economic development in Uzbekistan, and to assist the VET (vocational education and training) reform by informing the policy development and implementation processes through the ETF policy advice activities.

The overarching policies for education and training are laid out in the National Programme for Personnel Training (NPPT) of 1997. The programme gives strong priority to the introduction of 12 years of compulsory education and the related changes in upper secondary education. Its aim is to delay the entry of young people into the labour market until after 18 years of age and to avoid the social problem of large numbers of 15-18-year-olds leaving school without having obtained a qualification, not being able to find a place in the labour market and without access to higher levels of education. To that end a large number of new vocational colleges are being established across the country. According to NPPT the VET system will serve 90% of the 15 year population cohort and the current number of vocational colleges is planned to double to more than 1600 by 2010. VET is seen as a major tool against youth unemployment vis-a-vis the sustained population growth and as one of the drivers of economic development. This policy brought huge investments in vocational colleges’ infrastructure but a policy development which would make VET programmes and qualifications more responsive to its environment received attention only recently. Authorities have retained centralised control over the VET system. With ETF support, gradually policy thinking is moving towards key principles of a national qualification framework in which learning outcomes, employers input and a balanced structure of qualifications levels are being considered. There has been a growing mismatch between VET supply and developing labour market needs. New and emerging occupations, small business development, informal labour market and needs of impoverished population have so far not been appropriately reflected by the VET system. Many graduates face unemployment and college capacities are not sufficiently used for retraining and adult learning in general. Improving quality by modernising teaching methods and content can make VET more attractive and contribute to improving its image.

Excerpts from publication reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

The series of reports is indexed from TD/TNC 90.820 to TD/TNC 90.844. Show less