VET GOOD MULTILEVEL GOVERNANCE IN MOLDOVA: Review of institutional arrangements and VET practices

A key ETF webinar “Working Together on VET Good Multilevel Governance in Moldova” was held on 19-20 November as a validation of all work done reviewing VET system governance in Moldova. Our review was initiated according with the 2019 formal request of the Minister of Education, Culture and Research of the Republic of Moldova, on support for implementing ETF good multilevel governance approach for assessing VET system in the context of the last phase of VET Strategy implementation in the country.

In this webinar, the ETF experts presented to the key stakeholders the main findings of the VET institutional arrangements and practices review conducted in the country in March-November 2020 and shared the main conclusions and policy recommendations for validation and appropriation. This event was preceded by another webinar which was organised on 30 June, for sharing with the stakeholders the preliminary findings of the review.

The ETF Expert Team in Moldova working in VET and Skills governance was composed of: J.Manuel Galvin Arribas (Team leader, VET senior governance expert) Aram Avagyan (International expert), Vera Chilari (National expert), Filippo del Nino (VET expert & Moldova Country Coordinator) and Barbara Olent (Project assistant).

In this context, during a Workshop held on 18 February 2020, we agreed with high-level stakeholders the ETF VET Governance Toolbox (Area 3 - Institutional arrangements | Open Space (europa.eu)) to be used for a tailored review of VET system in Moldova. Another instrument was the ETF Governance inventory (VET & Skills Governance Inventory 4.0. Methodological Framework - Data Collection Tool (DCT). ETF, 2020), which is a reference tool to support policy priority of international community on the VET and skills governance issue.

The main objective of this review was studying and assessing the VET system’s institutional arrangements, addressing key areas of VET good multilevel governance and financing, in order to bring evidence to further support other VET thematic areas, policy options and decision-making in the VET sector in the country.

Within the review we covered a wide scope of aspects related to the VET system in Moldova:

• national and sectoral policy and strategy documents and the main VET-related legal acts;
• the main VET actors at national and sectoral levels directly or indirectly involved in VET governance (their structure, tasks and responsibilities, institutional and HR capacities, subordination and accountability, performance, funding, etc.);
• communication, cooperation and coordination between the VET actors;
• strengths, weaknesses and gaps in the VET governance system.

Besides, we analysed business processes (including decision-taking processes) for a number of particular VET clusters: NQF (including identification of skill needs and learning outcomes and the education content, standards and curricula, quality assurance); VET planning and enrolment; administration and management (strategic planning, development, etc.); HR appointment and development; organisation of Dual Education; Lifelong Learning; Monitoring and evaluation. In total, we interviewed 50 stakeholders representing 40 different structures.

Based on an extensive number of conclusions, we proposed 7 objectives (priority areas) for the national VET system development:

1) Establishing an effective VET policy making scheme, based on social partnership and equipped with operational Monitoring and Evaluation system;

2) Rationalising the VET governance institutional settings;

3) Optimising the VET providers network;

4) Increasing effectiveness of VET practices;

5) Increasing VET funding and optimising VET financing scheme;

6) Improving VET legislation; and

7) Optimising International Support.

In total, 20 specific recommendations, equipped with proposals on the implementation options (timeframe, required funding, and variables to be defined locally) were made by our team. These are, particularly: addressing establishment of a tripartite National VET Council and a VET Teachers’ National Council; operationalisation of an effective Monitoring and Evaluation system (both for policy and institutional levels); establishment of an effective structure assigned for the complete scope of VET support activities; rationalising the network of public VET institutions; improving per-capita VET funding mechanism; expanding capacities of VET governance structures, etc.

Overall, the Webinar participants agreed with our conclusions and recommendations. However, it was stressed that although ETF provided a valuable advice for moving agenda forward in VET and skills in the country, the Government should demonstrate a strong political will for initiating and accomplishing the essential reforms.

The new Education (including VET) development Strategy is expected to enter into force from 2021, and the question is whether the proposed reforms will be considered this document? Will the country (VET community) be capable to implement them properly? And will these reforms be a guarantee improving VET governance effectiveness and VET relevance to the real skills need in the country?

The ETF is very committed to continue working with Moldova in necessary reforms for having an excellent VET system.