Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social
Cohesion: the role of VET in promoting employment, equity, social cohesion
and active citizenship in Western Balkans, Turkey (WBT) and Israel
VET Education Policies and Practices for Social
Inclusion and Social Cohesion in Kosovo
Conference and workshop, Vienna, 3-5 December 2012
Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social
Cohesion: the role of VET in promoting employment, equity, social cohesion
and active citizenship in Western Balkans, Turkey (WBT) and Israel
1. Kosovo: Key policy issues in the current policy debates
Key issues related to legislation in place
•Legislation on the inclusion of different socially excluded groups is in place but
the level of implementation is very low and it differs across VET schools
(drafting of Laws has been inclusive)
Cooperation
• Lack of inter-ministerial cooperation and/or joint initiatives in implementing
the legislation
Community involvement
• Low participation of the community (society, parents, etc. although the school
boards are composed of community members, due to lack of monitoring, the
level of involvement is very low)in schools for addressing the issues of social
inclusion
Inspection
• The inspection of mechanisms and school performance in social inclusion is
yet not well coordinated (low capacities in municipal level).
Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social
Cohesion: the role of VET in promoting employment, equity, social cohesion
and active citizenship in Western Balkans, Turkey (WBT) and Israel
2. Kosovo: Key points arising from national level interviews
Key issues raised from the social partners (KCC), MLSW and MEI:
•Lack of coordination between VET strategy and sector and inter-sectoral
strategies (VET policies highly articulated in sectoral strategies but not wellcoorinated)
•Practical component in VET schools: different mechanisms introduced from
different projects and donor and no sustainability. Development: MEST is
currently working on a strategy for practical work for VET students
• Link between governmental level and business in relation to vocational
education system: no consistent and ‘serious’ involvement of businesses and
lack of tracking mechanisms (Data from MLSW and MEST not integrated into
each others´ data gathering systems) .
• Unemploymet of VET graduates due to skills mismatch (curricula not tailored
to labour market needs and requirements)
•Insufficient budget for VET- budget allocation per school should take into
account needs of profiles
Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social
Cohesion: the role of VET in promoting employment, equity, social cohesion
and active citizenship in Western Balkans, Turkey (WBT) and Israel
3. Kosovo: Points discussed with national advisory boards
• Key elements related to the relationship between VET and
social inclusion and social cohesion
• The importance of findings from the project in improving VET
policy and practice.
• Recommendations on the methodology and the research focus
Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social
Cohesion: the role of VET in promoting employment, equity, social cohesion
and active citizenship in Western Balkans, Turkey (WBT) and Israel
4. Kosovo: Problems facing the project and actions to resolve them
Problems faced at the current stage of project:
•Problem: Tight agenda of national level interviewees keeps the process at a slow pace
(however, no serious risks posed to the project).
•Solution: Stakeholders are being met or contacted after work hours
•Problem: Lack of updated data and aggregated (either raw or processed) ( for e.g.
unemployment, labour market needs for more than limited number of profiles) – this
problem encountered specifically in the desk research phase (therefore no clear picture
about VET and social inclusion and exclusion issues in the country level)
•Solution: The researchers are seeking to fill in the “gaps” in understanding through the
inclusion of information from many different talks with VET stakeholders, consultative
processes (workshops) and/or participation in meetings outside of the project (different
VET meeting levels).
•Problem: Large classrooms (no. of students), therefore need for sampling
•Solution: Sampling to be undertaken based on stratified sampling method (in
cooperation with directors – provision of more detailed aggregated data for student
body composition).