Moldova: New Regulation on Organization and Conduct of dual Vocational Education and Training (VET)
The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) Moldova congratulates its partners with the approval of the Regulation on organization and conduct of dual vocational education and training (VET) by Government decision, on 11 January 2018. The Regulation provides a coherent normative framework which encourages economic operators participate in the process of equipping young people with the professional competences required on the labour market.
A significant number of stakeholders gathered in a dedicated working group (representing line ministries, business associations, individual companies, technical vocational training providers) contributed to the achievement of this goal participating at the numerous negotiations, discussions and working meetings during a period of more than a year. The activity of the working group was supported by the project ”Structural Reform in Vocational Education and Training (VET)”, implemented by the GIZ within the German cooperation. The document provides a modernized regulatory framework for dual VET according to European standards. The Regulation sets out the defining elements for dual VET, as well as the time spent by apprentices on theoretical and practical training. At the same time, the rights and obligations of the training companies and of the technical vocational training providers, of the in-company trainers and teachers within VET schools, as well as of the apprentices, are defined.
For the first time, the term of “apprenticeship salary” is introduced as remuneration of the apprentices’ work within the training company during the practical training. Also, the responsibilities of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), representing the interests of the training companies, are defined. CCI will become a “competent body” in the implementation of the dual education programmes in the Republic of Moldova.
Dual vocational education and training is an alternative form of organisation of VET, involving simultaneous training in a vocational school or Center of Excellence, as well as within training companies. The share of practical training is about 70%, and graduate students will be eventually employed within the training company.
In the school year 2017-2018, about 50 companies initiated implementation of dual programmes in collaboration with about 20 technical vocational education providers, more than 600 apprentices currently benefitting from these programmes.
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Research of the Republic of Moldova has the role of coordinator of this process. The Ministry initiated the elaboration of the Regulation, which has been subject to a wide-ranging public debate.
