Torino Process 2018–2020 Bosnia and Herzegovina - National Report

There were some positive developments in the labour market, although most of the structural challenges remain. Insufficient pre-school participation and pupils performance in basic education don't positively affects achievements in later stages of education. In general, although the situation has been improving, the education system in Bosnia and Herzegovina does not fully correspond to the country’s labour market needs and the link between education and the economy is still not strong, resulting in both vertical and horizontal skills mismatches. The employment support is still not sufficient and requires additional efforts. Additional issue are: disincentives to work, untargeted social benefits schemes and unsupportive taxation. Although, a lot has been done, career counselling, outreach to jobseekers, profiling and strengthened cooperation with employers could be also strengthen through additional measures. 

All these issues contribute to the unemployment rate in BIH, which, although improved, remains high. At the end of 2017, there were 489.360 registered job seekers in BiH, which is 31. 897 less than in the same period in 2016. The number of unemployed VKV -   Highly skilled workers (ISCED 4) decreased from 2. 686 to 2. 383 (-11,28%), and number of unemployed KV - Skilled workers (ISCED 3) decreased from 174.122 to 161.200 (-7.42%).  In October 2018 the number of registered unemployed in BiH was 437.783. If 2016 October is compared to October 2018, it can be observed that number of unemployed citizens decreased by 7,9%, or in absolute terms the number of people registered as unemployed decreased by 40.408 in 2018. 

The analysis of the registered unemployed by qualification structure shows that the largest number of unemployed are highly skilled and skilled - 142.537 (32,55%), followed by unskilled by 124.326 (28,4%) and those with a high school diploma -119.733 (27,35%). The lowest number of unemployed cohort is within those with higher education by 6.482 (1,5%), followed by those with university education by 36.376 (8,3%) (Including PhDs and Masters). The share of female population in registered unemployed amounted to 55,9% or in absolute terms 244.522 females. In the female population, the largest number of unemployed are those with secondary education by 78.124 (46,6%), then those unskilled by 68.624 (28,1%) 

Table: Unemployment rate BIH, 2018   

According to the Labor Force Survey, the total number of unemployed persons was 185.000 (42.3% female), out of which 16.000 (42,5% female) have been unemployed for less than 5 months and 42.000 (40,7% female) have been unemployed for over 120 months. The number of unemployed persons has decreased 32% since 2016. The unemployment rate has fallen 7% in the same time period. The unemployment rate is the highest in the 24-35 age group 27,7% (24,7% of the male population and 32,5% of the female population in this age group).

Persons with secondary education and specialization as their higher level of education make up 71,8% of the overall number of unemployed persons in BiH, but the unemployment rate of this category of the population has decreased from 26,6% in 2016 to 19,2% in 2018.

According to the Labor Force Survey, the total number of inactive persons was 1.388.000 (60,6% female), out of which 48.000 (58.6% female) are considered discouraged and 1.340.000 (60,7% female) are inactive for other reasons. The highest activity rate of the population in BiH is in the 25-34 age group 77,9% (87,6% of the male population, 66,1% of the female population in this age group). The lowest activity rate is in the 65+ age group 4,7% (6,2% of the male population and 3,6% of the female population in this age group). Out of the overall number of inactive persons, persons with secondary education and specializations make up 40,7%. The Labor Force Survey for 2018 reports the activity rate of the BiH population has decreased 1% since 2016.

While the unemployment decreased there has been an overall increase of employment from 2016 (25.3%)  to 2017 (28.6%). About 34.4% unemployed individuals with VET qualifications (ISCED 4) found a job while 22.1% of individuals with secondary schools qualifications VET qualifications (ISCED 4) became employed in 2017.

According to the Labor Force Survey 2018, the total number of employed persons was 822.000 (37,4% female), out of which 674.000 (37,35% female) are employees, 145.000 (30,4% female) are self-employed) and 31.000 (68,2% female) were family workers. The number of employed persons has increased 2,62% since 2016. The employment rate has risen 2,1% in the same period of time. The overall employment rate was the highest in the 25-34 age group 56,3% (66% of the male population and 44,6% of the female population in this age group).

Out of the overall working-age population, 53,5% had secondary education and specialization (63% male and 44% female).  This is a 1,4% increase since 2016. Within the labor force, 68,9% of persons had secondary education and specialization as their highest level of education, which is a 2,1% increase since 2016.

Out of the overall number of employed persons, 15,7% were employed in agriculture, 32,1% in industry and 52,1% in services.

With the increase of the number of employed persons in BiH, the number of unemployed persons has gradually decreased, especially in the second half of 2017 (in P 1 it was -5.5%, and in P 2 it was a -6.8% decrease). At the state level, the average number of registered unemployed persons in 2017 was 489,400 which is a 6,1% decrease compared to the same period in the previous year. Both entities contributed to the decrease in the number of unemployed persons. In FBiH the average number of unemployed persons decreased by 5,3% (358.000persons), and in RS there was a 8,8% decrease (120,100 persons). The biggest decrease of registered unemployment was seen in the NKV KV and SSS categories, and in most cases they were removed from the unemployment records due to employment 70% in FBiH and 54% in RS. Thereby, the rate of registered unemployment in 2018 was 2,2% decreased compared to the previous year and it is around 39,6%.  

It is clear that institutions are investing efforts to reduce the unemployment rate in the country and these efforts brought the expected results. Institutional efforts contributed to this unemployment decrease but they this should be also analysed in the light of migration as most of individuals with three or four years of secondary education are those who left the country.

The structural imbalance in the labour market is manifested through the certain mismatch between labour supply and demand in terms of vocations, education, qualifications or regional distribution. Two major types of mismatch can be noticed in Bosnia and Herzegovina:

●    Vertical mismatch - for those graduates who find employment, many are placed in jobs below their level of qualifications. This type of mismatch is more related to those with Higher Education qualifications.  

●    Horizontal mismatch - among those with jobs at the right level of qualifications, many are placed in jobs unrelated to their field of education. 

Moreover, there are still persons without qualifications in the working-age population and that highly influences the inactivity in the labor market. However, in this context it should be noted that the inactive jobseekers include mainly persons with primary school or lower qualifications, although the share of persons with higher education among job-seekers is far from negligible ; however, this can be attributed to the vertical mismatch between higher education and labour market demand. 

When it comes to the labour market demands, employers complain about serious skill gaps in growing and dynamic sectors of the economy, and that new graduate recruits have not been properly prepared at their VET institution for the world of work.  Furthermore, new jobs are developing in the labour market and differ from the old ones in many important respects (qualifications, skill levels, additional knowledge and skills, use of technologies, business processes and location). In response to these skill gaps, many employers provide additional training to their graduate recruits. 

Table: number of VET students and unemployed VET graduates

The number of students enrolled in secondary VET programs has been progressively decreasing, based on the data provided by the Agency for statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Education Statistics, the RS Institute for Statistics and the Federal Office of Statistics. There was a 3,8% decrease in number of VET students between 2016 and 2017, followed by an additional decrease for 1,7% in 2018. The number of students graduating from secondary VET programs has also decreased 14,5% in 2017 compared to 2016. At the same time, the number of jobseekers or unemployed persons with VET qualifications has decreased 6,7% in the same period of time which is so certain extend correlated to decreased number of VET students. 

This trend was also confirmed by the data provided by the Labor Force Survey, which showed that the percentage of unemployed persons with secondary education has grown from 70,1% in 2016 to 71,8% in 2018 (this percentage peaked at 73,4% in 2017,but it has since decreased). Part of explanation can be found in demographic changes where the overall population in BIH is decreasing. A potential correlation can be drawn between the fallen interest in secondary VET education among students and the high level of unemployment of VET graduates in BiH. This indicates an immediate need to improve synergies between the VET system in BiH and the labor market in order to provide students with skills for competitive occupations and to provide the employers with a competent and efficient workforce. In order to have clear explanation the need for comprehensive country wide data collection and analyses is required, especially because the situation regarding the unemployed population differs in different parts of BIH.

According to the Analysis of the Labor Market Needs in Republika Srpska 2017-2020 (the report for 2016/2017) , the number of unemployed persons has decreased 20%, which is due to the fact that the population of RS is entering the unemployment registry at a later age.  In the overall structure of employed persons, 20% are employed in the processing industry, 17% in sales and 5% in hospitality, The Analysis projections show that in the near future, the processing industry will create the most new jobs, while the number of jobs in sales will decrease, which reflects the importance of the processing industry and its role in the creation of new jobs. At the local level, the migration of qualified, young workers immediately after entering the labor market is a significant challenge, as the brain drain leads to the stagnation or even devolution of the local economies (Kostajnica, Derventa, Teslić, Bratunac, etc.).

As the Research of the Needs for Workforce in the Bosnia-Podrinje Canton Goražde (BPC Goražde) for 2018-2020 , published in April 2018  reported, only 30% of employers are not interested in cooperation with VET schools. Out of the remaining 70% of employers, 30% are not cooperating with VET schools because they didn't establish connections with school, while 20% are prevented by the scope of their business and lack of time.

The situation in secondary education is reflected in higher education as well and the extent of the problem differs from the field of study. Employers often prefer graduates with work experience. The graduate survey shows that 30% of graduates received no work experience during their period of studies and 34% received only “a little” work experience. Among graduates that do find a job, many have a job that is not well matched to their field of study (64% of graduates) or level of qualification (53% of graduates).  By employing people with a tertiary level of education for jobs that require a lower level of education, influence the employment opportunities of persons with lower and VET education. While most of HE graduates are faced with vertical or horizontal mismatch there is a highest degree of mismatch (over-qualification) among graduates in HE who studied Social Science, Journalism & Information. At the same time, persons who have completed university-level education in the fields of science, medicine and IT are in high demand in the labour market. However, it should be noted that only 4% of students completed studies in Natural Science, Mathematics & Statistics and only 4% in Information & Communication Technologies. Graduates who studied Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have a lower level of satisfaction with quality of their education (compared to those who studied Social Sciences, Journalism and Information), a finding that may raise concerns that ICT study programmes do not provide HE students with a sufficient quality of education to meet the needs of the labour market. This indicates a need to fundamentally rethink the nature of HE provision, since the transition to an export-led and high value-added economy would require a greater output of graduates with qualifications in STEM subjects that are most relevant to private sector employers in competitive industries. Institutions and education authorities recognised these challenges and working diligently to address all issues through new policies developed in the recent period, which is explained in the below chapter. 

Adult education has been introduced recently in BIH through legislation at different levels in BIH but the officially registered participation in CVET is still not sufficient. However, since the legislation and accompanies measures are in place it is to be expected that the adult education participation will improve. Moreover, companies usually organise adult training programs for their own purposes and data is not available and therefore it gave a perception that the adult education participation is low. The only available official information comes from employment services and public education providers. 

Additionally, as it will be elaborated in the following chapter, the skill mismatch is also highlighted as the active labour market measures have not been fully implemented and unemployment among the targeted population is still a challenge. 

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina has been facing a significant issue of brain drain, with qualified workers or recent graduates leaving the country seeking better working conditions and salaries. A certain number of these people actually complete re-qualification programs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in order to meet the needs of the foreign labor market (mostly medical technicians, electricians, welders, etc.). According to a recent Gallop poll, which determines the Potential Net Migration Index –PNMI (subtracting those who would like to move out of a country from those who would like to move into a country) the PNMI for BiH was -32%. This means that 32% of the population would likely to leave the country if they have an opportunity. BiH has the second worst PNMI in the region, with Kosovo at -42%. Montenegro had the only positive PNMI in the region of 25%.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is ranked 91^st out of 140 countries in the 2018 edition of the Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum. Competitiveness Rank in Bosnia and Herzegovina averaged 97.55 from 2007 until 2018, reaching the 111st place in 2016 and 82^nd place in 2007. This means that BiH capacity to retain talent in the country is low.

As reported by the Agency for work and employment BIH Bosnia and Herzegovina is faced with negative effects of immigration, which should be seriously considered by all government levels. Moreover, having a decent number of BIH migrants outside of the country, it is important to integrate migration and development into the strategies for development of governments in relation to financial and human capital; which includes investing, knowledge transfer, lobbying and other types of support. 

The ICT small and medium enterprises (ICT SMEs) in BiH reported that, in line with global trends, their competitiveness is completely reliant on the skills and knowledge of advanced methods and programing by their technical staff. Related to this point, close to two thirds of SMEs (64%) reported that more than 50% of their technical staff is not skilled enough at present to be competitive in EU and global markets. This exactly contributes to extent of skill mismatch in BiH.

However, digital competence has been recognised long time ago in the policies in BIH. Digital competence was one of the key competences in BiH for lifelong learning since the first referral in 2006. It includes informational and written information, communication and collaboration, creation of digital content (including programming), security (including digital well-being and cyber security competence) and problem solving. New Digital Competence Framework has been developed and led by MoCA and supported by ETF in 2018. Digital competence is mainly acquired through traditional IT courses and in secondary vocational and technical schools, informatics/computer science is a general subject with a fund of two hours per week, usually in first grade. Challenges for digital competences introduction could be shared  for the overall VET. Although institutions are trying to address them, they call for more trainings for teachers to teach key competencies, better aligned system for continuous professional development of teachers, more investments in digitally equipment of schools, increase of capacities in pedagogic institutes and ministries and better planning of financial resources.

The Agency for Preschool, Primary and Secondary Education has developed the Common Core Curriculum for Technology and Information Technology defined on learning outcomes. The field and information technology consists of the following subjects: Technology and Informatics. Learning outcomes indicators for each learning outcomes are defined for each component, taking into account the specific factors of the field of technology and information technology. Indicators are defined according to the developmental age of pupils at the end of the third grade (age 8, 9 years) at the end of the sixth grade (age 11, 12 years), at the end of nine years of education (age 14, 15 years) and at the end of high school education (age 18, 19 years). After substantial consultations with relevant stakeholders the final version of the document is completed. 

Some initiatives have been implemented recently in different parts of BIH. In Sarajevo Canton, the Association of ICT Teachers (EduIT) organized the first conference on the digital competencies of the teachers and teachers in September 2018. This was the first gathering of this type in Bosnia and Herzegovina and it was aimed to promote importance of the quality ICT education for both the teachers and students. The ETF supported organisation of a broad meeting with relevant stakeholders on digital competences in Sarajevo in 2018, while two working groups on digital competences have been also organised in 2018 in Teslic and Neum. In Canton Sarajevo 1200 teachers received training, and number of digital classrooms have been equipped. Although the activities on digital transformation are implemented to different extend in different parts of BIH, there are all part of a broader effort for the digitization of the education process in BIH.

It has been recognized in BIH that the development of digital skills is becoming highly important, especially for young people, to improve their employability and competitiveness on the labour market. Institutions are persistently working on improving the state of the art in the given field and all their efforts have been analysed in the following chapter.

The problem of the mismatch between VET and labour market has been recognized at all levels in BIH. In summary the problem in BIH is reflected through both quantitative and qualitative in nature:

- Quantitative discrepancies where there is lack of sufficiently qualified school leavers or jobseekers in a sector as a whole, or where there are not enough vacancies to make use of that supply. In policy terms this is reflected through enrolment policy and if the enrolment of pupils into the specific VET programs follows the labour market needs, and

- Qualitative discrepancies occur where there is both sufficient supply of labour and a sufficient number of vacancies, but where the demands and wishes of – potential – employees and employers regarding skills, job requirements, working conditions or work content diverge. In policy terms it addressed the VET program content policy where the VET syllabus and curricula should be easy to change to follow the labour market demands. The solution includes the creation of new specific learning paths, campaigns stimulating people to choose educational paths in sectors with shortages, and structural improvement of the education to labour market transition;

A number of  policies at different levels in BIH address these issues through various measures to a certain extend in all cantons in FBiH, in the area of ​​the Brčko District of BiH and the Republika Srpska entity. Competent educational authorities have continuous cooperation with employers and trade union organizations in creation of enrolment policies and new education programs.

Significant changes and improvements have been achieved in Republika Srpska. As the Ministry of Education and Culture of Republika Srpska reported there has been a number of activities conducted in the recent period in relation to addressing mismatch. The modernisation of curricula has been started so to enable introduction of the recent technological development in education programs. The Pedagogic Institute of RS follows the labour market needs and, in cooperation with labour market representatives, new occupations have been developed in RS in 2018: CNC operator, mechanical technician for ecology, IT technician, technician for footwear.  Moreover, curricula for carpenter, welder and footwear have been improved and dual education introduced. Those curricula have been used as pilot programs in few schools. Moreover, The Pedagogic Institute of RS continuously informs the ministry about labour market needs and as a result following curricula have been developed in recent period: technician of horticulture, mechanical engineer for computer construction, machine technician for engines and motor vehicles, mechatronics technician, heating and cooling technician, agrotourism technician, banking technician, goldsmith, optician, watchmaker, etc. Moreover, following the labour market requirements in RS, the curriculum and program for occupation of the catering and culinary technician is divided into two separate occupations, so that now there are two occupations, a catering technician and a culinary technician. The same procedure was applied for the Curriculum and the program for architectural and construction technician where there are two occupations: construction technician and architectural technician.

In order to secure the link between secondary vocational education, training and the labor market needs, the tripartite advisory council is established at the level of the Republic of Srpska, which has an advisory role. The Council includes representatives of following institutions: four members representing the labor market, one of which is proposed by the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Srpska, the Employers' Association of the Republic of Srpska, the Employment Service of the Republika Srpska, the Craft and Entrepreneurship Chamber and one member proposed by the Union of Education, Science and Culture of Republika Srpska. Two members are proposed by the Ministry. The Council proposes forms of cooperation of secondary vocational schools with social partners, participates in creating enrollment policy in secondary vocational schools according to labor market needs, collects and provides regular information about needs and changes in the labor market, proposes improvements in practical teaching in secondary vocational schools, proposes to the Ministry a forms for education of teachers in secondary vocational schools, conducts other tasks and activities that contribute to the establishment of greater cooperation between secondary vocational education and the labor market.

Moreover, the previously adopted Education Development Strategy of the RS 2016-2021 recognises the importance of cooperation between education and labour market. All modular curricula in the RS are based on learning outcomes and may refer to a single subject or module, which allows a swift response to labour market changes.

In Republika Srpska, employers take part in the adoption of the adult education program through the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Srpska and the Union of Employers of the Republic of Srpska by giving opinions on the need for the adoption of a specific program, as well as the content of the program itself. Also, employers secure places for practical training.

FBIH Ministry of education and science, together with cantonal ministries has been trying within the last two years to improve enrolment policy, introduction of new qualifications, the quality of practical classes and skills and knowledge that students get from the education so to be easier integrated into the labour market.

To ensure education matches the needs of the labour market, the FBIH Ministry of Education and Science prepared the Strategic Directions for Career Guidance Development in the Federation of BiH in the Period 2015-2020, which underscores the need for providing career guidance to pupils/students at schools and universities in order to reduce enrolment in those profiles that are not in demand in the labour market. Tripartite advisory councils were formed in the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde, Una-Sana, Tuzla, Posavina, West Herzegovina Canton, Zenica Doboj Canton and the Brčko District of BiH to ensure the link between the education sector and the labor market.

In response to the need to improve cooperation between education and labor markets and the need to implement the adopted legislative frameworks calling for the establishment of tripartite councils, at the many levels of government tripartite councils have been established.

The Law on Secondary Education of the Republic of Srpska ("Official Gazette of the Republic of Srpska", No. 41/18) provides the legal basis for the establishment of tripartite councils, which aims to help the school in planning the content of its programs, training and stimulus in relation to strengthening the links between the school and the local labor market.

In addition to ensuring quality communication of actors in education and labor market through the establishment of the council, the most attention within the scope of the VET reform efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina was given to the reform of VET curricula and the development of modular curricula. This shift was intended to bridge the gap between employers and the graduates created the existing skills mismatch. According to the information on implementation of framework Law on Vocational and Training in 2018 different project activities resulted in modular curricula for 79 vocations, which is in line with the provisions of Article 8 paragraph 3 of the Framework Law.

The flexible VET curricula is easily adaptable to the needs of the labor markets, and the modular curricula is applied in high percentages across the country (most notably, in the Federation of BiH Una-Sana Canton 90% and 100% in RS and District Brčko BiH). Secondary VET schools have continued adding new vocational programs in 2017 and 2018. Examples of this practice include revision of curricula. In Zvornik, Vlasenica, Bijeljina, Bileća, Dubica, Doboj and Teslić 23 curricula were revised through joint work of company experts and TVET school teachers. Schools were involved in the development of amended curricula for welder and locksmith in Zenica and Konjic schools, and in the development of amended curricula chefs and waiters in schools in Mostar and Citluk, the curricula was reviewed and changes were proposed in Bosanska Krupa for professions of Computer Design Technician, Mechanic Technician CNC Programmer, Mechanic Technician and CNC Operator.  and were adopted by the Cantonal Ministry of Education.

Schools are becoming more actively involved in making functional connections with labour market through links with companies and businesses in their local communities. The connection is mostly visible through practical training but other forms cooperation, like donation of equipment from companies to schools, companies scholarships for students that attend specific VET programs.

Moreover, schools in Citluk, Konjic, Zenica and Mostar have all developed new processes and supporting documents for practical in-company training as of school year 2017/2018. With a support of SDC project, set of documents for practical in-company training was developed and piloted, on 70 pupils from Technical Schools Banja Luka, Gradiska and Teslic in the project on metal sector with Mechanical Engineering Faculty. Bosnian Podrinje Canton developed very good cooperation of education authorities, local employers.  Other donors that supported development of VET in these locations were DVV, KKA, GiZ and Oxfam.

The mismatch between VET and labour market demand is additionally addressed through efforts on development of the qualifications framework as it is closely linked with employment, because recognisable and recognised qualifications offer an advantage in access to employment in BiH and abroad. 

The Action Plan for the Development and Implementation of the Qualifications Framework in BiH in 2014-2020 provides for the establishment of an Intersectoral  Commission. Although the Commission has not been established to date, the action plan provides for extensive activities, starting with design and development of the BiH qualification framework in order to track and harmonize the needs of the labor market with the skills of recent graduates entering the labor market. This document was adopted by the Council of Ministers and certain number of  occupational standards and related qualifications were developed. This also includes developing quality assurance mechanisms for qualifications and a systemic definition of instruments for internal and external quality evaluation, which should remove unacceptable differences in skills sought and offered in BiH. Additional efforts have been conducted in 2018 to address the labour market mismatch. In  order to cross the bridge between post-secondary education and labour market needs development of a level 5 qualification have been planed. It is very important to note that some of the activities from the Action plan have been performed through QFLLL EU project within recent period.

All these strategic objectives build on European strategic documents, such as the Copenhagen Declaration and Education and Training 2020. They document institutional efforts to address all issues and it is visible that progress has been made to sufficiently match VET with the demands of the labour market and the society as a whole.

Priority task of the BiH employment services is to implement employment policies in order to increase labor market efficiency, including the creation and realization of active employment policy programs and measures.

Every registered unemployed person, in accordance with the relevant laws on employment laws at the relevant levels is entitled to  certain support in case of unemployment which include:  (1) the right to monetary compensation, (2) the right to health insurance, (3) the right to unemployment insurance. In addition to these rights, unemployed person is entitled be informed about employment opportunities and conditions, employment mediation, vocational counselling and vocational training and preparation for employment. The employment services at relevant levels in BIH provided through FBIH Employment Institute, RS Employment Institute, cantonal employment services and Brcko District Institute for Employment has divided their budgets in 2018 to respond to these legal obligations.

VET and CVET are an integral part of the comprehensive efforts to improve access to the labor market and build capacities of the workforce for the existing and emerging professions. Active Labor Market Programs are implemented through international support at the state level and through programs and strategies of the Employment Institutes of the entities and the BD.

The World Bank / International Bank for Reconstruction and Development provided, through a four year long project (2016-20120), structured support to employment of BIH citizens. The value of the Project for the Federation of BiH is € 25 million, and implementing partners are FBIH Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.

The project includes two components: employment promotion through active employment measures and support for management, monitoring and communication systems. The project aims to support employment of 6000 young people and 15.000 hard to employ persons.  

In 2018, the FBIH Employment Institute planned to provide support to more difficult to employ categories: especially young people without working experience, long-term unemployed people, women, etc. FBIH Employment Institute planned to employ around 10,000 unemployed people. The program on employment, self-employment and confining beside other measures, included: employment of youth population to acquire first work experience, support for start-ups, work preparation and training, Roma employment. 

RS Employment Institute in 2017 and 2018 implemented following programs of active measures for employment: "Together to work" - co-financing employment and self-employment of children of demobilized soldiers war veterans (in amount of BAM 4.083.000,00) where 384 persons will be permanently employed and 293  people will be self-employed, "Self-Employment Support Project in 2017" continued in 2018. Total amount of BAM 2.000.000 and was set out to support 380 young people with university degrees to acquire work experience through apprenticeship. In total, employment support for 334 persons over 50 in amount of BAM 1.336.000,00 and, support to employment for 44 Roma citizens in total amount of BAM 236.617,00. 

Brcko District Employment Institute supported employability through program for difficult to employ population group amounted with BAM 527.340. 

Some municipalities also introduced ALMP to support employability, like municipality Novi Grad in Sarajevo, but these depends from municipality financial capabilities. Considering that out of the overall number of jobseekers in 2017 at the country level 27,8% had SSS -  Secondary school education (ISCED 3 - IV level) some additional support for this category should be foreseen.

However, as EC report highlights the active labour market policies are still mostly focused on employment subsidies and less on the training programmes while the data collection is also an issue. 

 

The competent authorities of BIH government levels identify and predict labour force needs based on need analyses and therefore try to make a balance between enrolment policy and labour market demands. This should address the number of VET graduates with specific qualifications that enter the labour market.

The content and the quality of qualifications is addressed through different policy.  The Framework Law on Secondary Vocational Education in BiH (Article 5) defines that tripartite interdisciplinary councils has to be formed at the entities and cantonal level, and in the BD. These councils have an advisory role and they should include employers representatives, unions representatives  and the relevant education authorities. The Ministry of Civil Affairs BIH in tasked with the coordination of at least one annual joint meeting of the tripartite councils. However, to this date, this obligation has not been fulfilled, as the tripartite councils have not been formed at all the designated levels.

A large number of schools also have advisory boards that include representatives of the employers from the economic area for which a school offers vocational programs. In cooperation with the Ministry of Civil Affairs BIH, GIZ is supporting formation of tripartite advisory councils in secondary VET schools. The support will be provided from 2017 to 2020. These tripartite councils in schools serve as a platform for dialogue between the public and private sector. With the approval of the minister in RS, the advisory council in schools can propose changes in the curriculum of vocational programs for up to 30% taking into account the labor market needs of the local community. In general, VET curricula are flexible to certain point, and the modification of curricula content is allowed to up to 30% in order to meet the local market a needs. Furthermore, the Article 12 of the Framework Law on Vocational Education BIH defines design and implementation of VET curricula based on the requirements of the local labor market. Therefore, schools can consult relevant stakeholders in order to create more labour marker adapted VET curricula.

In some local communities the cooperation with employers has been strengthened through signed MoU. With the support of SDC, Bijeljina, Bosanska Krupa, Kakanj, Zvornik, Milići, Zenica, Čitluk, Konjic, Vlasenica, Teslić, Doboj, Prijedor the MoUs were signed among TVET school(s), local authorities and companies with a common goal to revise curricula, improve the training process, train teachers and in-company mentors, and offer apprenticeship positions for work-based learning. These partnerships take form of local TVET council or council for employment, school VET council, cantonal TVET council, or they are just constituted by the MOU.

Moreover, local VET councils were established in Zenica and Kakanj. Both councils are composed of representative of local VET schools, respectable companies and municipal authorities. At the beginning of school year, councils proposed a set of measures to local governments, for improving the situation in local labor market, such as adult training measures and formal VET activities. In Zenica-Doboj Canton, the Chamber has secured key support from several companies at locations in Zenica, Tesanj and Kakanj.

Bosanska Krupa Council for Education and Employment was established new apprenticeship possibilities in 2017. Prijedor Council for Education and Employment, led by PREDA – The Agency for economic development of city Prijedor, led the coordination process related to demand-driven changes in the curriculum of mechatronics technician which resulted in the official proposal for changes of curriculum.

As part of the two years long EU supported project The Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning the Handbook for Quality Assurance in VET l in VET  has been developed together with the Guidelines for Analysing the Needs of Employers and the Strengthening of Partnerships with VET Institutions and Document for Self-Evaluation and External Evaluation at the System Level  and the 2016-2018. 

While there hasn't been official data on training support available and provided for migrants some policies provide education for migrants and refugees while some ad hoc activities have been conducted in different locations in BIH. In accordance with Article 3 of the new Law on Secondary Education of RS, foreign nationals are entitled to acquire secondary education in accordance with this Law and the conventions and agreements concluded with other countries or international organizations. Ministry of Security BIH is the leading institution for migrant/refugee area with its partner institutions.

According to data provided by UNHCR, since the middle of November 2018, there are 6000 migrants in BiH. With a support of UNICEF the education assessment of the migrant children is conducted in six locations in BiH, including Canton Sarajevo, with an aim of determining their current status and needs, in order to develop a plan for their integration in the regular education system in Canton Sarajevo (pre-school, elementary and secondary education).

In January  2019, 134 children of migrants were included in regular education system in Una –Sana canton with the support of Unicef and other international organizations that have  provided school supplies and teachers training. UNICEF in cooperation with Save the Children conducted a Rapid Assessment of Education Needs (hereinafter RAEN), by collecting data at the refugee and migrant sites in three cantons: Una-Sana Canton (Bihać, Cazin, Velika Kladuša), Sarajevo Canton (Sarajevo, Ilidža, Trnovo, Delijaš) and the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (Salakovac Center).

According to the RAEN, there were 144 school age children (51% girls and 49% boys) accompanied by 76 parents (57% mothers and 43% fathers) in the target locations. The Ministries of Education of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and the Sarajevo Canton, as well as the authorities of the city of Cazin have conducted interviews with the children and parents, which found that most of the children suffered from some trauma induced disorder, but that they did not feel at risk. The majority of the children spoke Arabic or Persian as their native language, but 55% spoke English as well, and 13% had a basic understanding of the local (BHS) languages. 33% of the children had previously been involved in formal education in their homeland, and 79% expressed their desire to continue formal education in BiH. The school age children were all between 6 and 14 years of age. The Ministries of Education which participated in the RAEN stated that they have not received any additional funds for the inclusion of refugee/migrant children into the regular education, and that the schools could not even provide the necessary school supplies for these students.  According by Inter Agency Operational Update, BiH, in January 2019 backpacks with school equipment were provided by UNICEF and Save the Children provides snacks in school, while IOM provides transport to and from school in Una-Sana Canton. In Sarajevo UNICEF in partnership with World Vision and SOS Children Village support migrant children. School snacks and school bags are provided to all refugee/migrant children. IOM provide transportation.

The legislation in BIH defines the self-employed persons as those employers who manage a business subject and employ one or more employees, and persons who work for their own account and do not have employees. The percentage of self employment in BIH is slightly decreasing and while the percentage was 26.5% in 2017 this has been decreased to 24.6%. However, there is no available data on VET graduates as self employed.

As reported by the Agency for Employment of BIH the programs that different levels of governance conduct include the following:

• FBIH Employment Institute and cantonal services for employment introduced the program STARTUP (6 milion BAM for 1200 individuals) and Program “Through training to employment “( 2 milion BAM for 1200 individuals)
• RS Employment Institute started the program for employment and self-employment ( 500.000 BAM for 118 individuals), program for finanicing and self employment of children of war veterans in 2018 ( 1 milion BAM for 186 individuals)
• Brcko District of BIH secured the 572.340 BAM for employment of individuals from marginalised and economically deprived categories.  

BiH was one of the first countries in the Western Balkans that developed an Entrepreneurial Learning Strategy in the education systems in BiH 2012-2015, with an Action Plan, in March 2012. The Strategy, which was a result of the EU project Entrepreneurial learning in Education system in BiH phase I,  laid the foundation for the EU project Entrepreneurial Learning in the Education Systems in BiH, stage II in IPA 2011 programming. The project was launched in January 2014 and closed in February 2016. The project enabled approximation of the education systems in BiH with the European education area in several key spheres. As a result of the project following policies have been introduced in reporting period:

• The Program and Guidelines for the Integration of Key Entrepreneurial Competencies into School Education
• Training for the Integration of Key Entrepreneurial Competencies into School Education
• Recommendations for Reporting on Entrepreneurial Learning
• Guidelines for School Partnerships
• Guidelines for Trainers
• Guidelines for the Development of Partnerships-Policies for Entrepreneurial Learning

One of the main project results was development of key entrepreneurial competences and their integration in the curricula and syllabuses at ISCED 2 and ISCED 3 levels. As a result, the significant improvements in 2018 were observed in BIH the areas of entrepreneurial learning and women’s entrepreneurship, which reflects the state approach to develop entrepreneurship key competence through a Common Core Curriculum.

The model developed for the integration of key entrepreneurial competences can also be used for implementation of all other key competences. Moreover, project activities have also helped improve the reporting system in the context of monitoring compliance with the EU Small Business Act (SBA) in the Western Balkan countries, which is a triennial process implemented by OECD, EBRD, ETF and, since 2015, also SEECEL (South East European Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning). The table below shows scores for Dimensions 1 and 8a - Entrepreneurial Learning in the period 2009 – 2018 according to OECD’s report for BiH.  The formal and non-formal entrepreneurial learning have been both improved significantly from 2009 to 2018.

It is important to note that, BIH authorities recognised as a priority and, with a technical and financial support of ETF, developed the Priorities in Entrepreneurship and Digital Competences with Action Plan, 2019-2030. 

Moreover, additional activities have been conducted to support the entrepreneurship in BIH. The COSME - EU programme for the Competitiveness of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises  is available to BIH since 2017 and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations is the leading institution for COSME programme. The COSME runs from 2014 to 2020 with a planned budget of €2.3bn and supports: entrepreneurs, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises, who will benefit from facilitating access to funds for the development, consolidation and growth of their businesses and citizens who wish to start their own business (self-employed), young people and women entrepreneurs who are faced with difficulties in the process of starting-up their businesses. However, there is a certain lack of knowledge and skills of SMEs and individuals to apply for EU funds and acquire support for projects in SMEs development and entrepreneurship.

Therefore, UNDP started a support for participation of BIH SMEs in COSME project in August 2018. Within the scope of the “Local Integrated Development (LID)” Project, which is primarily funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNDP), the “Public call for SMEs from Bosnia and Herzegovina for participation in the training for accessing financial resources through EU COSME programme” has been announced.

 

The evidence that there are less and less students enrolling TVET and opting for the general and ‘academic’ professions leads to the conclusion that problems of hard-to-fill jobs and job mismatch will be even harder to address by the companies. Parents are very often not informed about employment and career opportunities so they make decisions about their children’s education and profession based on limited knowledge.

Number of VET students in overall secondary education system in BIH is slightly increasing in last two years and VET (ISCED level 3) and VET still remains the major population group participating in secondary education.  While in 2010 there has been 74.5% of VET graduates that number increased to 75.9% in 2017. 

Table: Students in vocational programmes as a percentage of total upper secondary students (ISCED level 3, in %)

However, while the  number of VET students is slighly increasing, one of the major problem in VET is attractiveness of the VET programs for BIH pupils. The ministry of Education and Culture of RS and the FBIH Ministry for Education and Science reported that there has been a decrease of interest for the enrollment into secondary VET. ENTAthat are enrolled into the certain deficit programs. This is why the ministries of education and the secondary schools have consducted significant activities in cooperation with international organizations aimed at increasing the popularity of secondary VET. There is an increasing demand for vocations from VET schools on the labor market.

Relevant ministries of education have addressed the lower attractiveness of VET programs through the scholarships for deficit qualifications. Therefore, in 2018, the Ministry of Education of Canton Sarajevo awarded 105 scholarships to pupils who enrol certain, deficit, VET programs in 18 occupations and 11 VET schools. The Ministry of Education and Culture RS in 2017/2018 allocated EUR 80 for pupils that would attend deficit VET education program.

When it comes to participation of pupils in VET issues could be reflected in lower participation of girls over boys in VET, large cohort of those attending VET are from marginalised population group (children with special needs, children coming from economically deprived environment, children with lower school success results). Students who enrol in VET are those with lower school success results and are coming from primary schools of lower quality. The research documented that majority of children without parental care opted for VET as it should be the fastest track to labour market. However, if VET doesn't provide adequate labour market needed skills than the VET graduates are stuck. They have to either continue with additional education through technical schools or to attend adult education. Either option is not easily available for individuals from marginalised and economically deprived population groups.

The gender different in attending VET programs has been addressed in some local communities with international donors support. With a support of SDC, in Tešanj school and Hadžići school the targeted programs in hospitality and catering to attract more girls to enrol. The program resulted more appealing to female candidates - out of 22 students enrolling the hospitality technician course in Tešanj as of 2017/2018, 16 are girls.

However, the gender misbalance is additionally highlighted in education attainment, where the percentage of women without education is four times higher compared to men. 9% of women aged 16 and 2% of men do not have any education and this difference is even worse with older population group. According to the data for those 64 and older, the percentage of uneducated persons is 6.3% for men and 29.7% for women.^[3] According to the latest data on early school leavers, in BiH in 2017, 5.1% of persons aged 18-24 has only two years of secondary education.

According to the first ever survey on adult education in Bosnia and Herzegovina conducted in 2017 the participation in life long learning programs in BiH is still at the low level. In 2017, 8.7% of respondents stated that they have participated in some form of formal and/or non-formal education, while 91.3% of respondents have not participated in formal nor non-formal education.

When it comes to diversification of participation there were more participants in non-formal education and most of them acquired some knowledge through everyday activities. Based on Eurostat data in formal education participated 2.2% of the respondents, in non-formal education participated 6.9% of the respondents, while a significantly larger percentage of respondents, 74.7% of them, intended to obtain knowledge through day-to-day activities or through informal learning.

Lifelong learning is more related to participants that already have higher education and are employed. Respondents aged 25 to 34 and respondents with completed tertiary education were the main cohort of those that participated in formal education and non-formal education. Out of the respondents who participated in non-formal education, 83% were employed persons.

The participants in programs of life long learning, learnt about adult education programs from various sources. 74.7% of respondents who participated in non-formal learning learned about programs mostly from the family members, friends or associates, from printed materials, or from internet. Some of them followed information on television or radio.

When it comes to difficulties that prevented citizens from participating in some form of education and training the reasons are also diverse. Out of reasons that prevented respondents from participating in some form of education and training, the most common reason for women were family responsibilities (51,1%), while for men were conflict with work schedule or training organised at inconvenient time (39,7%).

According to data, a group of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) has been slightly decreasing in country.  The analysis illustrated the 28% of NEET category in 2010 and the decreased in 2017 with the percentage of 24.3%.

However, it has been evidenced in BiH that majority of Roma children (Care International, 2015), children with low performance level and low school success (ETF, 2013), children from rural areas (ETF, 2013), children from economically disadvantaged areas (ETF, 2013) and children without parental care (SOS Kinderdorf report, 2013) attend TVET schools (3 year programs mostly) 

The Roma remain the country’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged minority. A more comprehensive and integrated approach is required to foster their social inclusion. According to the data from Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in BiH 2013, Roma people are the largest minority group in BiH, 0,4% out of total population of BiH. Moreover, based on last available data, in the 2015/2016 school year, 136 Roma students were repeaters while 45 discontinued mandatory primary education, which makes them highly vulnerable. 

In general,  Roma population are largely excluded from the education and economic system of BiH, which contributes to their level of poverty and prevents progress through education and employment. Many members of the Roma population do not have proper documentation, and this is another obstacle in their search for education or employment. This fact also makes it difficult to collect accurate statistical data and assess their needs in housing, healthcare and education. A revised 2017-2020 Roma action plan on housing, employment and healthcare  was adopted by the Council of Ministers, in late 2017. This document does not deal with their status in the education system, and its implementation is stalled due to the lack of financial resources. A Roma Committee within the Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers is active but has only a consultative role. The majority of the reported activities of the Roma Committee are focused on housing, healthcare and social security, and there are no specific efforts towards improving the participation of Roma children in general or VET education. However, it is positive that a document “Framework Action Plan for Roma Education in BiH (2018-2022)”  was developed by Expert team for Roma Education, led by Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees. The document was adopted by Council of Ministers BiH in December 2018 and it consist of 6 goals and  includes all levels of education.

It was also mentioned  in the previous report that there is Revised Action Plan for Roma Education and Ministry for Human Rights and Refugee every year prepare a report on implementation of the Action plan. The new document is to be focus on the issues which are not implemented through previous Action plan and it has a budget for education. 

Another group of students who merit additional attention and support in order to increase their participation in the VET system in Bosnia and Herzegovina are the students with special needs.

According to the Agency of Statistics of BiH  in 2018 there were 398 pupils with special needs in all regular secondary schools, of which 155 girls. According to the data from the  Ministry of Education and Culture of the RS, there are 272 pupils in secondary vocational schools enrolled in the regular curricula with secure  individual education support (of which 215 male and 57 female pupils with various types of difficulties/disabilities).

 

According to the Article 18 of the Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education in BiH the institutions for education have to take all necessary measures to secure conditions for access to and participation in education process for all children and especially in terms of securing free books and learning materials. 

In Republika Srpska the Strategy for development of education 2016 – 2020 addressed the link between education and labour market. The Strategic goal 6. “Strengthening the guidance and information system in supporting student choose the future occupation”, of the Strategy includes activities such as organisation of trade fairs for students. The strategic goal 5 addresses the link of vocational education and labor market with an aim to increase number of VET students in the sectors where the labour force deficit is present. 

However, due to financial constraints at cantonal/entity levels this regulation is implemented selectively in cantons and schools. Financial support for children to complete primary education is mostly allocated based on socio economic condition of the family, national minorities (mostly Roma) while only BD secures free books and transportation to all students. All Roma children in RS get books and school supplies and which is financially supported by local communities. 

While Roma population live in 8 cantons out of ten, free books and transportation costs are provided only in some cantons depending on economic development of the canton[VP1] 

Although Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have a strategy exclusively dedicated to inclusive education, but it is integrated in other strategic documents of entities which include vulnerable categories.  Through Regional project on inclusive education   BiH has prepared an Action plan which is a platform for development of social inclusion and social cohesion.

Moreover, the participation and relevance of VET programs have been recognised by relevant education authorities at different parts of BIH. In accordance with the 2015-2018 Agenda, all government levels in BiH were required to prepare development strategies and most of the Cantons in the Federation and the RS have done so. In some Cantons in the Federation where the strategic documents have been adopted (the Zenica Doboj Canton, the Tuzla Canton, the Western Herzegovina Canton), one of the priority objectives is to strengthen and support education and improve the labour market. The Secondary Education Development Strategy of the Una Sana Canton states, among other things, that improving the quality and attractiveness of VET remains a key challenge.

These Strategies are in line with the strategic documents adopted by the Council of Ministers, including: the Strategic Framework for BiH, the 2015-2018 Reform Agenda, the Sector Planning Document: Employment with Education, the 2016 Action Programme and the South East Europe 2020 Strategy. Other relevant ministries of education addressed the attractiveness of VET as well. Therefore, Ministry of Education of Herzegovina Neretva Canton has recognized the need for the establishment of targeted and efficient communication in order to promote the value of secondary VET, which has resulted in the development of the Communication strategy for VET. The Communication strategy for VET in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton was developed as a part of the „VET in BiH“ project, which is implemented by the German Association for International Cooperation (GIZ).

For the seventh consecutive year, the City of Mostar in cooperation and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, in cooperation with the Pedagogy Institute, the Institute for Education, secondary and primary schools from Mostar, the Youth Council of Mostar and the Council of secondary students of the city of Mostar have organized the Secondary school Fair of the City of Mostar. For the first time, along with the secondary schools, and in cooperation of the Chamber of Commerce of the city of Mostar, there were presenters form construction, touristic, machine and electrotechnical companies.

The need of vulnerable pupils and those coming from marginalised groups are recognised in country level policies. However, the due to policy implementation deficit, mainly caused by financial shortcoming, the need of prospective learners from marginalised and vulnerable groups are only address to certain extend and differently in different parts of the country.

Socially vulnerable groups are educated and trained through lifelong learning by training programmes in employment bureaus of cantons in the Federation of BiH and programmes in secondary vocational schools, while in the RS they are educated and trained through the Adult Education Institute. Local self-government units provide various trainings in rural environments through short public programmes, such as informal and non-formal trainings for women in rural areas (e.g. greenhouse growing) or for young people in rural areas learning of foreign languages through short courses and trainings.

At the same time, Republica Srpka adopted a new Strategy on improvement of the status of the people with disabilities in RS 2017 - 2026. The Strategy states that education of children with special needs is organized in regular and specialized schools and in accordance with international standards. There is also an individual work with children based on their personal needs. The mobile teams are organized to support inclusive education together with defectologist that work at least five hours per week with pupils, parents and teachers. Moreover, assistants provide support to pupils with extensive special needs while students with special needs have a right to receive scholarships. It important that goals of the strategy in the area of education of children with special needs, include education and training of teachers and adaptation of learning books and materials. The Action plan of the strategy includes extension of the list of qualifications that children with special needs can acquire until 2026, establishment of resource centers for support of education of children with special needs. The main issue with strategy is that it doesn't precisely defines the budgets needed for each activity. In addition, RS also adopted the Strategy to Improve Social Protection of Children without Parental Care 2015-2020, as well as the Strategy to Improve the Position of Women in Rural Areas of the RS and the Support Strategy for the Elderly, which also includes lifelong learning. In FBIH the Strategy for Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in FBiH 2011-2015 expired.

All strategies among other things include provision of conditions for lifelong learning and progress, from individual inclusion in the education system to their inclusion in the labour market. The vocational education system should be a link to the overall social context, where it is important that needs of each individual in each social segment (for example education, health care, employment) are recognized and that they are included in some form of education according to their possibilities.

Moreover, the needs of children from marginalised groups have been recognised by local governance. Local self-government provide scholarships to Roma pupils (in the Una-Sana Canton, the Zenica-Doboj Canton, in the Tuzla Canton in the Federation of BiH, in Bаnjаlukа, Priјеdоr, Biјеlјinа in the RS and in the BD of BiH).

With a support of international donors some activities on participation of children with special need in VET education have been provided. Save the Children has invested heavily in Bosnia and Herzegovina, building the capacities of local stakeholders so that they can effectively address a wide range of issues affecting children. The Inclusive Education program, in northern Bosnia, was developed to reach the most deprived children and youth with disabilities. 

SDC supported children from the Public Institution for Education of Children and Youth with Disabilities ‘Center Sunce’ enrolled in culinary occupation. The work-based training is organized in the restaurant of the Centar Sunce whereas trainees prepare food for their fellow residents.

Beside the fact that modular programs have been implemented to certain extent in BIH, with an aim of more flexible implementation of programs in VET, schools in BIH enjoy certain level of autonomy under the Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education BIH and the Framework Law on Vocational Education and Training BIH, and freedom to include and implement contents in accordance with demands of a local labour market.

The Article 12 of the Framework Law on Vocational Education BIH defines design and implementation of VET curricula based on the requirements of the local labor market. In general, VET curricula are flexible to certain point, and the modification of curricula content is allowed to up to 30% in order to meet the local market a needs. A dialogue between the public and private sector is secured through tripartite councils in schools serve. With the approval of the minister In RS, the advisory council in schools can propose changes in the curriculum of vocational programs for up to 30% taking into account the labor market needs of the local community. Parent councils and pupils councils, which are supposed to be formed in all schools, have impact on work of schools and their extracurricular and commercial activities. Therefore, schools can consult relevant stakeholders in order to create more labour marker adapted VET curricula.

During the reporting period, the project “Development of Qualifications Framework for Life Long Learning” that ended in 2018 contributed to the quality and relevance of VET qualification and contributed to the for flexible delivery of programmes. The developed 20 examples of qualifications (including standards of occupations and standards of qualification), covering different types and levels of education.

The Principles and Standards of Adult Education for the first time includes a reference to non-formal education programmes, where accreditation, validation and certification are particularly important aspects of this document. In the validation process, the learning outcomes acquired by an individual through prior learning, whether formal or non-formal, and work experience can be checked and verified through validation of prior learning, after which the individual is awarded a certificate or diploma, depending on the institution performing the validation. This segment is expected to be transposed into the legal provisions of the competent education authorities.

The validation of non formal and informal learning have been also elaborated in the document which was developed through EU project on Qualification Framework  for Life Long Learning. The document identified all procedures to be in place for validation of non-formal and in-formal learning. The development of the qualifications framework is one of the most important strategic priorities for authorities in BiH and it is clear that the process is demanding and the long-term. The strategic document for development of BiH QF is the Action Plan and activities under this plan are in the initial stage. The two-year project Development of Qualifications Framework for Life Long Learning developed Guidelines for development of methodologies for recognition of non-formal, informal learning . The qualifications register is to be developed, as it is planned under the Action Plan while the process of development is led by Ministry of Civil Affairs BIH.

As previously outlined, in 2017, VET students represented 75,9% of the overall upper secondary students (ISCED 3), which is a 0,9% increase compared to 2016. 82% were male and 69.8% were female. Out of the total number of regular students enrolled in secondary VET schools in the 2016/2017 school year in the Federation of BiH, 462 were repeaters (308 male and 154 female). During the same period, 1.289 students left school (778 male and 525 female), while 733 students changed schools (434 male and 309 female). In RS, in the same period, there were 283 repeaters enrolled in regular secondary VET schools (198 male and 85 female). In the 2017/2018 school year, there was only 1 male student repeating their class. 34 students changed schools (21 female and 13 male), while 24 students discontinued their secondary VET education (20 male and 4 female).

Table: A comparison of the percentage of students involved in VET and general secondary education (including repeaters and students who changed/discontinued their education in the 2017/2018 school year

The data shows that VET students (enrolled in both technical schools following 4 year programs and VET schools following 3 year programs) outnumber the students enrolled in general secondary education (+49,3%) in 2017. Furthermore, the number of graduates from VET schools is 48,2% higher than the number of general secondary education graduates. However, the number of VET students who changed schools is 28.94% higher compared to general secondary education.

The “Drop out” rate in EU is commonly defined as the rate of early termination of secondary education without obtaining the desired qualification. While the drop out in BIH hasn't been so high it mainly related to VET students due to lack of comprehensive data it is not possible to conclude if the drop out is a result of migration within or outside the country. There is a significant issue with VET students drop-out rate, where VET students make up 86,6% of the overall number of students who dropped out from secondary education. Moreover, the most notable difference is in the percentage of repeaters in secondary education, where VET students (in both 3 and 4 year programs) make up 92,7% of repeaters in secondary schools in BiH.

When it comes to monitoring of school success, APOSO is responsible to monitor and evaluate the school achievement of pupils in pre-school, primary and secondary education. Evaluation of achievements of pupils in primary education has been implemented while there was not evaluation of secondary school pupils achievements. When it comes to final exam and matura some of the activities were done. One of the most important documents is "Guidelines for drafting legal acts for the implementation of external maturity in BiH". The realization of these activities will start in the following period.

When it comes to international external evaluation, APOSO is also responsible for the external international evaluations, including TIMSS, PISA and PIRLS studies.  The testing within the TIMSS study have been conducted in 2018. The Agency for Pre-School, Elementary and High School education, in cooperation with relevant education authorities in BiH, conducted main PISA 2018 research from 3rd of April until 25th of May 2018. 213 Elementary Schools and High Schools participated in this research. The total number of students in these schools was 6869 out of which 446 were absent and therefore did not participate. In the end 6423 students were tested (3123 female and 3300 male). However, the results of the PISA study are not available yet.

The secondary education legislative framework in Bosnia and Herzegovina regulates the rules and conditions of education for special needs students. The applicable laws on Secondary Education in BiH (RS, the 10 cantons of FBiH and BD) universally provide for equal opportunities and inclusiveness for all students, including those with special needs and developmental difficulties. Each ministry of education and each school have some rules which are specific to their local community, but the underlying approach and principles are the same. The common feature of all applicable laws in this area is the possibility for special needs students to be integrated into regular schools where they will receive education based on special programs or to attend special schools. The Adjusted Curricula for special needs students contains the subjects and weekly and annual of subjects. The Article 35 of the Framework Law for Primary and Secondary education explains that responsible institutions together with schools are responsible to secure access and participation in education process children with special needs, youth and adults.  As Council of Europe study on inclusive education reports, despite existing Framework Law for primary and secondary education the legislation is not fully implemented in practice which results in lack of adequate physical access in all schools. This could be influenced by economic development and financial constraints of municipality where the school is located but anyhow access for all students should be secured.

Moreover, when it comes to policy that should secure assistant for children with special needs situation differs in different parts of BIH.  Assistance for children with special needs as in accordance with the legislation in BIH Law where every child should achieve her or his maximum. The need and regulation for employment of the Assistant for children with special needs in school is not fully clarified in legislation in different parts of BIH together with lack of information on exact role of that Assistant. Special needs students are enrolled into secondary schools based on the opinion and analysis of an expert commission appointed by the competent social security institution, which assesses the needs of the students and provides guidance for their education. The Guidance for Education of Children with Special needs in Federation of BiH (Ministry of education FBIH, 2013) recommends employment of Assistants in schools where there are children with special needs.

In Republika Srpska, according to Article 31 of the Law on Secondary Education of Republika Srpska, students with special needs can attend regular schools under a special program, or enrol in specialized schools for special needs students. Article 88(9) of this law provides that the work with special needs students can be organized in smaller groups, or as individual work with a specialized teacher. According to Article 96, the schools are responsible for the determination and description of the special educational needs of the students, as well as the development of the plan for the implementation of the special educational measures in cooperation with pedagogy and psychology experts. The school can also seek additional education and training for their teaching staff in order to meet the needs of special needs students.  In certain cases, the parents of the special needs students can become involved in the work of the expert teams, the teachers and the school management. The parents are provided with a written report on the students' accomplishments each semester. 

According to the Law on Secondary Education of RS, there can be a maximum of 2 special needs students in regular classrooms, and separate classes for special needs students can have 6-10 students. The maximum enrolment age for students in special needs schools is 21. The grades for special needs students can be numerical or descriptive, depending on the program they are attending.

The other competent ministries of education in BIH prescribe the specific rules and conditions for special needs students, including the content of their programs, the conditions for enrollment and the funding for special needs schools. According to Article 52 of the Law on Scondary Education of BD BiH, the students whose disability, disease or other condition prevents them from attending class in school can receive their education at home, in a medical facility or social center. 

The local government where each special needs school is established bears the costs of transportation, food and lodging for the students (either on a daily basis or long-term). The status and condition of certain special needs students can be re-evaluated at the request of the parents, the school a medical or social security institution.

Schools provide additional support for children with underachievement and additional support for students with extraordinary results. School organizes remedial courses with pupils who lag behind in learning programmes in certain subject areas. The regular and mandatory educational for full-time pupils who have to take an additional (remedial) examination, include: a) preparatory classes, b) practical work and c) consultative and instructional work.

Moreover, the additional classes are offered for pupils who achieve extraordinary results and demonstrate openness to new knowledge.

Education of students with special needs is based on the individual curricula in regular or special units within the secondary education schools, while students with significant developmental disorders are educated at specialised institutions.

Although Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have a strategy exclusively dedicated to inclusive education, but it is integrated in other strategic documents of entities which include vulnerable categories.  Through Regional project on inclusive education^[1]  BiH has prepared an Action plan which is a platform for development of social inclusion and social cohesion. In addition to adjusted curricula and syllabuses, one of the measures is also education of teachers for work in inclusive teaching, which, in addition to special methods, also includes strengthening of social acceptability and acceptance of pupils with developmental difficulties with the aim of developing mutual communication and adjustability in school environment and future working environment during practical training. Where necessary, the Ministry of Education and Culture in the RS also organises mobile teams (mostly special education teachers, pedagogues and psychologists) who visit schools and provide assistance to pupils, teachers and parents of these pupils.

The regional project of the Council of Europe and the European Commission titled “Support for Inclusive Education” was completed in 2015, which contributed to raising awareness of inclusive education of the decision-makers and the broader community, as well as to developing teachers' competences.  Many international organization have provided education and training to teachers in a field of inclusive education like UNICEF and Save the Children. Save the Children has also invested in school infrastructure to adjust facilities at school to invalid students. Save the Children also introduced the “Index for Inclusion” a methodology where the main concept is to make education available for every child and to create conditions for high-quality education, in accordance with the needs and abilities of the students.

The percentage of VET graduates that are unemployed is among largest group in unemployed population, which refers that the transition time of VET graduates from education to employment is too long. 

Moreover, the labour market in BiH is characterised by high inactivity, overall unemployment and youth unemployment rates, which are considerably above EU average. According to the most recent Labor Force Survey Published by the Agency for Statistics in BiH, VET graduates make up the highest percentage of inactive persons in the country. In addition to that, the number of inactive persons with VET qualifications has been steadily increasing since 2016 with a lowest decrease in RS. The largest increase was in FBiH (+2,2%). The table below demonstrates the growth of the inactivity rate of this population over the past three years. The inactivity of young people and the population in BIH is partly related to the socio-economic situation in the country and as previously explained by the high percentage of young people who want to leave the country.

Table: Inactive citizens with vet qualifications (%of the overall inactive population in BIH)

When it comes to wages expectation for VET graduates in BIH, according to the recent study on expected versus actual wages, there are certain differences in gender and location of VET students. Female students on average expect lower wages while VET students from rural areas may overestimate their expectations. LFS data suggest that realised wages are higher among male workers, in rural areas, but decrease with age. Female VET graduates earn almost 30% less than their male counterparts. These lower wages are expected, as a vast majority of previous studies on determinants of wages found evidence of gender pay gap in different parts of the world, including BiH.

Various policies in BIH have addressed the employability and transition to employment. The Agency for work and employment BIH develops a plan on active measures for employment in cooperation with RS Employment Institute and FBIH Employment Institute and Brcko District Institute for Employment, and submit it to Ministry of Civil Affairs BIH.

These plans, although different in allocated amount and activities, usually include measures for employment of youth population, individuals from marginalised or disadvantaged groups like Roma, person with special needs, older and hard to employ population, population of war veterans. The broad range of measures mostly includes subsidies, training for preparation for employment, support for self-employment, co-financing of employment and support for development of to start-ups. 

In 2018, the Council of Ministers adopted the Decision on the Adoption on the Plan on the Guidelines for Labor Market and Active Employment Measures Policies in BiH for 2018, which was proposed by the Ministry of Civil Affairs BIH. This Decision outlines the policy, past and upcoming activities aimed at improving the employability and transition to employment at the state and entity level, and in the BD. However, the active labour market policies are still mostly focused on employment subsidies and less on the training programs.

In regard to CVET policy the Agency for Pre- Primary, Primary and Secondary Education has implemented EPALE project - a platform for professionals  and stakeholders in the Life Long Learning-  since 2015 with the aim of improving the adult education system in Bosnia and Herzegovina and approaching European educational standards. BIH also participates in EU Adult Education Program (EAAL) which is focussed on promoting concept of basic skills and developing a model for training the adults in basic skills, while the EAAL focus in BiH is on language, social, civic and entrepreneurial skills. BiH representatives take part in conferences outside of BiH and APOSO, VET department also organize conferences in BiH for professionals and stakeholders in this field. BIH participates also in another platform -  e- Twinning a community for schools in Europe - in which teachers, head masters and librarians collaborate, cooperate, develop project and are part of the exciting learning community in Europe. BiH has started its participation in ERASMUS Plus since 2015.

Significant efforts have been made in making the labour market transition more feasible, and relevant institutions in BIH addressed the issues of facilitating the transition from VET to employment through different measures.

The Ministry of Education of Bosnian Podrinje Canton in 2018 adopted the Program of professional orientation for primary and secondary school students which defines the measures and activities:

1.    Harmonization  of the regular secondary education with th needs of the labor market 

•    Revision of the curricula in accordance with the needs of the labor market

•    Analysis of the strategic youth education in accordance with the needs of BPK Goražde

2.    Planning and implementation of the programs for additional development (requalification and additional qualifications) in accordance with the needs of the labor market

•    Analysis of the future needs of the labor market 

•    Determination of priorities for individual requalification and additional qualifications 

•    Cooperation with NGOs and various government levels for the systematic and unified resolution of issues with non-perspective occupations.

Chamber of Commerce of Zenica Doboj Canton actively participated in establishment of the Adult Education Council. The Chamber has participated in preparation and adoption of the Law on adult education in the this canton and accordance to this Law Council on adult education of the Zenica-Doboj Canton will coordinate and propose measures in adult education field. Moreover, a new public program for adult training funding was introduced in Zenica-Doboj Canton, implemented in cooperation with the and Public Employment Service and Cantonal Government.  The Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton will participate 50% in the cost of adult trainings.  

MSŠ Tešanj in cooperation with Koteks, a Tešanj-based company, develop an outcome-based training program for seamstress/tailor and 30 unemployed persons have attended the CVET program in 2018. 

Regional adult training center with apprenticeships at work place was established by Mechanical Engineering Faculty in Banja Luka, in partnership within 3 TVET schools in 3 cities and metal processing industry. The center will support employability of secondary schools graduates. In addition, it will provide possibilities for unemployed adults and existing employees to gain additional skills and knowledge through tailored trainings within nine professions required by labor market.

New adult training center in cooperation with transport “Centrotrans” was established in Canton Sarajevo. The center will be used to implementation of adult learning programs in transport and car maintenance and also for organization of practical classes in VET. In addition, the association of wood production companies ‘Klaster Drina drvo’ from Birač together with Milići local authorities in RS, established the adult education center for wood and furniture production.

 

In BiH, i.e. the Federation of BiH, the RS and the BD of BiH, career counselling is mainly organised in secondary vocational schools and is provided by pedagogues or psychologists engaged in career counselling for pupils. Pedagogues or psychologists, who work on career guidance and counselling of students, provide professional orientation within the educational system of schools.The aim of the career guidance and counselling system is to provide information to pupils and help them decide to work or to continue education. So far, in order to address the career guidance the relevant ministries have developed and distributed various brochures of different occupations or organising employers’ visits to schools, open days etc.  The precondition for the realization of this approach in RS is the creation of the Work Program on career guidance and student counselling, which is for all active participants in the realization of this process, teachers, professional associates, pupils and parents. Within the program, every year in RS, secondary schools prepare presentations, brochures and other suitable materials for students who complete primary education to help them decide on future occupation. Also, open door days and Occupation Fair are organized by the Ministry of Education and Culture RS in cooperation with secondary schools. At the same time, higher education institutions also provide support to high school students through presentations in secondary schools and organised visits HE.

Professional orientation within the labor market is carried out by the Employment Service, among other things, through the preparation of professional and informative brochures for enrolment in secondary schools. It is important that the Chambers of Commerce and the Employers 'Association participate in strengthening the guidance and information system in the selection of students' future interests, with a special emphasis on improving the existing skills of workers.

The main activities that the Agency for Employment BIH reported in 2018 include:

• Program for employability of youth supported through YERP project where 16 centers for youth has been opened to date. The aim of these CISO centers is to provide counselling to youth in regard to faster and easier employment.
• JOB 26 clubs, supported by YEP (Swiss Development cooperation project) that support unemployed people in their search for job.
• Professional counselling and guiding performed by institutes at the entities and cantonal level and Brcko District.

Moreover, the Strategic Direction of Career Orientation in the Federation of BiH for the period 2015-2020 have been adopted by Government of the Federation of BiH where the existing career orientation models are described, as well as its importance, particularly in terms of employment of young and long-term unemployed persons. However, there is no Action plan for implementation.  The Education Development Strategy of the RS, the Action Plan for 2017 envisages activities for improvement of this field (strategic goal 6 within the activities will include improved information system for graduates to be better informed about the labour market needs,  improvement of career counselling in school though development of work program of schools. Establishment of network of different stakeholders that would support sustainable system of career counselling is also part of the Strategy.

In Herzegovina Neretva Canton VET schools provide the opportunity to the regular students to change the program they have enrolled into, usually after finalisation  of the first grade of secondary school. This option is used by a small number of students.

A larger number of public schools organizes adult education, and therefore increases access to the labor market. The employment service of the Herzegovina-Neretva canton provides professional counselling services, which are aimed at the students of the final year of primary and secondary education. The Ministry is not involved in these activities, and that is one of the areas for improvement.

The VET reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) was initiated in 1998 with the Green Paper VET Policy and Strategy and included introduction of the modular curricula and syllabuses in BiH. Since then, various projects and donors supported development of modular curricula and syllabuses in all families of professions (EU VET I-II, GTZ, KulturKontakt Austria, Swiss Development Cooperation).

The teaching process in VET and CVET includes theory-based learning in school classrooms and practical classes. While different legislation defines differently practical classes in different part of BIH, in general practical classes can be organised on following ways: in schools if it is technologically equipped school, through individual apprenticeship or through group visits to companies. There is also a possibility to organize practical classes over summer or winter break. Canton Sarajevo adopted a Guide on summer practice in secondary schools (Official Gazette, 2017) and defined that pupils in second grade can attend up to ten days and pupils of third to fourth grade up to 15 days of this practice in companies. Kultur Kontakt Austria through its project Cooperation between Schools and Business supported improvement of the quality of practical training for pupils by promoting cooperation between partners in the tourism industry and from tourism and hospitality management schools. As a result VET schools got the equipment and made important connections with respective companies for training. Moreover, the virtual companies have been developed in economic schools and made a example of good practice. The handbook for the practice-oriented vocational instruction coordinators as well as good practice examples of cooperation between schools and businesses are designed to help the schools to further develop their cooperation with businesses.

However, teaching methods continue to mostly rely on rote learning and not updated  curricula, and there is still a room for improvement of the practice-oriented education. However,

Work-based learning is still not part of the formal vocational education system in Bosnia Herzegovina in general, neither in policy or in a specific program. Many of the components of work-based learning are applied through practical classes but to a limited extent:  partnership arrangements, modularisation and outcomes based curriculum. There is a lack of systematic guidance on application of work-based learning that would take context of Bosnia and Herzegovina into account. Some of the conditions for work based learning have been to some extent fulfilled in this reporting period. As a result of the EU supported project a set of comprehensive learning outcomes is defined for certain qualifications where employers and vocational training institutions were involved ensuring a balance between specific job-related skills and key competences supporting both the personal development and lifelong career opportunities of the apprentices with a view to adapt to changing career patterns.

Having in mind various forms of work-based learning: in company training where trainees are paid for their work, apprenticeships and alternance training, internships, company /workplace simulations work life familiarisation, there is a lack of systematic approach to work-based learning in any of its forms in BIH.  One of good examples of work based learning, supported by GIZ, is recently organised successful cooperation between metal factory and cooperation with VET school in Travnik where students are paid during their practise.

Taking into account the EU criteria for work-based learning, while the interest for work-based learning in BIH is increasing, there are certain policy issues which have to be addressed taking the socio economic development of the country:

There is a lack of in-company trainers that should be designated and tasked to cooperate closely with vocational education and training providers and teachers to provide guidance to apprentices and to ensure mutual and regular feedback. Teachers, trainers and mentors should be supported to update their skills and competences in order to train apprentices according to the latest teaching and training methods and labour market needs.

In order to introduce any pay and/or compensation for apprentices, in line with state or sectorial requirements or collective agreements, and taking into account cost-sharing arrangements between employers, apprentices and public authorities would require significant legislation changes.

Next challenge for BIH would be to secure for all apprentices the social protection and necessary insurance where the host workplace would comply with relevant rules and regulations on working conditions, in particular health and safety legislation.

One of the significant challenge for BIH would be a financial and/or non-financial support provided for small, medium-sized and micro-companies, based on cost-sharing arrangements between employers, apprentices and public authorities, enabling cost-effective apprenticeships for companies.

Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to further work on systematic career guidance which would be further elaborated in following chapter.  Career guidance, mentoring and learner support should be also provided during the apprenticeship to ensure successful outcomes and reduce drop-outs. Apprenticeships should be promoted through awareness-raising activities.

In summary a clear and consistent regulatory framework should be in place based on a fair and equitable partnership approach, including a structured and transparent dialogue among all relevant stakeholders. This may include accreditation procedures for companies and workplaces that offer apprenticeships. This framework should very seriously take into account socio economic context of the country and assess potential for introduction of the work based learning. 

The inadequate capacities of the school facilities and the insufficient level of training and education of the teaching staff are certanly large problems for VET. While schools lack adequate infrastructure for the organization of practical classes, contributing to the escalation of the problems faced by VET education, a further exacerbation of this is a lack of continuous professional development for VET teachers in their specialized fields. This leads to the fact that teachers are not in the position to lead practical classes that are in line with state-of-the art technological developments that have already been adopted by industry within the BIH.

According to the research conducted by GIZ on the needs for youth policies indicate that the secondary and higher education students are dissatisfied with the technical equipment in the schools, as well as the practical courses. The research determined that only a third of the students has had experience with practical learning, and that the students who have engaged in practical learning did not find it beneficial, due to the outdated infrastructure. Therefore, there is a need for increased investments into the equipment in the classrooms and workshops for practical courses, as well as the stimulation of employers to allow students to practice at their premises, and to provide professional development for the teachers at the companies as well.

APOSO, with support of ETF, has developed the Guidelines for Development of Standards for the Accreditation of Training Programs for VET Teachers in BiH in 2018. This document provides the standards and procedure for the accreditation of training programs for VET teachers. It is very positive that the vocation education of teachers, methods in teaching and work-based learning are recognised as high priority in the Guidelines.

When it comes to development of policies for introduction of work based learning it has been addressed by government at different levels in BIH. Canton Sarajevo government decided to introduce dual education following example of Serbia where dual education should be implemented from 2019/2020.

Therefore, a Canton Sarajevo drafted a Law on Dual Education in 2018 with support of GIZ. According to that Law the extent of learning through work is at least 25%, and up to 75% of the total number of hours, in accordance with the appropriate curriculum. Moreover, work based learning would be implemented in accordance with the school calendar during the school year in the period of 8-20 hours, with a maximum of six hours per day or 30 hours per week in accordance with the curriculum. The work-based learning would be organised in duration of maximum 6 hours per day and 30 hours per week.  The Law on Dual Education in Canton Sarajevo hasn't been adopted yet.  The BPK has adopted, with a support of GIZ,  some rulebook for introduction of dual education as well.

Various other initiatives have been conducted in 2017 and 2018 to improve the training/teaching and learning methods in VET in BIH but those initiatives were mostly supported by international donors. Most of those activities were focused on training of teachers in specific industries or introduction of practical training for pupils in companies.

With a support of Skills for Job project, the KulturKontakt Austria implemented a project (from April 2017 – April 2018) that defined the success factors for the different formats of work based learning options, which are currently implemented in BiH, bringing the necessary clarity and coherency to meet the different needs of different economic sectors and companies, but still ensuring a high quality practical training education for VET students.

In RS number of activities have been conducted through support of Swiss Development Cooperation and Skills for Job project. Prijedor Development Agency PREDA PD, Agency for Development of SMEs of the City of Doboj, Bijeljina City Department, Development Agency of Istocno Sarajevo (RAIS), Agency for SME Development Trebinje and Una-Sana Canton Chamber of Commerce jointly worked on improvement of the apprenticeship in school workshops or at work place in companies, implementation of training for teachers to use equipment that have been donated to schools as part of the project.

Chamber of Commerce City of Mostar worked on improvement of the quality of practical in-company training for 200 pupils and on enhancing capacities of VET system of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) for industry-oriented  practical training of VET  pupils and adults  in the sectors of metal-processing and tourism and hospitality.

In addition, training for teachers of vocational teaching in furniture and wood processing industry was organised in Sarajevo.  As part of the Adult Education project, the German Agency for International Cooperation trained teachers for training in adult education in certain communities of BiH.

The teaching and learning environment remains a challenge in BIH. Due to its specific organisation of the education it is very difficult to introduce the system at the country level that would include efficient infrastructure investment and overall modernisation of schooling. The system is very expensive compared to its efficiency as most of the financial resources have been used for education provider’s salaries while an extremely small percentage of an annual education budget is left to investment in infrastructure. While the previously implemented EU project – EU VET II provided support in technological equipment based on the school need and depending of schools profile, some cantons and RS through their own policy measures invest more in infrastructure and ICT modernisation to improve training and learning environment.  In RS schools are individually creating a plan for modernizing the teaching process. This refers to the form of procurement procedures and equipping the school with modern tools, machinery, equipment and teaching, in cooperation with employers, domestic and foreign donors and through various projects.

The total number of teachers in VET and Technical schools in BIH 2017/2018 was 7.872 (7.426 in technical schools and 446 of teachers in vocational schools), which is 62,52% of the overall number of teachers in the BiH education system (total 12.591). 3.200 (40,65%) of teachers were male and 4.672 (59,34%) were female. The largest number of teachers 858 were in the 35-39 age group, and the smallest group of teachers were aged 65 years and over (13, or 0,16%).

The FBIH Agency for Statistics does not provide data on the status of VET teachers separately, but they address this data on cumulative level of all secondary education teachers.  The number of secondary education teachers in FBIH was 8.564 (5.914 female) in 2017/2918 school year. The number of full time teachers employed on a permanent basis was 4.684 (2.834 female). The number of full time teachers employed on a temporary basis was 924 (531 female). The number of teachers in Vocational and Technical schools in the 2017/2018 school year in RS was 2.011 (1.606 female). The number of full time teachers employed permanently in Vocational Technical Schools was 767 (570 female). Separate data for VET schools teachers in RS were not available.

The percentage of teachers in secondary schools in 2017/2018 have been generally stable (reduced for about 1% compared to previous year). After a notable decrease of the number of VET teachers between the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 school years, where the number of VET teachers fell from 8.086 in 2015/2016 to 7.831 in 2006/2017 (-3,2%), there was an increase in the number of VET teachers to 7.872 (+0,5%) in the 2017/2018 school year. 

Table: composition of teacher workforce in BIH, 2017/2018 (in numbers)

Table: composition of teacher work force in BIH, 2017/2018 (in percentage)

At the same time, continuing decrease of the number of pupils, particularly in certain vocations, is becoming a serious challenge. An average number of pupils per teacher in BiH was 11 in 2017/2018. This situation has been mainly caused by (1) constant drop of birth rate in BIH and decrease number of pupils, (2) migrations of the population of BiH to other countries, particularly the EU. It is slightly higher in the RS (18), while in the Federation of BiH it varies from canton to canton between 10 and 17 and in the BD of BiH it is 16.

Table: Student – teacher ratio, 2016 - 2018

For several years, a challenge was redundant employees where there is no need for teaching certain subjects but due to employment status of teachers (public official and full time employee) it is not possible for those teachers to be laid off. Some schools retrain those teachers or let them organise practical training for pupils. Redundant employees are one of the challenges, which must be seriously addressed by competent authorities.

It can be concluded that number of teachers is, with small variations, generally stable. Qualifications of teachers are regulated by corresponding laws, that require higher education degrees for teachers in VET.  Aging or gender imbalance is not an issue in VET education but the main problem in composition of teachers is redundant employees issue. Additional challenge is constant decrease of number of pupils which results in constant decrease in pupils teachers ratio which is currently 11.

The profiles and qualifications of teachers are defined based on the requirements of the curricula for each subject. VET teachers have to complete the first cycle of higher education with 240 ECTS points or the second cycle of higher education for persons who were enrolled in 3+2+3 programs of higher education. All teachers have to take the professional exam after one year of practice in the school that they completed under the mentor supervision. Teachers in secondary vocational educationin RS have to complete adequate studies, after which, during their internship, they have to aquire experience and to prepare for taking the professional exam for independent work in the teaching process. They are also required to take the exams from pedagogical group of subjects in order to be better equipped to work with pupils in education system.

Furthermore, in BIH, a persons who have not completed the faculty for teacher education have to complete additional education in pedagogy, psychology, methodology and didactics, in order to be employed as teachers.

All new teachers should have passed the mentoring phase before their licensing exam; new teachers must have mentors who will visit and observe their classes, and whose classes the mentee must attend and observe. However, there is no specific training for mentors, so teachers with longer experience generally being selected to become mentors. The policy on mentorship varies in different part of country. The Book of Rules for Professional Development of Teachers in Sarajevo Canton, for example, makes the pedagogical institute of the canton responsible for providing special support to a teacher that has not taken the professional teachers exam, and this support includes appointment of a mentor. For example, in Bosnian Podrinje Canton, the teachers’ council within a school decides on the mentoring programme for new teachers and appoints the mentor (Article 122, Law on Secondary Education of BPC). Mentors are responsible for verifying and monitoring the work of the teachers during the mentoring phase and the new teachers should work according to the mentor’s instructions within this period. The new teacher should take a professional exam, where the cantonal-level Ministry for Education appoints the exam committee (Law on Secondary Education of Bosnian Podrinje Canton). The Law on Secondary Education of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton states that the new teacher is required to take a professional exam after an apprenticeship period that cannot last less than six months (Article 97, Law on Secondary Education of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton). This Law, however, does not specify inclusion of a mentor within the process of a teacher’s apprenticeship.

Details and comprehensive data on mentoring practice and professional examinations is regulated by bylaws of responsible education authorities. Associates, providers and organizers of practical classes should have a long-term experience in a certain profession and completed the fifth level of vocational education and training (post-secondary education or at least a VET school). These associates have to pass exams in pedagogy and psychology before entering the teaching process.

While education procedures for becoming a teacher and a trainer in a VET school/institution are in place and are regulated based on the mandate at cantonal, RS and BD levels, certain issues are noticeable. The mentorship process for new teachers is not precisely regulated and it varies in different parts of country. There is no regulated procedure for trainers in companies that would work with pupils during their practical classes. All these issues influence the quality of  further teaching process in VET.

Teachers in BiH are employed on a full-time or a part-time basis. The overall number of secondary school teachers employed on the full-time basis has decreased from 8.338 in 2016/2017 to 8.283 in 2017/2018 (-0,7%). The overall number of secondary school teachers employed on the part-time basis has decreased from 4.314 in 2016/2017 to 4308 in 2017/2018 (-0,2%).

There are certain restrictions in further employment of teachers where further increase of public officials, including teachers, has been put on hold. New full time teacher can be only employed in case he/she will replace a teacher that is going to be retired. In case of maternity leave or a long term sickness teachers can be employed on limited time contract basis.

Current employment policy for teachers restricts employment of new teachers and trainers in VET and limits the full potential of VET in BIH. 

While there is no detail analysis of quality of teachers in BIH some issues are easy to observe. BiH is faced with redundant teaching staff, which is mainly caused by employment status of teachers as public officials and lack of adequate CPD policy. Teachers’ positions are generally guaranteed upon employment and after passing the teachers’ exam, while their job performance is not related to their salaries. One of the major problems in CPD is a lack of motivation amongst teachers to attend the offered CPD.

These problems are coupled with changes of needs for certain subjects to be taught and lack of financial resources and capacities of pedagogic institute to provide adequate professional development of teachers. This is indeed the unfavourable situation for the education sector. A critical issue in Pedagogic Institutes is human capital which is particularly problematic in terms of their capacities to support and in particular to support VET reforms. Precisely, there is a lack of advisers for VET in Pedagogic Institutes.

In RS, the group counselling work is organized for teachers of the profession for which the inspectors-educational advisors at the Pedagogic institute are employed. The CPD consists of a theoretical but also a practical part through organized seminars, trainings or round tables are also advertised on the website of the Institute and are available to all interested teachers.

In some schools in BIH, depending on the needs of schools, teachers who are redundant employees are retrained to perform other tasks in the same school or are transferred to different schools. In most of cases the status of teachers is equal to the status of other civil servants in the education sector but there are some differences from canton to canton in the Federation BIH, depending on available funds in a specific canton. Many teachers do not have social and financial security because schools have been employed them for a specific time (few months or for a schooling year), i.e. while there is a need for teaching the specific subjects.

Moreover, as study on initial education of teachers showed, there is a quality issue in higher education of teachers in BIH. The initial education of teachers in BiH is still orientated to the content and not based on learning outcomes and competencies. This means that when planning the subject in curricula and programs the creators refer to what students, future teachers need to learn, not what they need to be competent for. The initial education of subject teachers includes the syllabus which is predominantly based on adoption of academic knowledge of the subject areas while provide very little focus on the development of teaching competences. In most of the cases these studies  for teachers only offer one semester at the undergraduate level with subjects in general pedagogy and psychology, and up to two subjects from methods. An additional problem in initial education of teachers is lack of subjects on broad education policy areas such as contemporary movements in education and education reforms in BIH and beyond.

Moreover, teachers is BIH, including VET teachers as well, have, in most of the cases, limited exposure to world of work, which if coupled with lack of effective continuous professional development results in teaching staff with non updated competences.  As reported, the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Srpska continuously works on improving the conditions for carrying out the teaching process through various projects.

In summary, the redundant number of teachers, the initial education of teachers and their continuous professional development are the main obstacle that jeopardise the quality of teachers cohort in BIH.

Teacher’s position in BIH is not very attractive and valued as it should be, especially   since teachers invest significant efforts to respond to system challenges and help children achieve the best possible results. Institutions are devoted to improve system oversights through policies and initiatives. 

While the number of VET teachers is generally constant, there haven’t been any changes in the employment status of teachers, the qualification requirements to become a teacher, or the structure of teachers’ career path. However, the situation differ in some cantons. Therefore, as reported by the ministry of Education in Bosnian Podrinje Canton the Law on Secondary Education provides calls for new teacher staff twice a year and in that aspect there is a constant need for the employment of new staff.

One of the joint issue for all is that the policy that would address the training of trainers in companies haven’t been developed yet. Although some effeorts have been made, it is still noticeable that the teachers profession in VET is not very attractive in BIH , Some initiatives have been  introduced  to make teachers position more attractive, optimise the teaching workforce and to attract private sector practitioners to become (part-time) trainers in VET and those are explained in the following chapter.

APOSO, with the technical and financial support of the European Training Foundation, developed Guidelines for developing accreditation standards for teacher training programs in secondary vocational education.

Although efforts have been made it seems that there is a certain need to additionally improve a policy measures that would attract better graduates to become teachers in future. While APOSO, in cooperation with the relevant educational authorities, and with a support of KulturKontakt, developed a Handbook for Practical Teaching Coordinators, it is also important to develop a policy for training of trainers in companies that would work with pupils during their practical training process. Smilary, Slovenia has found some joint solution and introduced policy where trainers from companies that don't have any teaching experience work together with VET teachers during the practical classes for pupils.

Are there any incentives for professional development, such as progression to the next step on the career ladder, financial incentives, or others?

The Agency for Preschool, Primary and Secondary Education BIH, together with all competent ministries and pedagogical institutes, prepared and published in 2014 the document Model for Improvement of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) System for Preschool Teachers, Teachers and Professional Associates in BiH. The Model presents an analysis of the situation in BiH before 2014 and states that in the previous ten years vocational training of teachers was not treated as a part of the overall system of professional development of teachers. Reform changes have not been supported by systematic investment in the development of teaching profession, improvement of quality and improvement of teachers' position which affects the quality and effects of the education system at all levels. 

Moreover, in 2018, with technical and financial support by ETF, APOSO developed the Guidelines for Development of Standards for the Accreditation of Training Programs for VET Teachers in BiH. . This document provides the standards and procedure for the accreditation of training programs for VET teachers. It is important that these guidelines are incorporated into the legislation in different parts of BIH.

In its report on Continuing Professional Development of Teachers ETF emphasized the CPD field as one of strategic priorities in vocational education in BiH. While CPD is recognized and included throughout VET teachers’ career structures, and each teacher has to submit a list of training that they have attended as part of CPD on an annual basis,  there is a concern that innovation and design of CPD is too dependent on international initiatives, so that such initiatives are not sustained and not replicated within the country.

Teachers are mainly motivated to undertake CPD by the points collected as part of their CPD activities, which can help them in career advancement. There are several stages of career advancement available for teachers, and CPD plays role in their promotion. In general, there are three career advancement stages for teachers. Stages are the following: teacher-mentor; teacher-counsellor and teacher-senior counsellor. Differences to this system can be seen, for example, through the positions available for teachers’ promotion in Bosnian Podrinje Canton, being: (a) teacher, teacher mentor, teacher advisor and teacher senior advisor and (b) officer, senior officer and officer advisor. As noted above, there is not systematic collection of data about what CPD teachers have experienced. This is required in some entities. For example, in Sarajevo Canton, the pedagogical institute should have evidence of activities related to CPD of teachers in the canton (Article 6, Book of Rules for Professional Development of Teachers in Sarajevo Canton).

However, since the CPD hasn’t been properly promoted, CPD content hasn't matched teachers needs, and it hasn't been adequately valued throughout policies, teachers generally view CPD as an imposition on their free time, rather than an advancement of their careers. More precisely, as ETF study of CPD in Western Balkan reported teachers perception on CPD in BIH is mostly result of not appropriate content of CPD (that isn’t adapted to teachers individual needs and lacks training in advanced vocational development) and quality of offered CPD together with lack of system approach that would evaluate CPD adequately.

While the professional development of teachers have been regulated by bylaws in respective ministries of education, there are no strict requirements regarding either professional development or performance evaluations to be met in order to remain in the teaching profession. This mainly refers to licencing of teachers, where there is no policy in BIH that would regulate the licencing procedure of teachers after certain amount of time.

It is very positive that in some parts of the country the issue of licencing has been recognised, ex. in Republika Srpska,  ministries of education addressed this issue, but there hasn't been further policy development. After the adoption of the Law on Primary Education and Secondary Education of RS, the Ministry of Education and Culture RS has issued a Rulebook on Professional Development and Promotion of Directors, Teachers and Professional Associates, which prescribes the criteria for the evaluation of staff, extension and revocation of the license.  However, in 2012 amendments were made to the Law on Primary Education, Secondary Education and Education of RS, in which the licensing of directors, teachers and professional associates was abolished, and in 2015 the Rulebook on Professional Development and Promotion of Directors, Teachers and Professional Associates was put on hold, so the teachers licensing was also on hold. Although the licensing would increase the quality of teaching teachers’ unions  are the main obstacle to introduce teachers licensing in BIH.

It can be concluded that a minimum requirements for professional development of teachers are defined but differently in different parts of BIH.  Teachers do not value CPD an advancement of their careers which is mostly caused by inadequate quality and content of offered CPD together with lack of system approach that would valuate CPD adequately. The financial incentives haven’t been defined but the CPD plays a role in teacher’s career advancement.. The Guidelines for Development of Standards for the Accreditation of Training Programs for VET Teachers in BiH has been developed in 2018 where standards and procedure for the accreditation of training programs for VET teachers.

The evaluation of teachers’ performance is regulated by different legislation in different parts of the country. Teachers are obliged to participate in evaluation procedures – according to the Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Each governmental entity has specific by-laws that regulate the evaluation of teacher performance, which is conducted by school director, advisors and/or inspectors from the local pedagogical institute, assuming that such an institution exists and has a sufficient evaluation capacity. According to legislation, in general teachers have to be visited once every two years in order to be evaluated. The score they receive can range from not satisfactory, through satisfactory and good, to excellent. However, evaluations are not based on common quality standards and teachers are not provided with sufficient guidance, feedback or support in the instance of a disappointing evaluation. There are no strict requirements regarding either professional development or performance evaluations to be met in order to remain in the teaching profession. A positive performance review does not have any serious implications either. A good evaluation does not influence salary or bonuses, because higher salaries are only related to career advancement.

Each teacher has to submit a list of training that they have attended as part of CPD on an annual basis. School directors and/or advisors at the pedagogical institutes evaluate a teacher’s work, including the teacher’s participation in organized CPD events, on an annual basis.

It has to be noted that a step forward has been made. The Guidelines for Development of Standards for the Accreditation of Training Programs for VET Teachers in BiH that APOSO developed is an important step to improve the CPD of teachers which would contribute to the overall performance of  VET teaches in BIH.

The need to invest in the development of teaching professions has also been placed in focus through the Western Balkans Platform on Education and Training, which is one of the initiatives of the European Commission initiated in 2012 to assist the Western Balkan Countries in their reform efforts. At the first meeting at the highest level, in which ministries of education in BiH also participated, professional development of teachers was identified as one of the key priorities in the following period.

A need for financial and expert support to increase capacities of authorities dealing with CPD for teachers at all levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be recognized. The need for professional education of teachers is recognized by the teachers themselves, and some activities are implemented, but, due to a lack of recognition of this field by authorities, the implementation is mostly performed upon an ad hoc basis. There is lack of unified programmes for teachers. The conclusions of the study that APOSO conducted in BIH in 2014 on key CPD issues are still relevant and they include:  (1) initial education of teachers, (2) curricula for teachers’ education; (3) lack of financial resources; and (4) outdated skills and knowledge of teachers.

The relevance of the VET content in BiH is a bit challenged by inclusion of all relevant stakeholders in its development, financial resources available to enable infrastructure for VET programs implementation, organisation and quality of practical classes and competences and skills of teachers to teach the VET programs and to adapt programs to constantly changing VET environment.  

As FBIH Ministry for Education and Science reported, the curricula for secondary education in the Federation of B&H for the some part do not follow the needs of the labor market to a sufficient degree, regarding the provision of the competences which are sought, as the majority of the occupations for which the students are trained are not adjusted to the needs of the labor market. The Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Srpska regularly evaluates curricula with the aim of aligning it with the requirements of the labor market. In school 2018/2019  the process of evaluation of curricula for three professions and five professions has been started.

The Ministry for Education of Bosnian Podrinje Canton reported that according to the available data, the content of VET programs is harmonized because it is defined by the work of the tripartite council which operates very efficiently every year.

With the support of ETF, the document a  "List and Analysis of Existing Vocational Qualifications in Bosnia and Herzegovina " have been completed in 2017. There was a total of 1,155 vocational qualifications in 2017, out of which 836 were formalized in secondary vocational schools, while 310 were acquired through lifelong learning programs. The highest number of qualifications are from formal VET levels 3 and 4. Only 6 qualifications were at the level 2, while at the level 5 were 88 qualifications.

Vocational qualifications at levels 3 and 4 are classified within the 13 families of occupations. More than half (56.1%) of 742 qualifications collected at these levels were developed in 1995 and 1996 and have to be revised. The largest number of qualifications coming from two families of professions: mechanical engineering and metalworking (20.3%) and electrical engineering (15.8%). Nevertheless, according to the number of students per occupation the economics, law, management and trade are the most popular occupations. The structural modernization of the old qualifications - "highly skilled worker" - into a new "master" level 5, is a challenge for all educational authorities.

For all qualifications that have been listed in the analysis in 2017 it is important to note that have a quality assurance system included and they have been approved by the relevant ministry of education, and the accompanied curricula for each qualification was developed under the relevant pedagogical institute.

The EU project Qualification Framework on Life Long Learning beside other results, brought the document the “Manual for Quality Assurance and Manual for Internal and External Evaluation”. All education ministries have agreed upon this model. RS in its new legislation has introduced quality assurance evaluation, both internal and external, while some cantons, like Western Herzegovina Canton, are in the process of including the model propositions in their laws.

While there is not recent analysis of employability of VET graduates and employers requirements toward VET skills, the previous studies has showed that employers are not fully satisfied with knowledge and skills of VET graduates. Dissatisfaction of employers^[1] was most noted in relation to the lack of practical experience candidates (34.7% of respondents) as well as their acquired qualifications (14.4%). While some schools lack adequate infrastructure for the organization of practical classes, contributing to the escalation of the problems faced by this education, a further exacerbation of this is lack of capacities for organisation of Continuous Professional Development for VET teachers in their specialized fields. This leads to the fact that teachers, although they are trying their best, are not in the position to provide practical classes of expected quality that are in line with technological developments that have already been adopted by industry within the country. The content of the practical training in most of the schools is not designed and implemented to respond to the demands of occupations. These are the reasons that contribute to the fact that employment rates of graduates are therefore constantly low.

Although the employability of VET graduates hasn't been significantly changed over past seven years it still remains low. The overall employment of population age 15+ was 33.9% in 2017. When analysing different education attainment  the employment of graduates with ISCED 0-2 is 15.2% , ISCED 3-4 is 42.6%, ISCED 5-8 is 60.3% for VET graduates it is 43.5%.

Ministries of education, at the level of entity of the RS, 10 cantons in the Federation of BiH and the BD of BiH, have full responsibility for all levels of education and all education activities which include: financing, establishing pedagogical standards, passing of curricula and syllabuses, appointment of school boards etc.

Pedagogical institutes have a significant role in quality assurance in vocational education. The main functions of pedagogical institutes relate to: development of curricula, introduction of new approaches and methods in educational work, training of teachers, expert supervision of teachers' work and other activities in schools, as well as development of the teaching process quality, but quality assurance is essentially still not a priority of their work. 

The Framework Law for Vocational Education and Training in BiH defines duration of schooling, organisation of schools and management, needs of adjustment of curricula and syllabuses to the labour market, adult education etc. but it does not define quality assurance.

As a result on the document the "List and Analysis of Existing Vocational Qualifications in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)" it was concluded that 42.9% of the ISCED level 3 and ISCED level 4 qualifications are based on the learning outcomes. However, learning outcomes are not used at level 2 and sporadically when it comes to ISCED level 5 of qualifications.

Learning outcomes are mandatory element and requirement for each qualification so that qualification can be included in the qualification framework. Learning outcomes in curricula and programs for the 419 VET qualifications exist only at the module level and not as the outcome profile of the entire qualification.

The analysis of VET programs documented significant harmonization of all analysed 16 qualifications with the appropriate descriptors of the Qualification Framework level in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Learning outcomes are involved in eight out of a total of 16 analysed qualifications. The analysis has also documented that all learning outcomes are only at the module level, and that they are not formulated at the level of qualifications. In those qualifications where there are learning outcomes, they are developed on the basis of Bloom's taxonomy, but mostly without separations of knowledge, skills and competencies. In the second half of the analysed qualifications, which do not contain learning outcomes and modules, it has been noticed that the qualifications do not even have educational goals, but only educational content for each subject.

There is a need for additional efforts to increase the number of qualifications based on learning outcomes. In addition, it is necessary to increase the duration and the quality of practical training, in particular for qualifications at levels 3 and 4. Following the adoption of the newly developed occupational standards and qualification standards for 20 VET programs, revision of curricula is organised accordingly and only qualifications based on such comprehensive revised curricula should be included in the Qualification Framework in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There is also a need to implement the established procedures and criteria for inclusion of qualifications in the qualification framework in BIH.

The quality assurance in VET is an issue mainly due to constitution of the system itself where main problems are horizontal and vertical coordination between different levels and lack of financial resources. The pedagogy institutes and the education inspectorate of diffrenet governance levels conduct the control of the work and conditions, and the ministries is in charge the accreditation of institutions.

Thus far, the quality of VET in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been ensured thorough the traditional methods. The traditional methods include an internal quality system that includes: the annual work school plan, which is submitted by each VET school to the corresponding ministry and pedagogy institute. VET schools prepare a detailed overview of the implemented programs and the accompanying statistical data in their plan.  Afterwards, the corresponding pedagogy institutes conduct a review/control of all school procedures on an annual basis.

The procedures for the establishment of a school self-evaluation system were established through EU project Qualification Framework on Life Long Learning and they are the same for all education authorities.

It is very positive that, as result of the QF LLL,  in Republic of Srpska, legal preconditions have been created for the establishment of a school self-evaluation system. Evaluation of the quality of school work is done by assessing the quality of work in the key areas of school work, defined as quality standards: 1. School management 2. Teaching and learning 3. Student achievement 4. Support for students 5. Organization and content of curricula 6. Human, material and resources within the school 7. Systems and processes of quality assurance. Standards are assessed through quality indicators, which implies that for each of the standards, quality indicators are defined.

The Pedagogical Institute of RS conducts the external evaluation of the quality of work of secondary schools according to its Annual Work Program delivered by school and approved by the Institute. This process is systemic and implies that all secondary schools in the Republic of Srpska will be evaluated in the period defined in the Rulebook on the Evaluation of the Quality of Educational Education in Secondary School which should be adopted in the following period in 2019.

Significant improvements have been achieved through the activities of multiple projects implemented in BiH by the EU and Kultur Kontakt Austria. The Development of Qualifications Framework for Life Long Learning”,  that is based on the EU Strategy Europe 2020 contributed to the quality and efficiency of education in BiH, including adult education, as well as comparability of the education systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina with those in the EU.

The Manual for the Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (with accompanying documentation for self-evaluation, external evaluation and evaluation at the system level) was developed under the EU project „The Development of the Qualification Framework for Lifelong Learning“. As APOSO official explained, the quality assurance process now includes all activities aimed to eliminate causes for inadequate results in education process in all phases.

The entity/cantonal ministries of education are the authorities for the accreditation of vocational education and training institutions and the process of external and internal evaluations in their corresponding level of jurisdiction.

In accordance with the constitutional framework of BiH, the implementation and supervision of the final exams (matura) in secondary vocational schools is within the jurisdiction of the ministries of education of the entities/cantons/the BD BiH. There is no external final exam in BiH or at the entity/cantonal level, with the exception of the Tuzla Canton, where the process of establishing an external final exam in VET has commenced.

While there is a common core curricula in BiH, each corresponding level in education system in BIH (13 levels) has its own responsibility to develop and review qualifications.

However, based on the process of differentiated curricula development, APOSO has been developing the occupational standards since 2010, with a support of EU VET IV project, while the process of qualification standards started in 2018 though the two-years long EU supported project “Development of Qualifications Framework for Life Long Learning”. The project results included development of Guidelines for development of standards of occupation, qualification standards and learning outcomes, as well as curricula, programs and modules. The project results included Guidelines for the development of methodologies for evaluating informal and informal learning. The project developed 20 examples of standards occupation and standards qualifications, covering different types and levels. They were based on learning outcomes while the model of ECVET is also introduced through the project. Representatives of the economy, employers and educational institutions were included into the preparation, drafting and verification stages of the development of these standards.

These processes have been implemented with the assistance and financial support of the projects and they will be will be continued with the support of the next EU project in 2019. The development of the qualifications framework is one of the most important strategic priorities for authorities in BiH and that its process will be demanding and long-term.

In most of the VET curricula the EU key competences have been included. In particular, within the general-education subjects, the EU key competencies have been included in all modular secondary vocational education and training curricula that are based on learning outcomes (60%). Furthermore, the learning outcomes defined in the subject of democracy and human rights and subject entrepreneurship are based on the EU key competencies.

APOSO has recognized the importance of the development of learning outcomes and their harmonization with the European education standards, and thus it has developed the ten key competencies for BiH. Eight educational areas together with the Common Core Curricula in BiH were developed and based on key competencies, the analysis of the currently valid curricula in BiH and the analysis of the curricula of the countries in the region.

The Common Core Curricula defines the learning outcomes from pre-school education to the end of secondary education. The developed common core curricula for the subjects of general education is the basis for the revision of the existing and development of new curricula for pre-school, primary and secondary education.

There is a further need to work on introduction of the key competences into the VET programs.

APOSO has been part of several evaluations related to the implementation of the curricula in VET in BiH, introduction of learning outcomes, which resulted in presentation of those analyses and development of comprehensive publications including Guidelines for developing standards for the accreditation of teacher education programs in vocational education and Occupational standards.

APOSO also monitors application and participates in the development of modular NPPs based on learning outcomes. The standards of qualifications APOSO works are based on learning outcomes. Within the network of Centers of Vocational Education of Southeast Europe (SEEVET), APOSO participates in a preparing of a joint project that will deal with the harmonization of the methodology for the development of occupational standards.

A recent analysis "List and Analysis of Existing Vocational Qualifications in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)" concluded that only 42.9% of the ISCED level 3 and ISCED level 4 qualifications are based on the learning outcomes, while the learning outcomes are not used at level 2 and sporadically when it comes to ISCED level 5 of qualifications. This analysis should help improvement of the current system. These guidelines should support improvement of the quality assurance in VET in BIH. When it comes to external evaluations APOSO is also responsible for the external international evaluations, including TIMSS, PISA and PIRLS studies.  The testing within the TIMSS study have been conducted in 2018. Moreover, the PISA study has been also conducted in 2018 but the results are not available yet.

The comprehensive VET policy implementation would ensure the establishment and improvement of quality assurance system in VET and therefore would also improve the quality of learning outcomes. However, since the beginning of the VET education reform process, which included the introduction of modular curricula based on learning outcomes, despite the constant efforts, the comprehensive policy implementation haven’t been achieved.

Policies on improvement of quality assurance have been introduced within the last two decades in BIH (Baseline of in BIH and accompanied Action Plan, introduction of modular curricula based on learning outcomes etc) but they are faced with certain policy implementation deficit.

Recent EU supported project “Development of Qualifications Framework for Life Long Learning” established in 2017 and 2018 a comprehensive platform for improvement of quality assurance in VET and adult learning, through the project results:

• Guidelines for development of standards of occupation, qualification standards and learning outcomes, as well as curricula, programs and modules in BIH.
• Guidelines for development of methodologies for evaluating informal and informal learning in BIH.
• Standards and criteria for external and internal evaluation developed based on the European Quality Assurance Framework, including the ECVET system.
• Developed 20 examples of standards occupation and standards qualifications, covering different types and levels.

Coordination of actives among partners within educational sector includes: MoCA BiH, two entities, ten cantonal ministries of education and the Department of Education within BD BiH Government, Agency for Pre-School, Elementary and High School education in BiH, Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Insurance in BiH and the Center for Information and Document Recognition of Higher Education in BiH. Cooperation and coordination is, among other things, established through the work of Conference of Ministers in BiH over which MoCA, Council of General Education and Rector Conference preside.

The main tasks of the Conference of Ministers are to: analyze and asses the progress and needs of overall education system in BiH. The Conference of Ministers suggests strategic priorities of educational reforms to relevant authorities and gives recommendations on harmonizing educational laws in BiH. The Conference of Ministers evaluates activities involving defining, implementation, following and developing standards of education, and harmonization of the standards with the European and international ones. Sessions of the Conference of Ministers held  three times per year, but can be scheduled outside of this frame if needed.

MoCA, the Department of Education has the role of the Secretary of the Conference of Ministers and is in charge of all technical and administrative aspects. Each session has its own conclusions which are then sent to relevant ministries for further action. During these sessions a record is kept, the report is based on this record. MoCA offers expert and administrative support to the Conference while the ministries of education and other institutions in the field of education are invited to cooperate actively and offer necessary information for successful preparation, organization and work of the Conference. One of MoCA juridictions is to follow the implementation of recommendations expressed by the Conference and regularly reporting to institutions government  bodies and the international community of activities and accomplishments in the education sector in BiH.

The Conference of Ministers reports on its own work to the public as well as explains its recommendations, conclusions and other activities.

During 2017 there were two sessions of Conference of Ministers. In the first one the discussion was based on harmonizing the law concerning the recognition of higher education qualifications in BiH according to regulations of the Lisbon Convention on qualification recognition in higher education in European region. Moreover, the process of accreditation of institutions of higher education has been discussed.

The theme of the other session was Education for the 21^st  century with the focus on adjusting  education provison with the labour market needs, ensuring quality education and flexible curricula based on learning outcomes as well as the need for development of strategic documents in order to ensure the financial support of IPA.

The coordination with international community is established during the meetings between Coordination Forum of MoCA BiH and international organizations included in educational reforms in BiH,  According to the needs bilateral meetings with donor organizations are organized. International institutions offering support to reform processin the field of education are the Delegation of the EU, Council of Europe, UNICEF, ETF, GIZ, OSCE, World Bank, KulturKontakt Austria, JICA and others. International organizations plan their strategic goals and programs in agreement with relevant authorities.

Accountability, leadership and control follow the organizational setup of the Vocational Education and training in BIH. Therefore, each canton, RS and BD have their own ministries of education that manage education system and are accountable for their education jurisdiction. Responsible ministries of education initiate policies while the policies are adopted at the government level of cantons, RS and  BD. Moreover, all relevant education institutions, like pedagogic institutes and schools responding to their respective ministries of education. As explained above the FBIH Ministry of Education and Science has a coordinating role and the Ministry of Civil Affairs BIH also has a coordinating role in the education system in BIH. MoCA is also reposnsibe for EU and  international cooperation.

Council of Ministers BiH (CoM) , Government of RS, FBiH entities and BD are conducting evaluation. The Ministry has obligatory reports as prescribed by the CoM BiH for all institutions and bodies at the state level, these are to be submitted in due time to the CoM BiH. The Ministry submits the report on the realization of the working program on a yearly basis or on a request.

One of the issue that contributed to growth, more efficient program budgeting and a better relationship with public institutions is the implementation of strategic planning within BiH institutions in accordance with the Decision on procedure of mid-term planning, following and reporting on BiH institutions and Directions on methodology and procedure of mid-term planning, follow-up and reporting. The Council of Ministers BiH, as per the Department for Economic Planning BIH suggestion, adopted the first Mid-Term Working Program of CoM BiH 2016-2018 which ensures quality growth in accordance with CoM and BiH institution juridictions. Mid-term program follows the Reform Agenda and contains general, mid-term, strategic goals and programs for realization of 57 BiH institutions that report to CoM and for the first time establishes system of planning necessary for withdrawing EU funds and from other strategic partners.

Furthermore, the Mid-Term Working Program of CoM BiH 2018-2020 was adopted. In accordance with this mid-term plan the MoCA drafts its own mid-term plan for each department. Mid-term plan for the Department of Education contains: (1) SWOT analysis (2) General goal: Sustainable growth, (3) Strategic goal: Development of Human Resources, (3) Mid-term goal: Efficient system of coordination with competent authorities in BiH, (4) Harmonized plans of entity bodies and governments and defining international strategies in the area of education, (5) Specific goal: Coordination of reform processes, advancement in the field of education, further integration within the European educational framework and development of human resources. The specific goals should be achieved through these specific projects:

• Coordination and cooperation with state and international institutions and organizations
• Development and follow-up on strategic documents and draft laws on BiH level
• Fulfilling obligations on BiH EU accession
• Concluding and execution of international contracts
• Development and implementation of qualification framework in BiH
• Improvement of statistics in the area of education

Each of these projects has been realized through specific actives implemented in cooperation with the competent educational authorities and other partners in respective fields. On the basis of this mid-term plan the plan for the educational sector is drafted. Within the 2019 plan priorities in vocational sector and higher education are highlighted. The priorities for 2019 in  VET sector include adoption of strategic document “Priorties in Vocational and Education and Training (VET) and adoption of Priorities and Integration of Entrepreneurial and Digital Competencies.  It is expected that the IPA 2016 program will start in 2019 which focus would be on development of human resources in accordance with the labour market and in particular  developing new study programs and qualifications based on the learning outcomes and further development of Qualification Framework, implementation of  quality assurance model within BIH, and implementation of strategy for life long learning (such as recognition of informal learning and accreditation of providers.

All VET schools developed cooperation with with employers, either directly or through trade unions, while  ministries of education cooperate with labour market through respective Chamber of Commerces in different parts of BIH. As a positive example, the Republika Srpska Chamber of Commerce has a very active role in enrolment policy in RS and resulted in many examples.

All education ministries have been very much involved in adjusting their programs to labour market needs and new curricula have been designed in cooperation with labour market, therefore more adjusted to the employers requests.

While the framework Law on Vocational Education and Training includes establishment of the tripartite councils at the level of canton and RS that would enable better cooperation between education authorities and labour market those councils haven’t been established in most of cantons/entities. Moreover, the same legislation enables establishment of the councils at the school level that would help improvement of the curricula and syllabus of VET programs to be more in line with local market needs. Those councils haven’t been also established in majority of schools.

The Framework Law on Secondary Vocational Education in BiH defines the development of the tripartite interdisciplinary councils at the entity and cantonal level, and in the BD. These councils have an advisory role and they should consist of representatives of the employers, unions and the competent education authorities. The Ministry of Civil Affairs BIH in tasked with the coordination of at least one annual joint meeting of the tripartite councils. However, to this date, this obligation has not been fulfilled, as the tripartite councils have not been formed at all the designated levels.

Tripartite councils have been established in different parts of FBIH while in RS, the tripartite council is yet to be established, but it is provided in the Amendments to the Law on secondary Vocational Education (“Official Gazette of RS” number 106/09). In the BD, the tripartite council was established in 2009. 

In cooperation with the Ministry of Civil Affairs BIH, GIZ is supporting efforts in the formation of tripartite advisory councils in secondary VET schools aimed at achieving cooperation and competence based solutions. This collaboration is set to last from 2017 to 2020. These tripartite councils serve as a platform for dialogue between the public and private sector. They will also decide on the need for new and improved curricula which will be based on competences.

 Furthermore, the training in companies will be improved through the education of mentors, and the grading system will be improved through the inclusion of employers in the grading process.

The system of financing public education institutions, including VET and adult education, is defined by the budgeting system. All public education institutions are part of the treasury system and are required to submit annual financial plans and reports to the competent authority (Ministry of Education / Local Self-Government). Although difficult to estimate, BiH spends approximately 4.5 percent of its GDP on education, a little above the regional average of 4.2 percent. BiH’s students performed about the same as those in Ukraine which spends 5.3 percent of GDP on education and Bulgaria and Romania, which spend about 4.2-4.3 of GDP.

The ration between public and private investment in education in 2017 was 90% - 10% in FBIH. The total public expenditure for educational institutions in Federation of BiH was KM 804.341.432, (share of 89,2%) while total private expenditure for educational institutions in Federation of BiH amounts KM 93.030.756 (share of 10,4%). By level of education, in 2017 the share of private expenditure for educational institutions was the highest in tertiary education (25,5% of total expenditure for tertiary educational institutions). The international contributions to the  financing of education in FBiH amounted to 0,4%.

Since education system is highly decentralized, VET schools are predominantly financed by cantonal MoE and RS MoE.  Having in mind differences in budgets between cantons i.e. horizontal inequalities in per capita amount, this is reflected in per pupil amount of education budgets:

The education system financial planing in BIH is based on historical allocations. It is input based and supply driven, rather than driven by demand of economy. The public education institutions in ten cantons, FBiH and BD of BiH, submit their financial plans (annual budgets) based on the costs from the previous year. The communal cost component is mostly fixed and depends on the size of the school buildings and condition in which the the school buildings are.

The key changing component is the number of teachers. The number of teachers is determined on the basis of the number of teaching hours where the departments can contain 16 to 32 students.  Staffing levels are determined on the following inputs based criteria, that are described in Annual work plan, submitted to MoE during the annual budget cycle:

• Number of classes;
• Number of hours in classes, based on curricula;
• Number of teacher per number of hours, based on curricula;
• Number of non-teaching staff, in relation to number of classes;
• Years of experience
• Qualification of teachers
• Base on collective agreements

Number of teachers is determined using following annual process: Based on hours of curricula for certain subject and number of classes (the smaller number of pupils in class-the greater number of classes), the number of teachers for teaching certain subject for specified number of classes is determined. The number of non-teaching staff is determined in relation to number of classes. The salary level is further regulated by collective agreement, qualification of teacher and years of experience.

These regulations are spelled out in cantonal bylaws, however, not all cantons have adopted these regulations. Over 90% of the school budget is spent for salaries and other work-related cost (compensation, travel). No learning outcome, employability after school, or any other qualitative indicator are used, to measure the result of VET education, and to consequently adopt financing mechanism.

The number of teachers is fixed since there are stick measures of cost control and impossibility of new employment in public sector. Therefore, once the teacher is retired, the corresponding ministry gives the school approval to employ another teacher as replacement. Even in cases where teachers on maternity leave or on the long-term sick leave, the temporary teacher replacement are employed for the certain fix term.

In all cantons in FBiH, teacher salaries are financed by cantonal government. Moreover, the operational expenses (heating, building maintenance) are financed by cantons governments as well, with the exception of three cantons in which financing of material cost is given to municipalities/cities. Those cantons are Western Herzegovina, Herzegovina Neretva Canton and Canton 10.

The system of financing education in the RS functions on similar way. The key difference is that in the RS, the RS Ministry of Education and Culture supports teachers and assistants in educational institutions (administration, education governance). The ministry also finances all service contracts, while local government units (municipalities) finance the operational costs of schools that are mostly service related, but in some cases municipalities finance equipment for schools and capital investments. The financial plans submitted to the Ministry of Education and Culture of RS are also based on costs from previous year. Since the number of teachers, as is the case in FBiH and BD, is based on the number of school hours, the only variable part is the number of teachers.

The RS Ministry of Education and Culture has introduced a software that contains information on human resources, including teacher age and remaining years for teaching before the retirement. This software improved the efficiency and the cost control. 

Since the municipalities are also financing schools in RS, schools have to submit their financial planes for the coming year. This plans are also based on costs from previous years and therefore follow historical allocation

As far as local self-government is concerned, schools submit their financial plans based on past costs. Due to the reduction of available funds at the level of local self-government in RS, these financial plans (annual budgets) delivered to local communities in most cases only include communal costs.  This institutional and financial arrangement often results in a lack of resources for equipment and supplies in schools. This fact can affect the quality of the outcomes of education and training. Some of the visiting schools have just recently received basic equipment for conducting practical classes for their students.

There is no specific policies that regulate system of VET financing but the budget for education and mechanisms of education financing at the state level are regulated by the following legislation:

• The Law on the Financing of Institutions of BiH (Official gazette of BiH, no. 61/04) and the Amended Law on the Financing of Institutions of BiH (Official gazette of BiH, no. 39/09)
• The Law on the Budget of the Institutions of BiH and the International Duties of BiH
• The Instructions on the Key Requirements for the preparation of Financial Reports and the Medium-term Budget Documentation for Annual Budgets, the Ministry of Finances of FBiH.

The education budget and the financing mechanisms in FBiH (including the lower levels of government - the cantons) are regulated by the following legislative framework:

• The Law on Budgets of FBiH (Official Gazette of FBiH, no. 12/06
• The entity and cantonal laws on the budget expenditure.

The education budget and the financing mechanisms in RS are regulated by the following legislative framework:

• The Law on The Budget System of RS (Official Gazette of RS no. 96/03, 14/04, 67/05, 34/06, 128/06, 117/07 and 45/08) 
• The Law on the Annual Budget Expenditure
• The Law in Loval Self-Government RS
• (Official Gazette of RS no. 129/2007 and 83/2014).

Although the VET and Adult education are at the level of cantons and RS and BD, the legislative framework does not directly regulate funding of VET and adult education training programs and there are no specific guidelines on funding and delivery of these programs in existing legal frameworks (those related specifically to VET and education). Public providers of VET and adult education training cope with this issue on an ad hoc basis and adapt the organization and funding of VET programs and adult education programs  depending on given circumstances. 

According to existing legislation, the funding of schools and public education institutions is organised according to centralized financial system i.e. the treasury funding system. While the treasury system has increased transparency and accountability in spending both public budget allocations and own earnings the system is very rigid and operates under strict supervision and doesn't provide adequate opportunities for efficient mobilisation of additional resources for VET.

Public schools (including I-VET) are not allowed to have dedicated school bank account at commercial bank. All revenues that VET schools are generating (from adult training mostly) are channeled through integrated treasury system. Competent cantonal and RS MoE keeps 20-30% of the school generated revenues, and the remaining is made available to school after a significant delay. In this way, VET schools are prevented from being competitors to private companies in some economic sectors (the costs of production are lower). At the same time the VET sector is not conducive to competition between different VET schools for better education services and for reaching more VET pupils. Own revenues of VET schools are too small to cover even operation expenditures, let alone capital investments.  All VET schools are treated equally, regardless of the effort of school director and management to implement measures (including equipping school workshop and small-scale production) for improving the quality of education.

Contribution of private sector is difficult to measure, although there is such contribution, albeit not is a systematic form. Training levies and fees are traditionally not part of BiH financial system, and having in mind, already high taxes and contributions as percentage of GDP, introduction of those measures would prove to be challenging. Private sector contributes to I-VET and C-VET in different ways: by work-based learning, for which pupils are at some locations compensated; offering training for professional development of VET teachers; equipping school workshop; providing scholarships. Over the past two years, increasing number of schools is offering some type of work-based learning, by cooperating with interested companies.  However, it is difficult to quantify this companies contribution, and this calls for a specific research that would determine exact contribution of private sector to VET system financing.

All revenues are paid to own accounts of educational institutions managed by competent ministries. Any extracurricular activities and overtime of teaching staff, or the engagement of external associates (for teaching / training purposes and the like) must be approved by the competent ministry.

The treasury business procedures slows down consumption of own revenue of schools and prevents reallocation of the budget item in which savings are made, over and above the legally allowed level (10% of the total school budget plan), for some other purposes. Under the circumstances, planning the resources for salaries, allowances and material costs is an extremely difficult endeavour in schools and ministries.

Good cooperation with private employers is a prerequisite for the development of new occupational profiles and fitting curriculum design for the needs of labour markets. However, in order to have VET schools more interested in collaboration with entrepreneurs, the issue of sub-account should be clarified. According to some studies, schools have limited interest in commercial activities because of the centralized financial system. More precisely, central collection of income generated by schools, in accordance with the way the treasury operates, is a complex administrative process that provides no opportunities for financial incentives and upgrading of equipment . Under the current rules, schools must obtain approval from the pedagogical institutes and education ministries for each activity they wish to undertake. For example, schools in FBIH do not have its own account, so the funds they generate go to the treasury of the Cantonal Ministry, and only after a time consuming and complicated bureaucratic process the school can utilize these funds.

This mechanism discourages public education institutions from organizing and promoting such programs.

The "historical allocation" mechanism does not allow mid-term and long-term planning nor establishing achievable strategic goals.  An option for a change currently system is to set up mid-term planning, which would then be related to a different funding system, based on learning outcomes, i.e. on the type of profile the each institution provides and on the quality and relevance of those profiles at the labour market. 

The current system doesn't enable clear and efficient planning of education for new professions. The development of new professions needed at the labour market, would require improvement of schools infrastructure and more efficient system practical classes. The current financial system for education doesn't enable easy revenue from diversified sources (employers) but also doesn't support efficient improvement of infrastructure in schools as precondition for a VET of good quality.

Schools can apply and participate in different project activities either on its own or in cooperation with various partners. Therefore, schools can use the project resources to invest in improvement of infrastructure and other elements which contribute to VET quality. Schools are also in position to apply to grant schemes in cooperation with companies or local communities.  

Ministries of education and in RS case the local self-government, transfer budgetary allocations monthly based on the approved financial plans of educational institutions. These expenditures are used to finance salaries (which are paid to bank accounts of teaching staff from bank accounts of educational institutions) and other operational costs.

Each educational institution has its own finance department, but the operations of the department are limited to budget planning, financial reports, daily cash transactions and other financial / accounting activities. The financial departments of educational institutions in most of cases are not included and do not have any influence of budget planning in the ministries of education

Schools are obliged to submit the financial report to the competent bodies (ministries and local self-government). In addition to the budget resources provided by the competent authorities, these reports contain data on out-of-budget revenue (mainly school sports facilities renting). However, these revenues are marginal and do not exceed 1-2% of the total school budget. 

In cases where the school generates out-of-budget income through retraining, VET and adult education, the remuneration / income is paid to the treasury account administered by the cantonal ministry / local self-government. Schools don't have direct access to out-of-the budget revenue. These funds are, in most of the cases, managed by ministries / local government departments. There are several examples of practice: from co-operation between schools and ministries / local governments and joint management of the out-of-budget income to a situation in which school has no access to these funds at all.

Allocation of resources is not based on any performance based indicator, but driven by input elements (number of classes, number of teachers etc). The resource allocation does not encourage company-based training, specific regional demand or special group needs. Introduction of, for example, formula-based financing could incorporate some of the key-elements (training outcomes-number of students getting qualifications, labour market results-number of students getting a job). There are significant limitations to this policy proposal, as the availability and quality of education statistics is insufficient. This does not mean that it is not possible to introduce some elements of performance based funding, and competition between public VET providers for funds. For example, VET schools with established cooperation with private sector might be rewarded, or similarly those VET whose graduates fare well at the labour market, could receive additional funding, or some other non-monetary reward.