MoES informs on the conducted structural reforms in vocational education (19.08.2014)
On August 19, 2014, the Cabinet of Ministers reviewed the informative report “On activities carried out in terms of the optimisation of vocational education establishment network under the direction of the Ministry of Education and Science and efficient use of resources, continuing the structural reforms between 1st January 2013 and June 30, 2014” prepared by the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES).
The report outlines the previous developments how vocational education establishments have been assigned from the direction of the state to the local governments, joined to colleges or vocational education competence centres (VECC). The activities of these centres have been described. The report provides information regarding the further activities of the MoES to implement the structural reforms, as well.
Schools with small number of students (less than 300) are planned to be assigned under the direction of the local governments by joining them with small general education establishments. Only Alsviki Vocational School (located in the northern-eastern part of Latvia) is expected to keep its status as a state education establishment.
The large education establishments (more than 300 students), which at present have not obtained status of a VECC, are expected to be assigned under the direction of the local governments, individually agreeing on the conditions of this government change, or joined to vocational education establishments with the status of VECC. Whereas, large vocational education establishments that in future could qualify for the status of a VECC are planned to be allowed to function as independent state vocational education establishments with specialisation until the status of VECC is acquired. Vocational education establishments with the status of VECC are expected to kept under the direction of MoES.
MoES in cooperation with the sectoral associations, sectoral experts’ councils and colleges will continue to evaluate option to join vocational education establishments, which are not planned to be assigned to the local governments and which do not qualify for the status of VECC, to the state colleges.
The informative report and its annexes (in Latvian) are available on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers or database for policy planning documents.
Source: IZM
8.09.2014
Tags: CoM, MoES, Reforms, Vocational education establishments
