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The widening of access to certification processes that recognize and validate individual learning outcomes as a formal qualification was a vital part of the reform of the French vocational education sector, which was part of the Social Modernisation Act of 2002 (Loi de modernisation social).

Challenges and opportunities. At the turn of the century, the French education system faced several challenges: the massive increase of numbers in secondary education, the separation of initial training and continuing education, and the need for closer and more genuine links between schools, companies and services.

National standards, policy and framework activity. In order to meet these challenges, the Social Modernisation Act declared the right of each individual to have learning outcomes acquired through a minimum of 3 years of work experience – as an employee, freelancer or volunteer – to be recognised and assessed against a formal qualification. This is carried out using a mechanism which, in France, is called Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE) (Validation des acquis de l’expérience). The French specificity is that this right is fully tied to the national qualification framework. VAE provides access to all the qualifications listed in the National Directory of Vocational Qualifications (Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles, RNCP), which was launched in 2002 (Loi du 17 janvier 2002).

The RNCP lists all vocational diplomas or degrees that are accredited by a national Committee (Commission Nationale de la Certification Professionnelle, CNPC). The CNPC includes representatives of the State as well as social partners and is responsible for accreditation procedures, whatever the qualifications. Following the reforms main intentions, the qualifications listed in the RNCP are described in terms of learning outcomes in relation to competence standards.

Stakeholder engagement. Whereas the general structure and quality assurance of qualification and certification procedures are managed at a national level, issues concerning the vocational training sector and the actual VAE procedures are decentralized (they are e.g. funded by the regions). Responsibilities and competences are interwoven: At ministerial level (Ministry of Education), in every institution of education or research a decentralised structure has been launched that identifies points of contact and guidance. The responsibility for defining the concrete VAE processes and methodologies lies then again with the higher education and continuing training sector and its stakeholders. Finally, a national network of VAE practitioners contributes to the harmonization of practices.

In general, the process of VAE is broken down into five phases: The first phase comprises consultation, information, and guidance. The second phase is when the application of the candidate conforms to the legal and administrative rules. The third phase comprises the preparation of a dossier of evidence usually with the assistance of an advisor. The fourth phase is when the VAE board of examiners evaluates the application. Finally, the VAE board assesses the candidate’s claim and provides feedback on his/her future pathway. In cases where the board instructs the candidate to further develop his/her project and to complete the certification process, it will also monitor his/her progress.

France allows two methods of documenting and verifying the acquired skills. The main method is declarative, usually involving a written application in which the candidate describes the activities he or she relates to the desired diploma/degree, clearly stating the experience gained. The candidate attaches all documents that demonstrate and prove this acquired experience: work certificates, examples of professional achievements, and so on. The second, and less common, method is to organize a real or simulated situation in which the candidate demonstrates his or her acquired experience by performing professional tasks.

The recognition of acquired experience puts the individual at the centre of the assessment process. The candidate takes part in an interview with a board of examiners, who judge the learning outcomes of his/her experience on the basis of standards and references of the profession and the required certification. The members of the board are expected to evaluate the skills and knowledge that candidates have obtained non-formally or informally and verify that they can demonstrate these skills in ways other than by academic examination.

In general, candidates are asked not only to describe the work they have done but also to explain how they acquired the skills and knowledge and what results they obtained. By asking candidates to analyse their own competences, their schemes of thinking, the models they use and their methodologies, the examiners can better understand whether the acquired experience is closely dependent on the context in which it was obtained or whether it is transferable to other situations.

Based on this assessment, the board awards the certification, rejects the application or grants it partially. In the latter case, it must provide the candidate with guidance on how to build on his or her experience to attain full certification, including the completion of additional training modules. Thus, assessment not only has the potential to result in the award of a qualification, but can also steer candidates’ personal and professional progress and provides them with tools to aid their further professional development.

The impact of VAE procedures is manifold:

• VAE has an impact on programme design and pedagogical approaches. Professional activities and practical skills are recognized as important as knowledge acquisition and traditional school-based learning. Furthermore, there is increasing awareness of the fact that the activities of employees, freelancers, volunteers and union activists are enriching, rewarding and possibly equivalent to formal learning settings.
• VAE initiates steps towards the reconceptualization of the education system, methods of certification, and challenges the tendency to place abstract and practical knowledge in opposition to one another. Rather, personal and professional development entails both praxis and theory, which are in constant interaction with each other. The system of transmitting knowledge and certification has for a long time been based solely on an academic logic. However, this logic is insufficient when designing programmes and methods that recognise professional activities and skills, and not only academic knowledge.
• VAE also questions a French professional hierarchy that is very strongly based on degrees, and opens up the possibility of limiting the social and economic damage of dropping out of school, or failing, by taking into account learning outcomes acquired through experience.
• Finally, VAE is a social issue for all those who have not had the opportunity or aptitude to acquire a good school education, enabling them to acquire a qualification that is recognized on the labour market.

Since the introduction of the VAE system in 2002 and until 2013, a total of 129.000 diplomas have been awarded.

References

Bureau, M., Grimault, S., Lochard, Y., Combes, M., Quintero, N. and Tuchszirer, C. 2008. ‘Les politiques des entreprises en matière de certification et l’utilisation de la validation des acquis de l’expérience’. CEE, Rapport de recherche, 46, mai 2008.

France. National Commission for UNESCO. 2005. Reconnaissance des acquis de l’expérience. Apports d’une réflexion internationale. Paris, Commission française pour l’UNESCO.

France. National Commission for UNESCO. 2008. Reconnaissance des acquis de l’expérience: perspective de développement dans les pays africains. Paris, Commission française pour l’UNESCO.

Dares Analyses. 2012. N° 2012-091 – La VAE en 2011 dans les ministères certificateurs, déc.2012.

France. Ministère de l’éducation nationale, de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche. 2014. La Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience : 129.000 diplômes délivrés en dix ans. Note d’Information, 32, 2014. Paris.

EQF and Commission nationale de la certification professionnelle. 2010. Référencement du cadre national de certification français vers le cadre européen de certification pour la formation tout au long de la vie. Rapport European Qualifications Framework et Commission nationale de la certification professionnelle, octobre 2010.

Groupe de travail sur la validation des acquis de l’expérience. 2008. Rapport à Monsieur le secrétaire d’État à l’emploi.

Loi du 17 janvier 2002 de modernisation sociale et décrets d’application.

Merle, V. 2001. ‘Formation et éducation tout au long de la vie 1971-2001: deux réformes, un même défi.’ Formation Emploi, 76, 2001.

Merle, V. 2008. ‘La validation des acquis de l’expérience: la loi a-t-elle tenu ses promesses?’ Actualités de la formation permanente. VAE: cinq ans d’expérience. 212, janvier–février, 2008.

OECD. 2005. Le Rôle des Systèmes Nationaux de Certification pour Promouvoir l’Apprentissage tout au long de la Vie. Paris.

An act. 2008. Les démarches collectives de VAE, novembre 2008.

Source: UNESCO UIL

Recognition of non-formal and informal learning is a national objective to encourage lifelong learning of adults at all levels of the educational system.

Challenges and opportunities

Adult education in Finland is provided to ensure the competencies of the labour force, provide educational opportunities for the entire adult population, and strengthen social cohesion and equality. A characteristic of the Finnish system is that validation of non-formal and informal learning is mostly linked to the competence-based vocational qualifications (CBQs) which offer adults a flexible method for gaining new skills. The aim of this system is to upskill the adult population, promote employment, equip adults to become self-employed, develop working life, and support lifelong learning (Lilama, 2011).

National standards, policy and framework activity

Finland has a well-developed national legislative framework in place regarding the validation of non-formal and informal learning for all levels of education. Steps towards the implementation of validation practices have been taken by further specifying the policies for each educational sector. There is no comprehensive legislation covering the entire education and training sectors. Instead each educational sector (higher education, general upper-secondary education, non-formal education, VET, and CVET) are regulated by different laws with regards to validation. A commonality of the different legislations is that they all state that validation is an individual right which can be claimed regardless of where and how the competencies were acquired. A systematic validation procedure has been developed where students’ competencies are compared against national standards (the learning outcome objectives of the National Qualification Requirements) which were introduced in the 1990s. The Finnish national qualifications framework is clearly linked to the European Qualifications Framework. The legislation governing the national qualifications framework entered into force March 2017 (Finnish National Agency for Education, 2017).

The CBQ system (Näyttötutkinto) was established in 1994 through the implementation of the Vocational Qualifications Act 306/1994. The system is now included in the Act on Vocational Adult Education from 1998, and the framework was created in close co-operation between stakeholders – the Finnish National Agency for Education, the main labour market organizations, and educators.

Validation of non-formal and informal learning in the CBQ system is integrated into the national qualifications system, and adults have the possibility of undertaking a competence based qualification in order to gain a certificate for vocational skills obtained at work (Ministry of Education, 2009).

Three levels of CBQs for adults are in place: vocational qualifications which indicate the competencies required to enter employment in the field; further vocational qualifications which indicate the vocational skills required of skilled workers in the field; and specialist vocational qualifications which indicate a command of the most demanding tasks in the field (Ministry of Education, 2009a).

Stakeholder engagement

In the CBQ system, stakeholders – both from the world of work and educational authorities – work in close cooperation to describe the learning outcomes and include assessment targets, criteria, and methods. The Finnish National Agency for Education which functions under the Ministry of Education and Culture, decides which qualifications belong to the national qualification structure and sets the requirements for each competence-based qualification. Vocational modules are defined in collaboration with representatives from the world of work and are based on real-life work tasks. Adults demonstrate their vocational skills in an officially approved competence test (Finnish National Agency for Education).

The validation process begins with an application phase where information and initial guidance is provided by education providers which ensures that each candidate receives adequate information on possible options of training programmes and qualifications, validation procedures, and learning methods. Together with the education providers’ advisors and counsellors, a plan is developed identifying the candidate’s prior learning and his/her need for preparatory training and need for guidance and support during the entire process.

The plan specifies which competence test modules the candidate has to take as part of the qualification. The competence test depends on the evidence provided. The plan indicates whether or not the candidate’s vocational skills have to be supplemented through e.g. on-the-job training or participation in preparatory training. In case the candidate requires preparatory training in order to carry out the CBQ, the education provider is responsible for identifying the learning needs of the applicant as well as providing the necessary training. A record of each phase in the validation process is maintained by the education provider for follow-up purposes and to maintain quality of the process.

The competence tests leading to a CBQ are carried out with close collaboration between social partners and representatives from education providers who are all obligatory participants in the assessment process of the CBQs. The competence tests require the candidate to demonstrate the required skills in authentic work assignments and it often takes place in the individuals’ own workplace (CEDEFOP, 2014). When all the required modules have been completed, certificates are awarded by Qualification Committees. These committees are sector specific tripartite bodies, whose responsibility is to oversee the quality of the provision of CBQs. The Committees evaluate the documentation provided by the candidate regarding prior learning and monitor that the competence test is carried out according to the qualification requirements. In the CBQ system the candidate can at request also receive a certificate of a qualification module.

References

Finland. Ministry of Education. 2009 National Framework for Qualifications and other Learning.

Finnish National Board of Education: Competence-based qualifications for adults.http://www.oph.fi/english/curricula_and_qualifications/competence_based_qualifications_for_adults

Finnish National Board of Education: Competence-based Qualifications Guide. http://oph.fi/download/156393_Competence-based_qualification_guide_2.pdf

Source: UNESCO UIL

In recent years, the various stakeholders in Egypt have made efforts to come to a consensus for the implementation of a clear framework for qualifications: one that is based on quality criteria for the recognition of learning and that takes into account the outcomes acquired in non-formal and informal employment and societal contexts.

Challenges and opportunities

Fostering a system for recognition, validation and accreditation (RVA) of non-formal and informal learning is important for Egypt given that:

1. the unemployment rate has increased from 9 per cent in 2010 to 13.2 per cent in 2013 since the revolution of 2011, with 3.6 million people out of the population’s 86 million currently unemployed. Many people are at risk of unemployment: the rate of unemployment among females is more than double the rate of unemployment along males. Of women, 30 per cent with a general upper-secondary education are unemployed as well as 37 per cent with upper-secondary VET and 25 per cent of female university graduates (UNESCO, ETF and Cedefop, 2015).
2. Overseas workers make up 4.4 per cent of the Egyptian population and this percentage is increasing steadily. There is thus a need to foster mobility by providing individuals with proof of their acquired skills and competences.
3. Egypt has a young population, with 32 per cent of the population aged under 15 years. This means that there is huge pressure on education and the labour market to be accessible. In fact, 800,000 new jobs need to be created annually (UNESCO,ETF and CEDEFOP, 2015).

RVA could serve as an important tool to foster mobility and to integrate unemployed or young individuals into education or the labour market.

National standards, policy and framework activity

From 2005 until 2008, a national task force prepared a concept paper for an Egyptian National Qualification Framework. The proposed NQF comprises eight levels and identifies two main objectives: to foster lifelong learning (LLL) and to establish progression pathways, allowing for increased mobility, both vertically (from one level to another) and cross-border, across education systems and labour markets. Another key aim is to facilitate the recognition of prior learning by providing accreditation rules including reference standards for qualification levels based on learning outcomes.

In 2010, the Egyptian prime minister endorsed the concept paper and gave the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education (NAQAAE) the mandate to develop action plans for its implementation.

One ETF initiative introduced in 2010 at a regional level, and in which Egypt participated, aimed at increasing transparency and shared understanding of qualifications in seven Euro-Mediterranean countries by producing a set of common standards for occupations in the tourism and construction sectors.

While a framework has been created, the introduction of a law will make it possible to earmark the necessary budgets to implement a more output-based educational system in relation to occupational standards and requirements of the labour market, and to establish implementing rules for accrediting prior learning in relation to NQF standards (UNESCO, ETF and Cedefop, 2015).

Stakeholder engagement

At the policy level, the Ministry of Manpower and Migration has led the process of developing an Egyptian NQF, whereas the NAQAAE has been the main body in charge of the process at the implementation level.

In 2014, a national technical and vocational education and training (TVET) authority was appointed by the prime minister comprising two executive committees – one for TVET and another for Vocational Education and Training (VET). These two committees are coordinated by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Manpower respectively. The former is responsible for initial vocation and training (IVET) and the latter for continuing training (CVET). Moreover, twenty-seven regional committees were established to secure a clear link between the VET system and local needs.

References

UIL; European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Greece); European Training Foundation (Italy). 2015. Global inventory of regional and national qualifications frameworks. V. II: national and regional cases. Hamburg, UIL.

Source: UNESCO UIL

To encourage more people to take part in lifelong learning activities, Denmark focusses strongly on creating better opportunities for individual guidance, increased recognition of non-formal and informal learning and the creation of a more coherent and transparent education system.

Challenges and opportunities

In 2006, Denmark developed a strategy for lifelong learning aimed at promoting a lifelong upskilling for all – in the education system, in adult education and continuing training, in working life and in many other areas where individuals learn (Ministry of Education, 2006). Lifelong learning is a part of the government’s globalization strategy, which addresses the challenges of making Denmark a leading knowledge society, with strong competitiveness but also with strong social cohesion. Both strategies are based on an agreement between the government and labour market participants to assume co-responsibility and thus secure a lifelong skill upgrade for everyone on the labour market.

All active stakeholders wish to see more progress in relation to the validation of prior learning. They also agree that cooperation between the main stakeholders is important to making progress. Collaboration between stakeholders is expected to strengthen the use of validation of prior learning, to create stable and visible processes, to develop a common use of terminology and to exchange process knowledge.

National standards, policy and framework activity

Denmark has a legislation covering the entire adult education and training area. In addition, a comprehensive NQF has been developed that covers all types and levels of qualifications awarded and quality-assured by public authorities. In 2000, the Danish government introduced a major reform of the vocational education (VET) and continuing training (CVET) systems, aimed at creating a more coherent and transparent adult education system. The Danish education system now contains two separate parts: a general education and training system and a parallel adult education and continuing training system that can be compared to all levels of the general system.

A new legislation for VET (2015) for adults aged 25 and above (EUV) includes a general principle in which individual competence assessment is the basis for preparation of individual personal education plans. The personal education plan is based on an assessment of the pupil’s competences and outlines an individual pathway through the VET system.

In 2007, a key legislation (Act no. 556) on validation of non-formal and informal learning was introduced, giving an individual citizen the possibility to have his or her prior knowledge and experiences recognized. The legislation provides adults with the right to claim their prior learning for assessment within the adult education and continuing training system. In Denmark, validation has been developed using both a top-down and a bottom-up approach. This implies that legislation and the formal framework was nationally set and publicly funded, but the implementation was decentralized to the institutional level (European Commission; Cedefop; ICF International, 2014).

The Ministry of Education handbook (2008) on validation stresses the need to apply valid and reliable methods in the validation of prior learning to safeguard quality and acceptance on the labour market and in society. Thus, in Denmark’s education sector, validation is always tied to educational objectives and the admission requirements of specific education programmes. Validation is carried out by education institutions that are authorized to provide the courses for which the assessment is intended. The Danish legislation states that the ‘validation takes place on the basis of declaration and guidance, documentation and assessment of prior learning’ (Ministry of Education, 2007). The Ministry emphasizes the procedures and different phases in the validation process. The following model is used to illustrate the process:

Figure 1: The different phases in the validation process

Source: Ministry of Education, 2004

The four stages in Figure 1 entail:

1. guidance and clarification relating to the validation process for which the institutions are responsible;
2. documentation of the individual’s competences and prior learning, prepared by both the individual and the institution;
3. competence assessment carried out by the institutions responsible for ensuring that recognized competences can be compared with specific course standards (Ministry of Education, 2008). The competence assessment is conducted by combining different methods and tools, which are in turn adjusted in accordance with the individual’s qualifications and choice of education. The different methods include:
   • Written documentation of competences in the form of a CV or personal document file, etc.
   • Structured interviews conducted during different phases of the assessment process
   • Observation and assessment of the applicant’s skills and competences. For example, the applicant may be asked to solve a practical task which is relevant to the competences required for the education or training programme
   • Tests and examinations to assess the individual’s theoretical knowledge and practical skills (Ministry of Education, 2004); and
4. recognition: institutions issue a certificate listing the individual’s acquired competences. The institutions are obliged to provide guidance on how an individual can use the validation – including the development of a tailor-made education plan.

Approaches to validation differ depending on whether it is conducted to facilitate further learning, to advance a career or to document voluntary and leisure activities. In the area of voluntary and leisure activities, the online tool ‘My Competence Folder’ was developed in cooperation with stakeholders from voluntary organizations and civil society agencies. The folder contains information and documentary evidence on the accumulated competences acquired in formal, non-formal and informal settings. In the employment sector, a company-specific systematic identification, documentation and assessment of employee competences is usually already in place. Enterprises are free to choose their own reference frameworks for employee competence validation, but can also choose state-approved education or training programme standards as a point of reference.

Stakeholder engagement

While the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Education and Research have the main regulatory responsibility at all levels of education, social partners are equally as important – such as employers’ associations and trade unions – for realizing policy goals and recognition practices. Especially in CVET systems, social partners are responsible for the validation of non-formal and informal learning.

The government works closely with social partners such as the Council for Vocational Training (REU), the Council for Adult Education and Training (VEU-Rådet), the Council for Academy Professional Education and Professional Bachelor Education. These councils advise the government on specific areas of education and training. However, the Ministry of Education’s evaluation of the 2007 Act’s impact stressed the need for further improvement in cooperation between social partners – educational institutions, unemployment funds, job centres, trade unions and the third sector (European Commission; Cedefop; ICF International, 2014).

Drawing on the findings of an evaluation study on the status of validation in adult education carried out in 2010-2011, the Danish Ministry of Education has identified some areas for improvement, such as guidance and counselling, validation for business and employment, the quality code for validation and public access to information on validation.

References

Andersen and Laugesen. 2012. Recognition of prior learning within formal adult education in Denmark. Prior Learning Assessment – Inside Out, 1, 2.  https://english.eva.dk/publications/recognition-of-prior-learning-within-formal-adult-education-in-denmark/download

Bekendtgørelse om erhvervsuddannelser [Legislation of Vocational Education]. 2015.  www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=164802

CEDEFOP. 2014. European Inventory on Validation of Non-formal and Informal Learning: country report Denmark.  http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/validation-denmark-2014 (Accessed 4 November 2015).

Denmark. Ministry of Education. My Competence Portfolio. http://www.minkompetencemappe.dk (Accessed 4 November 2015).

Denmark. Ministry of Education. 2004. Recognition of Prior Learning within the Education System. http://pub.uvm.dk/2005/priorlearning/hel.html#kap02 (Accessed 9 November 2015).

Denmark. Ministry of Education. 2006. Danmarks strategi for livslang læring. http://pub.uvm.dk/2007/livlanglaering/hel.html (Accessed 5 November 2015).

Denmark. Ministry of Education. 2007. Act 556. Lov om ændring af forskellige love på Undervisningsministeriets område. https://www.retsinformation.dk/forms/r0710.aspx?id=25349 (Accessed 5 November 2015).

Denmark. Ministry of Education. 2008. Realkompetencevurdering inden for voksen- og efteruddannelse – en håndbog  http://pub.uvm.dk/2008/rkvivoksen/hel.html(Accessed 12 November 2015).

Source: UNESCO UIL

Canada’s engagement in the recognition of prior learning (RPL is also known as prior learning assessment and recognition – PLAR) has occurred in various sectors, institutions and government-sponsored programs at the federal, provincial/ territorial and community levels since the 1970’s. Early advocates and current champions continue to be attracted to RPL for a variety of reasons. Many see it as a way of recognizing and respecting different ways of knowing, especially among traditionally disadvantaged groups. Others see RPL as an opportunity to develop rigorous and reliable ways of evaluating non-classroom learning for the purpose of facilitating certification, meeting job requirements, creating bridging programs, acquiring a license to practice or achieving academic credit or transfer. All points of view are associated with improving access, broadening perceptions of learning to include informal, non-formal and formal learning achievements and accepting the importance of verifying what someone knows and can do in order to promote social inclusion and enhance learning and/or employment opportunities.

Challenges and opportunities

Challenges and opportunities are numerable. Canada has ten provinces and three territories and covers a geographic area slightly bigger than the United States. All three levels of government (municipal-provincial/territorial-federal) have legislative responsibility for providing services but in some cases, the responsibility is shared among jurisdictions. For example, education is considered a provincial/territorial responsibility, yet skills development and employment are seen as a joint federal-provincial/territorial responsibility.

Despite the absence of a national RPL strategy or sustained government funding, efforts to promote RPL within some organizations have been significant. RPL, along with the increased development and use of standards, learning outcomes and competencies, has spread from its beginnings within post-secondary education, to other sectors. For example, some of Canada’s national sector councils and professional associations are actively maintaining standards and providing certification opportunities. (e.g. www.cthrc.ca; www.fitt.ca; www.eco.ca; www.nsboats.com; www.csmls.org; www.alliancept.org; www.engineerscanada.ca)

Canada’s per-capita immigration rate is one of the highest in the world (www.cic.ca) and with roughly 250,000 immigrants arriving each year, the need to provide effective and reliable ways of assessing their prior knowledge, skills and abilities is acute. Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada have programs that support immigrant settlement and labour market integration. In particular, ESDC’s foreign credential recognition program is involved with activities associated with assessment and recognition of learning.

Because of the jurisdictional considerations mentioned earlier, Canada does not have a national department of education. The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (www.cmec.ca) has responsibility for, among other things, the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (www.cicic.ca) which provides information on formal credential assessment services, provincial/territorial education systems, post-secondary institutions, regulated and unregulated occupations and how to connect with provincial/territorial regulatory bodies that have responsibility for issuing licences to practice in each jurisdiction.

High demand for RPL services by Canadian-born adult learners looking for recognition by academic institutions to reduce time to credential completion, has not materialized. This may be explained by lack of awareness among potential PLAR candidates, the complexities of RPL implementation, as well as the reluctance of colleges and universities to actively promote and accommodate it. Currently the drivers for change are associated with improving ways of evaluating immigrant learning and to a lesser extent, providing recognition services for unemployed older Canadians (see Targeted Initiative for Older Workers at www.actionplan.gc.ca) or non-credentialed individuals (see Second Career at www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/secondcareer)  who are facing retirement with little or no pension and few savings. Clarifying and proving skills and competencies to employers is seen as a way of leveraging transferable skills for workers in transition, while at the same time, helping to close the skills gap (jobs go unfilled yet people are unemployed).

Other challenges associated with RPL involve, but are not limited to: confusing terminology (employers assess prior learning but don’t call it RPL or PLAR); project-based funding (when support is withdrawn, the project cannot be sustained); return-on-investment (statistics to measure the effectiveness of RPL as a successful intervention are difficult to find); institutional inertia (there are few incentives for traditional organizations to change their culture and practice); distrust in the rigour of PLAR (credit award is perceived as a giveaway and therefore diminishes the value of diplomas and degrees); assessment excess (the tendency to over-assess PLAR candidates as compared to traditional learners) and the absence of a Canadian vision and policy framework for the recognition of prior learning.

National standards, policy and framework activity

National standards, policy and framework activity began in 1997. Canada’s first efforts to establish national RPL standards occurred when the Government of Canada funded projects leading to the development of fourteen PLAR Standards through the Canadian Labour Force Development Board (1990-1999). The Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (www.capla.ca) expanded on this work in 1999 with the development of practitioner benchmarks and later, on assessor, advisor and facilitator competencies. Currently CAPLA has begun work in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders to develop quality assurance guidelines for the field of practice. The Canadian Council on Learning (www.ccl-cca.ca) sponsored several PLAR research projects (2004-2012) some of which contained policy and framework recommendations. Many of Canada’s provinces/territories have established PLAR policies within their education ministries and some have developed RPL frameworks. A Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications was developed in 2009 by Canada’s Forum of Labour Market Ministers (www.flmm-fmmt.ca) and the Foreign Qualifications Recognition Working Group continues to guide and support the implementation of the Framework.

Stakeholder engagement

Stakeholder engagement at the national level includes CAPLA’s yearly conference that attracts a wide range of RPL stakeholders from across Canada and abroad. Collaboration, information-sharing and networking among participants and presenters with diverse RPL interests have succeeded in breaking down some of the traditional silos to enable cross-fertilization of ideas, programs, resources and tools. The Canadian Network of National Associations of Regulators (www.cnnar.ca) hosts events for regulatory authorities that have responsibility for protection of the public and competency assessment is discussed frequently. The Canadian Commission for UNESCO has integrated PLAR into its Declaration on Adult Learning (2011) and succeeds in bringing stakeholders together from literacy, adult education, civil society and government, to collaborate on matters of mutual concern. Colleges and Institutes Canada (www.collegesinstitutes.ca) has integrated PLAR into some of its activities such as the Transfer, Articulation and Pathways (TAP) pan-Canadian initiative. A Strategic Advisory Panel on RPL, involving representatives from Canada’s provinces and territories, has been hosted by CAPLA since 2009 for the purpose of sharing innovative ideas and initiatives.

At the provincial/territorial level, cross-discipline RPL events have taken place through such groups as the Manitoba PLA Network. Other active PLAR networks exist in New Brunswick and British Columbia (www.bcplan.ca). In terms of training, there are RPL certificate programs for practitioners available in Canada, along with career development certification programs into which RPL and portfolio development have been embedded.

The social and economic benefits of any RPL strategy that acknowledges and values lifelong learning are obvious. It is the cornerstone of career development practice, human resources management and labour force development. In addition, it supports individuals in their personal and professional growth. For example, Canada’s indigenous people were among the first to embrace RPL and the holistic portfolio process continues to be an important tool for First Nations to explore their learning in terms of family, community, culture, tradition and healing.

Many of Canada’s provinces and territories see the benefits of RPL and support local activities by investing in their own PLAR priorities, through education, employment and/or immigrant settlement and integration programs. Examples can be found at www.capla.ca under past conference proceeding.

There are no immediate plans to systematize RPL in Canada, although RVA practice will be informed and enriched by the quality assurance project ‘Ensuring Quality Assessment through Training and Collaboration’ currently underway through CAPLA and its partners.

CAPLA has been Canada’s national voice for PLAR since 1994.

Source: UNESCO UIL

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) represents a post-conflict society that faces innumerable challenges in promoting social cohesion in the aftermath of the long years of inter-ethnic conflict. This situation illustrates the critical importance of strengthening the governance of the education and training system. BiH is a potential candidate for European Union (EU) membership, with the Stabilisation and Association Agreement signed on 16 June 2008. Furthermore, on 15 February 2016 BiH formally submitted its application for the EU membership (European Commission, 2016).

Challenges and opportunities

Following the Dayton Peace Agreement in 1995, the education system in general “is highly fragmented along ethno-national lines, making the development of social cohesion a considerable challenge. Currently, thirteen regional authorities are overseeing education in the country: two entities (Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina [FBiH], Republika Srpska [RS]) ministries,^[1] ten canton ministries, and the Brčko district department of education. Each regional authority has its own budget. These authorities have extensive jurisdiction over education in their corresponding localities, and their management is often influenced by ethno-nationalistic politics.” (Komatsu, 2014, p.11).

The education provision in RS is broadly similar to that of the FBiH cantons, except that public responsibility for education is centralized at the level of the Ministry of Education in RS. Under the FBiH Constitution, cantons may confer responsibilities to municipalities and the Federation government.

In practice, little evidence of recognition, validation and accreditation (RVA) of non-formal and informal learning outcomes of individuals can be found in BiH. There are several reasons for this. First, there are challenges at the level of the legal framework. BiH has a complicated vertical and horizontal structure of mandates and responsibilities. This means that a law adopted at one level may not be valid at another level, so that when qualifications are awarded after a process of validation of non-formal and informal learning at the national level, they may not be accepted at other levels. Also, even if one political entity succeeds in implementing a validation system of non-formal and informal learning, it may not necessarily lead to the recognition and award of credits and qualifications by another political entity (DVV International, 2013, p.15). Second, because of the complexity of the political and administrative structure of the education sector, there may be a lack of trust in or a lack of wide acceptance of non-formal and informal learning conducted through non-governmental organisations and international organisations. Third, adult education^[2], which includes non-formal and informal learning, is not anchored in an overall national adult learning strategy or a lifelong learning strategy (ETF, 2009).

This complex situation reflects the main challenges in starting to create an RVA strategy for non-formal and informal learning in the legislation of BiH. However, recently, some steps have been undertaken to promote RVA.

National standards, policy and framework activity

There seems to be a strong political will in BiH to access the European Union. Since RVA is at the top of the policy agenda in the EU, some stakeholders are considering it as a possible option for the country as well. The first key document in this process was the result of a decision by the Council of Ministers of BiH to adopt a Baseline Qualifications Framework for Lifelong learning (May, 2011). The document acknowledges non-formal and informal learning, and is mostly adapted from the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), which covers all levels and types of education and qualifications.

There is also an Action Plan for the Development and Implementation of the Qualifications Framework in BiH (which has been recently adopted after a long delay by the Council of Ministers, April 2015). In addition, the Action Plan for the Strategic Adult Education Development Platform in the Context of Lifelong Learning for the Period 2014-2020 was adopted in 2014. But again, the implementation of these framework documents at the entity and cantonal levels has started, but remains a lengthy process.

In June 2014, BiH signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the EU for participating in the Erasmus+ programme. In this way, BiH has become the 38^thcountry to join the EQF Advisory Group, opening the way to reference NQF to the EQF and providing an impetus to intensify the implementation of RVA. In this sense, a need for further development of RVA in BiH should be understood in the framework and the context of the EU integration process.

Stakeholder engagement

The decision by the Council of Ministers of BiH to adopt a Baseline Qualifications Framework has been an important initial step towards recognizing the outcomes of non-formal and informal learning. However, solutions will be needed for a harmonised, transparent and modern education system to overcome the current fragmented educational administration in BiH. There is a need for more communication and cooperation among government entities/district/cantons, the education sector and the labour market.

References

CEDEFOP. 2009. European Guidelines for Validating Non-formal and Informal Learning. Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

Coradini, M., Masson, J.R., Baumann, A. 2010. Torino Process. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2010. Turin, European Training Foundation.

Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2003. Okvirni zakon o i srednjem obrazovanju u Bosni i Hercegovini. Sarajevo.http://www.aposo.gov.ba/en/files/2013/06/Framework-Law.pdf (Accessed 20 April 2015).

Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2007. Strategija razvoja strucnoj obrazovanja i obuke u Bosni i Hercegovini za period 2007. -2013. Sarajevo.

Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2008. Strateški pravci razvoja obrazovanja u Bosni i Hercegovini sa planom implementiranja 2008–. Sarajevo. http://www.aposo.gov.ba/hr/files/2012/11/StrateL.ki_pravci_razvoja_obrazovanja_u_Bosnii_Hercegovin.pdf(Accessed 26 April 2015).

Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2011. Odluka o usvajanju osnovnog kvalifikacijskog okvira u Bosni i Hercegovini [Decision on approval of the Qualifications Framework in BiH]. Sarajevo. http://sllist.ba/glasnik/2011/broj31/Broj031.pdf. (Accessed 17 April 2015).

Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2014. Odluka o usvajanju strateške platforme razvoja obrazovanja odraslih u kontekstu cjeloživotnog obrazovanja u Bosni i Hercegovini za period 2014-2020. Sarajevo. http://sllist.ba/glasnik/2014/broj96/Broj096.pdf. (Accessed 20 April 2015).

Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2015. Akcioni plan za izradu i provedbu kvalifikacijskog okvira u Bosni i Hercegovini za period 2014–2020.Sarajevo. http://sllist.ba/glasnik/2015/broj28/Broj028.pdf. (Accessed 17 April 2015).

DVV International. 2013. Overview of the Methods and Tools Used for Validation and Recognition of Non-formal and Informal Learning Outcomes in the South East Europe Region. Sarajevo, DVV International Head Office. http://www.dvv-international.de/fileadmin/files/rnfil-soe-p_final.pdf. (Accessed 17 April 2015).

European Commission. 2016. Joint statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica  Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn on the occasion of Bosnia and Herzegovina submitting membership application. Brussels, European Commission. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-16-303_en.htm (Accessed 10 April 2016).

European Training Foundation. 2013. Inventory of Recent National Qualifications Framework Developments in ETF Partner Countries. Turin, European Training Foundation.

Herić, E., Grgić K. 2008. The Development and State of the Art of Adult Learning and Education (ALE) National report of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo, DVV International.

Komatsu, T. 2014. Does decentralisation enhance a school’s role of promoting social cohesion? International Review of Education, Journal of Lifelong Learning,60, .1, pp. 7–31.

Masson, J.R., Nikolovska, M., and Lorencic, M. 2009. Needs and Perspectives for the Development of Adult Learning in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Turin, European Training Foundation.

United Nations, General Assembly, Security Council. 1995. Dayton Peace Agreement, General Framework agreement for peace in BiH. Agenda item 28. http://peacemaker.un.org/sites/peacemaker.un.org/files/BA_951121_DaytonAgreement.pdf. (Accessed 20 April 2015).

In Austria, the development of a national strategy for validation of non-formal and informal learning, including all sectors, started only very recently in 2013. In 2015, a consultation document for the national validation strategy, including key objectives and measures, was published and a consultation process carried out. Based on the results of the consultation, organizational structures and an implementation plan will be developed in the coming months. The strategy is linked closely to the Austrian Lifelong Learning Strategy (LLL: 2020, (2011)) and to the NQF development, the legal base of which entered into force on 15 March 2016. The NQF should encompass all forms of learning and should also support the recognition of qualifications gained outside the formal learning context. The council recommendation on validation, as well as the implementation of the European Credit System in Vocational Education and Training (ECVET), both play an important role in this process.

Challenges and opportunities

In Austria, challenges associated with the validation of non-formal and informal learning include the limited role that validation has played in Austria so far, in comparison to other EU member countries. This may be explained by a traditionally strong orientation of the education and economic culture towards the initial vocational education and training (IVET) sector. For example, the dual system rests upon a combination of school and work-based learning and makes the inclusion of experiential learning explicit within the official models. This reduces the need to assess learning outcomes acquired outside the formal system. Furthermore, there is a relatively well-developed provision of second chance education (Prokopp & Luomi-Messerer, 2010, 2). Almost all formal qualifications resulting from the school system and dual system may be obtained by taking external exams, however, these opportunities are not always used extensively.

Standards, policy and framework activity

Despite the lack of a uniform framework for validation of non-formal and informal learning in Austria, different acts and regulations regarding the education and training system include mechanisms and arrangements that enable formal education and training institutes to recognize prior learning. Many validation initiatives and arrangements are linked to the sector of adult education (in many cases within the context of second chance education) and some measures are also identified in other fields, such as within the labour market and the third sector. These initiatives are mainly developed in bottom-up processes involving relevant stakeholders such as social partners.

The consultation document for the development of the Austrian validation strategy builds on the definition of ‘validation’ as presented in the council recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning. It distinguishes two approaches based on their key objectives (BMBF, 2015, 7). These approaches are considered to be closely interlinked and work as steps or phases in a comprehensive validation process:

1. ‘Formative validation’ approaches are individual-based measures that result in proof of competences obtained independently of the qualification system’s defined standards. The focus is on the identification and documentation of learning outcomes.
2. ‘Summative validation’ approaches are requirements-based or standards-based measures that result in obtaining a qualification, or a part thereof, in either a formal or non-formal context, i.e. the learning outcomes of an individual are assessed and certified based on a relevant standard of a formal or non-formal qualification. The focus is on assessment and certification.

Examples of so-called ‘formative validation’ approaches in Austria include initiatives for validating competences gained in voluntary activities, such as:

• the Austrian Volunteer Passport^[1]
• the competence portfolio for volunteers of a platform of Austrian Adult Education Associations^[2]
• the ‘competence balance’ for people who have completed the civilian service^[3]
• initiatives developed in the youth sector, such as the WIK:I Was ich kann durch informelles Lernen [What I can do based on informal learning] competence portfolio
• initiatives in the adult education sector, such as the competence profile KOMPAZ^[4] for identifying non-formally and informally acquired competences.

Examples of so called ‘summative validation’ approaches include:

• the acquisition of certificates/qualifications from the formal education system, including the ‘exceptional admission to the final apprenticeship exam’, the ‘acquisition of lower secondary school qualifications by adults’ and other so-called ‘external exams’;
• acquisition of certificates/qualifications without any equivalents in the formal education system, such as the professional engineering title HTL-IngenieurIn, certificates issued by the Academy of Continuing Education in the adult education sector, access conditions to regulated professions and the certification of individuals (e.g. in the IT or welding sectors).

Some ‘summative validation’ procedures actually comprise all four stages of a validation process (identification, documentation, assessment and certification). These include initiatives that are linked closely to obtaining an apprenticeship qualification based on the validation of professional competences acquired in informal and non-formal learning. The following initiatives are examples of this: ‘You have skills/competences’, ‘Competence with System’ and ‘Recognition system Vienna: My chance – I have competences!’.

In the case of validation arrangements set in the formal system and/or external examinations aiming at formal education and training qualifications, the assessment methods for validation correspond to those used in the formal system. Written tests and oral exams are the most commonly used methods for external examinations, and competences are usually assessed according to standards set in the formal system. In the case of the apprenticeship leaving exam – as well as in the case of exceptional admissions – both theory (usually written) and practice are emphasized, and candidates are expected to furnish evidence of their practical know-how and job-related skills. Many of the recognition mechanisms set in the formal system or aimed at the formal education and training sector are linked to preparation courses to support candidates, but these courses are generally not compulsory. The availability of support measures such as information and awareness-raising initiatives, guidance, counselling and financial support varies depending on the recognition mechanism or initiative.

In the case of validation arrangements conducted in the adult education and training system, the procedures are often focused on recording individual development processes. Austria has developed methods of assessment that supplement traditional assessments. There are, for example, no mandated approaches to the implementation of validation in the adult education and continuing training sector. Initiatives developed at adult learning institutions apply a variety of portfolio approaches. In some cases, the portfolio is combined with an assessment centre.

Several types of validation arrangements offered in Austria are closely linked to the labour market, and some are also closely linked to CVET. Examples include (cf. Mayerl & Schlögel, 2015; Luomi-Messerer, 2014): entry requirements for regulated occupations, collective agreements including regulations for the recognition of informally gained competences, certification of competences of individuals (personal certification), supporting company personnel development and supporting low-qualified people in obtaining a qualification outside the formal system. In these cases, candidates must usually provide evidence of professional experience. Furthermore, some initiatives target migrants or refugees specifically. For example, the Public Employment Service in Vienna has launched a pilot project called ‘competence check’^[5] that aims to promote their fast integration into the labour market and include the identification and validation of participants’ competences by conducting competence tests in real work places (enterprises).

Austria is beginning to grant non-formal and informal learning contexts the same value as formal learning processes. The NQF development process takes into account qualifications acquired in non-formal and informal learning. However, results have shown that terminologies need further sharpening (e.g. ‘qualification’, ‘qualification provider’ etc.) and that many institutions awarding non-formal qualifications need further assistance in describing their qualifications in terms of learning outcomes in order to comply with the NQF requirements.

Currently, Austria does not have an explicit national credit transfer system. However, there are credit arrangements in the form of regulations governing the crediting of learning outcomes if learners change between education and training institutions and/or levels. Most of these regulations refer to credits given for learning duration and are based on a comparison of curricula or training plans (Tritscher-Archan & Nowak (eds) 2011, 16). Until recently, the European Credit Transfer System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) was only used as an instrument to support transnational mobility. However the Austrian ECVET strategy launched in 2014 (BMBF, 2014) emphasizes that ECVET should not only be used for supporting mobility but also in the national lifelong learning context for facilitating permeability and validation of non-formally and informally acquired competences.

Stakeholder engagement

Austria is well-equipped to operate a system of shared responsibility regarding VPL policy (Schneeberger, Petanovitsch and Schlögl, 2008). It divides its validation procedures between levels of state authority, private stakeholders and agencies of civil society. The responsibilities for the regulation, provision, financing and support of learning activities are divided between the national and provincial levels. The main role of the relevant ministries is to prepare and adopt the legal framework conditions for validation procedures. Social partners play a major role in the design of the legal, economic, and social framework conditions in Austria. Educational institutions organize or provide preparatory courses for exams, hold exams and design other procedures to validate prior learning, based on their respective quality assurance procedures, in order to issue certificates. In the case of exceptional admission to the final exam of the apprenticeship training, apprenticeship offices of the responsible economic chambers hold the exam. The ministries and social partners are the main actors in providing information, promotion and awareness–raising initiatives as well as commissioning evaluations. Counselling and guidance is, however, mainly provided by the relevant educational institutions. Universities play an important role in VPL strategy development.

Certifications of workplace training achievements are important instruments for human resource development in many large companies, including Spar Österreich, Porsche Austria and Xerox Austria (cf. Markowitsch & Jonach 2006; Luomi-Messerer 2014). In some cases, the certificates offered are structured according to different levels of achievements. They can be acquired based on work experience or in-house training, or by demonstrating the required knowledge, skills and competences. These certificates are very important on a company level, but usually do not have any connection with the formal educational system (cf. Markowitsch & Jonach, 2006).

Up until now, the approach to validation has been rather fragmented: various validation initiatives and arrangements exist side-by-side in an uncoordinated and unaligned manner. There are no common principles or general monitoring or follow-up measures and there is no single platform upon which users can find relevant information about all the different initiatives. The national validation strategy that is currently being developed in cooperation with stakeholders from various fields is expected to enhance coordination and coherency. It follows a more centralized approach but aims to take regional and local requirements into account and builds on experiences of existing validation initiatives at the same time.

References

Austria. Bundesministerium für Inneres. 2013. Zivildienst-Kompetenzbilanz-Verordnung. BGBLA 2013 II 286.http://www.bmi.gv.at/cms/zivildienst/formulare/files/BGBLA_2013_II_286_KompetenzbilanzVO.pdf

Austria. Bundesministerium für Unterricht, Kunst und Kultur. 2011. Consultation Questions on UNESCO Guidelines for Recognising All Forms of Learning with a Focus on Non-formal and Informal Learning. Vienna, BMUKK; 3s Unternehmensberatung.

Austria. Bundesministerium für Unterricht, Kunst und Kultur. 2013. Grundkonzept und Anwendung von ECVET in Österreich. Nationales Konsultationsdokument.  http://www.lebenslanges-lernen.at/fileadmin/oead_zentrale/events/2013-pdf/ecvet_Konsultationspapier2013-10-07.pdf

Germany. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung. 2014. Europäisches Leistungspunktesystem für die berufliche Bildung. Grundlagen der Umsetzung in Österreich und Maßnahmenkatalog 2014-2016. 2014-04-07.http://www.bildung.erasmusplus.at/fileadmin/lll/dateien/lebenslanges_lernen_pdf_word_xls/leonardo/ecvet/2014-04-07_strategiepapier_ecvet_in_at__final.pdf

Germany. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung. 2015. Konsultationsdokument. Validierung nicht-formalen und informellen Lernens. Entwicklung einer nationalen Strategie zur Umsetzung der Ratsempfehlung vom 20.12.2012 (2012/C 398/01).  http://www.bildung.erasmusplus.at/fileadmin/lll/dateien/lebenslanges_lernen_pdf_word_xls/nqr/EQF_Advisory_Group_Meetings/Validierung_non-formalen_und_informellen_Lernens/Konsultationspapier__Beilage_.pdf

CEDEFOP 2014. European Inventory on Validation of Non-formal and Informal Learning: country report Austria. Thessaloniki, Greece, Cedefop.

Löffler, R. 2015. Kompetenz- und Qualifikationserwerb durch Freiwilligentätigkeit und deren Nutzung im Kontext von Erwerbsarbeit. In: BMASK (2015). Bericht zur Lage und zu den Perspektiven des Freiwilligen Engagements in Österreich 2. FREIWILLIGENBERICHT.https://www.sozialministerium.at/cms/site/attachments/1/4/3/CH3434/CMS1451900458557/soziale-themen_freiwilliges-engagement_bericht-zur-lage-und-zu-den-perspektiven-des-freiwilligen-engagements-in-oesterreich.pdf

Luomi-Messerer, K. 2014. Validierungsinitiativen und -maßnahmen im Bereich der ‘Berufsbildung’ mit Bezug auf die NQR Niveaus 4-7: Endbericht.

Markowitsch, J. and Jonach, M. 2006. Anerkennung und Zertifizierung betrieblicher Aus- und Weiterbildungsleistungen im Kontext nationaler und internationaler Entwicklungen: eine Überblicksexpertise.Vienna, BMWA.

Markowitsch, J., Benda-Kahri, S., Prokopp, M., Rammel, S. and Hefler, G. 2008. Neuausrichtung der berufsbildenden Schulen für Berufstätige: eine Studie im Auftrag des BMUKK. Krems, Donau-Universität Krems.

Mayerl, M. and Schlögl, P. 2015. How Informal and Non-formal Learning is Recognised in Europe: Austria – Country Report.  https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/fileadmin/files/BSt/Publikationen/GrauePublikationen/LL_Austria_FINAL_48Seiten.pdf

Prokopp, M. and Luomi-Messerer, K. 2010. European Inventory on Validation of Non-formal and Informal Learning 2010. Case Study: Recognition for Professionalisation in the Adult Learning Sector – Academy of Continuing Education (wba), Austria. London, European Commission; DG Education and Culture; GHK Consulting, in cooperation with Cedefop. http://libserver.cedefop.europa.eu/vetelib/2011/77481.pdf (Accessed 15 January 2014).

Prokopp, M. 2010. Was bringt Kompetenzanerkennung – und wem? Ein Standpunkt. In: Magazin Erwachsenenbildung.at. 9. http://erwachsenenbildung.at/magazin/10-09/meb10-9_06_prokopp.pdf (Accessed 16 January 2014).

Prokopp, M. 2011. Anerkennung von non-formalem und informellem Lernen für Personen mit geringer formaler Qualifikation in Österreich. Krems, Donau-Universität-Krems.

Schneeberger, A., Petanovitsch, A., Schlögl, P. 2008. National Report on the Development and the State of the Art of Adult Learning and Education (ALE): country report Austria; Prep for the UNESCO 6th International Conference on Adult Education, CONFINTEA VI. Hamburg, UIL. http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/National_Reports/Europe%20-%20North%20America/Austria.pdf (Accessed 17 January 2014).

The recognition of skills, prior learning and work experience acquired in informal contexts is of particular importance in a country such as Afghanistan, given that 90 per cent of the workforce is working in the informal sector (MoSAMD and MoE, 2013). In addition, recognition to skills is also beneficial to the large majority of the Afghan people who gain their learning and competences through non-formal skills training in rural and urban areas.

Challenges and opportunities

The economic challenges include addressing industry and commerce requirements for a pool of skilled labor. However, the economy of Afghanistan constitutes mostly micro enterprises in the informal sector and subsistence agriculture. Around 11 million workers have no formal skills and very low or no educational attainments. Only 36 per cent of the population is literate (MoLSAMD and MoE, 2013). This means the unskilled and illiterate individuals enter the labor force unprepared to compete in the labor market and to earn a decent living. 70 per cent of the population lives in rural areas, most of them exclusively engaged in agriculture. A significant portion of the urban workforce works in unpaid family business whilst others, have created their own informal micro-enterprises.

The Afghan skills development system is highly fragmented. In parallel to public institutions under the education sector, other public and private training providers deliver a range of non-formal training programs which are mostly short-term and delivered in a less systematic way than the formal programs. However, the quality and relevance of these programs remains a problematic issue as there is an absence of an agreed regulatory and registration framework and quality standards for the training providers. Currently, the country is still grappling with developing a system for recognizing, assessing and certifying outcomes from non-formal and informal training. Recently, there have been some initiatives to help build and recognize skills, and improve employment and earnings of unskilled and illiterate people. A World Bank project Non-formal Approach to Training Education and Jobs in Afghanistan (NATEJA), which mainly target provinces with a high incidence of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment/underemployment in rural and semi-urban areas, aims to enhance the quality of training delivery through financial incentives and uses non-formal training providers and employers as trainers of unskilled and illiterate individuals.

The need to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the non-formal training systems in meeting industry skilled labour needs and the increasing mobility of workers have been therefore the main driving forces behind the need to develop new system of certification, recognition and assessment. The government believes such a system must act as a quality assurance tool to allow the skills of workers to be valued.

National standards, policy and framework activity

In 2008, the Government of Afghanistan initiated the Committee on Education and Skills Policy (CESP) to lead the development of the Afghanistan National Qualification Authority (ANQA) and the Afghanistan National Qualifications Framework (ANQF) as well as the establishment of a TVET Board in the country.

The ANQF is seen as an important policy instrument in order to embed formal, non-formal and informal training and education without privileging one sector over the other. It is particularly designed to assist citizens who are traditionally excluded from national education, training and skills development. ANQF ensures that education, training and skills development are integrated into qualifications at the time they are registered in the framework. Recognizing different forms of learning, developing a comprehensive policy for prior learning and ensuring that all qualifications in the ANQF are subject to a quality checking process are important elements of ANQF developments in Afghanistan.

As the ANQF builds on the qualifications in the existing education system, it monitors standards, skills and competencies leading to qualification awards in all the subsectors of the current education system: TVET, General Education, Islamic Education, Basic Education and Higher Education, Literacy and Non-formal Education. It promotes and facilitates access, progression and mobility by establishing and maintaining horizontal and vertical progression pathways within the framework. Some sectors of the existing system such as TVET and Islamic Education (that currently go up to just grade 14) will have progression pathways to higher levels, only and when qualifications at these higher levels are approved by respective boards under the ANQA.

Stakeholder engagement

The Constitution divides the responsibility for formal and non-formal education and training between the Ministry of Education (MoE) for the former, and the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled (MoLSAMD) for the latter. MoLSAMD, and its General Directorate for TVET (GDTVET), operate as a network of public training centers providing short-term skills training programmes ranging from four to nine months duration. The National Skills Development Programme (NSDP) which is under the MoLSAMD is also responsible for non-formal training that is contracted to NGOs and private training providers through a competitive bidding process. However there is no accreditation and certification system for these NGOs and their training is not officially recognized. NSDP is further responsible for developing the National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS). However, the integration of this initiative into curriculum change has been a slow process until now.

References

CINOP. 2010. Inception Report VPO/CES/949/FBS. Kabul, Afghanistan. http://www.cesp.gov.af/anqa/Documents/Inception%20report.pdf

International Labour Organization (ILO). 2012. Afghanistan: Time to move to Sustainable Jobs: Study on the State of Employment in Afghanistan. Kabul, ILO Afghanistan Office.

MoLSAMD and MoE. 2013. Conference on Creating Sustainable Jobs in Afghanistan. 7-8 May 2013. Kabul, Afghanistan. Supported by the World Bank and the International Labour Organisation.

Unicef Afghanistan, Statistics. http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/afghanistan_statistics.html#117

UNESCO Institute for Statistics. http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?DataSetCode=EDULIT_DS&popupcustomise=true&lang=en#

World Bank. 2015. Non-formal Approach to Training Education and Jobs in Afghanistan. Implementation Status Results Report. Washington DC, World Bank.

Source: UNESCO UIL