Detailed roadmap for the eqf referencing of the nqf in fyrom

2.3 Adult education

• 
  General description
  

Adult education provides acquiring relevant educational level for everyone and for all adult groups. Persons acquire knowledge, skills and competence in accordance with the needs of the society and the labour market by way of formal education, non-formal and informal learning.
Formal education of adults is realized according to the laws on primary, secondary and higher education. It is conducted in public and private institutions, according to relevant curricula and programmes adopted by the Minister of Education and Science.
Non-formal education provides acquiring skills for work and social activities, as well as for personal development. Since 2012, it has been realized according to special programmes, verified by the Adult Education Centre.
Informal education encompasses activities for acquiring knowledge, skills and competence through everyday experience. Informal education is not yet systemically regulated.
The programmes are implemented in institutions accredited by the Ministry of Education and Science. The institution enrolls participants, signs an agreement with them and maintains records according to the relevant rulebooks. Special institutions for adult education are open civil universities for life-long learning which realize programmes for formal and non-formal adult education.
Table 29: Overview of the number of accredited special programmes for adult education and trainings (number and certificates)

Year	Number of accredited programmes	Number of trainings	Number of adults who have completed the training
2012	23	4	31
2013	26	15	141
2014	40	16	151
2015	64	26	373

Source: Centre for Adult Education
The main State body involved in providing adult education programmes is the Employment Services Agency (ESA) of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MoLSP), which organises job-related training programmes and vocational guidance for unemployed adults. The ESA’s Employment Preparation Programme¹⁰ provides training to meet labour market needs with the aim of increasing the employability of registered unemployed persons and the training courses are provided by verified providers. The measures take account of the findings of an Analysis of Skill Needs on the Labour Market¹¹ and include the following:
Table 30 : Overview of job-related trainings organised by ESA

Type of training	Purpose	Target 2014	Actual 2014
Training at known employer	To provide registered unemployed persons with 3 months training related to defined job positions and based on training plans prepared by participating employers who are obliged to retain at least 50% of the trained persons	1125	544
Subsidized training at known employer	To provide unemployed persons aged 50-59, young people up to 29 years with completed primary/secondary education and long-term registered unemployed persons with 3 months of employment preparation training coupled with a period of subsidised employment	170	145
Training for demanded occupations on the labour market	Training provided through programmes of the MoES or verified adult education programmes with duration of three months of training and one month of practical work experience	232	202
Training for demanded occupations of the traffic branch	One month of training in a licensed motoring school leading to a driving licence for “D" category with opportunity for employment after completion.	30	30
Training for advanced ICT skills	3-6 month courses to upgrade ICT skills in design, graphic design, 3D animation and post-production, Java web development, Cisco certified network associate routing & switching (CCNA) or Microsoft certified solution associate (MCSA)	100	100 (est.)
Practical work (internship)	To provide 3 month internships for practical work experience with private sector employers for persons up to 29 years old with secondary education or university degree	319	237
Education for starting a business	Basic business start-up training implemented though the ESA’s Self-Employment Programme	1000	1050
Motivational training	Training and advice provided by the ESA to help unemployed people improve their job seeking skills and motivation for using the ESA's services	3000	4136

With support from the European Training Foundation, a Concept for Non-Formal Adult Education and Informal Learning was developed (2014 and 2015). The Concept was approved by decision of the Minister of Education and Science (dated 16/09/2015). Main objective of this document is the integration of the non-formal education in the education and training system and providing learning outcomes that are certified within the MQF, as well as to propose a systematic approach for development of the non-formal education. It also aims to promote an innovative approach and rethinking of the non-formal education. The Concept Paper sets the frame and establishes the roadmap for policy development based on objectives in six priority areas supported with number of activities (seeTable 31).

Table 31: Roadmap for policy development in adult education

Objective	Activity
1. Improve learners’ motivation to participate in adult education	1.1 Initiate a public information campaign to raise awareness among the general public, employers and stakeholders, with messages adjusted to attract specific targeted groups
	1.2 Provide information, guidance and support to individuals to incentivize them to participate in appropriate non-formal adult education programmes in line with their employment, career-related, social or personal needs, ambitions and aspirations
	1.3 Provide incentives to individuals to participate in non-formal adult education
	1.4 Provide continuing professional development opportunities for professionals with higher education qualifications to support their career development through the updating of knowledge and skills
2. Incentivize employers to invest in education and training for their employees	2.1 Introduce appropriate incentives (e.g. through the tax system) for employers to provide learning opportunities for their employees including use of NQF recognised qualifications
	2.2 Promote the recruitment and development of human resources by employers according to NQF recognised qualifications
	2.3 Promote partnerships between employers and adult education providers, including the provision of work placements regulated by contracts in compliance with labour law
3. Ensure that there is open and equal access to non-formal adult education for all	3.1 Develop and provide modular qualifications in which the constituent parts of the qualification can be separately certificated to provide increased accessibility for adults and support credit accumulation and transfer
	3.2 Develop flexible course delivery arrangements that facilitate access for different groups of adult learners including those with individual needs
	3.3 Develop and implement basic skills qualifications provision
	3.4 Develop and implement a system for VNFIL by the EU deadline of 2018
4. Deliver learning that is relevant to employers and learners	4.1 Develop occupational standards to extend the number of non-formal programmes leading to vocational qualifications at NQF levels 2-5
	4.2 Incentivise providers to develop tailor-made programmes to meet the full range of needs of local employers
	4.3 Ensure that municipalities identify local adult education needs in consultation with relevant stakeholders and collaborate with the CAE and providers to ensure the availability of courses to meet those needs
5. Deliver quality and effective non-formal adult education	5.1 Support quality improvement in non-formal adult education provision
	5.2 Increase the number of non-formal adult education providers and programmes that are verified
	5.3: Implement effective monitoring and external evaluation arrangements for programme delivery
	5.4 Implement effective external quality assurance of candidate assessments
	5.5 Increase the capacity of the Centre for Adult Education to be a centre of expertise and a catalyst for innovation in adult learning
6. Improve evidence-based education policy development and coordinate with other government policies	6.1 Strengthen and improve the information sources and supply of data on adult education provision and participation
	6.2 Further develop the legislative, funding, institutional and regulatory framework for adult education
	6.3 Develop an inclusive and comprehensive network of stakeholders as a focus for dialogue, information sharing and coordinating activities

With the support of UNDP, the Concept for Primary Education of Adults was developed and adopted by the Ministry of Education and Science (dated 16/09/2015).

• 
  Legal framework
  

• 
  Law on Adult Education (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia, No. 7/08, 17/11, 51/11, 74/12, 41/14, 144/14 and 146/15);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the manner of accreditation of special programmes (Decision No. / 2014);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the manner of accreditation of the institutions for adult education (Official Gazette of RM, No. 115/13);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the standards for the premises, equipment and staff of the institutions for adult education (Decision No.19-14134/2 as of 09.09.2014);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the title, content and form of the certificate on knowledge, skills and competence acquired through the special programmes for adult education (Official Gazette of RM, No. 37/10 and 141/12);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the form, content and manner of maintaining the Central Register and the Municipal register of the institutions which realize publicly recognized programmes for adult education (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia, No. 37/10);
  
• 
  Rulebook on the content, form and procedure for signing the agreement on monitoring the programme for adult education (Decision N^o 01-331/1 of 24.09.2015).
  
• 
  Law on open civil universities for life-long learning (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia, No. 36/11 and 41/14).
  

Strategic documents:

• 
  Strategy on Adult Education 2010-2015, with Action plan;
  
• 
  Concept for Non-Formal and Informal Adult Education in the Republic of Macedonia, Skopje, 2015;
  
• 
  Concept for Primary Adult Education in the Republic of Macedonia, Skopje, 2015.
  

• 
  Governance
  

The Ministry of education and science adopts a Strategy on adult education; it verifies the institutions for adult education; maintains registry of accredited institutions and provides funds in the Budget of the Republic of Macedonia for accreditation of adult education.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy: Participates in the realization of the national policy in the field of adult education; it identifies the needs for retraining and additional qualification of the staff, through analysis of the labor market, and delivers an opinion to the Council for adult education; it participates in the preparation and harmonization of the vocational qualifications; in cooperation with the Centre for Adult Education it initiates preparation of new vocational qualifications and participates in the organization of professional orientation for the candidates.
The Council for Adult Education is an advisory body established by the Government of the Republic of Macedonia. It considers strategic issues; proposes a Strategy for development of adult education in the context of life-long learning and monitors its realization; proposes standards of occupations; proposes funding of adult education programmes and development of the network of adult education institutions. The Council is composed of 13 members from: the Ministry of Education and Science, the Bureau for Development of Education, VET Centre, the Ministry of Finance, the representative trade union, the Local self-government units, the Employment Service Agency of the Republic of Macedonia, the Agency for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Macedonia, the Association of Chambers of the Republic of Macedonia, the Craftsmen Chamber of the Republic of Macedonia and experts in adult education.
The Centre for Adult Education (website: www.cov.gov.mk) is the body implementing the policy on adult education and training. Develops adult education in cooperation with the social partners; it prepares concepts for adult education and models for special programmes for adult education; it proposes preparation of vocational standards to the Council for Adult Education; it conducts accreditation of special adult education programmes; it maintains an electronic catalogue of verified special adult education programmes and electronic catalogue of verified institutions and publishes them on the Centre’s website; facilitates the carrier development and professional orientation of the candidates in the adult education and coordinates international cooperation. The Centre is managed by a Governing Board of 11 members from: the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Local self-government units, the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Macedonia, the Association of Chambers of the Republic of Macedonia, the Craftsmen Chamber of the Republic of Macedonia and experts from the Centre.
The Local self-government units (website: http://www.zels.org.mk/Default.aspx): Analyze the labour market needs on a local level and submit the results of the analysis to the Centre and to the adult education institutions; establish adult education institutions and municipal centres for human resources development; submit proposals to the Ministry of Education and Science and to the Centre for Adult Education about the needs for development of programmes, prepare programmes funded by the municipalities and deliver them to be verified by the Centre for Adult Education, as well as maintain a municipal register of institutions which realize publicly recognized programmes.
The Chambers (website: http://www.mchamber.org.mk/(S(jzgdlny2rkuulazjrhauru55))/default.aspx?lId=2&mId=0&smId=0&cId=0&pId=1) Submit proposals for adoption of new and updating of the existing programmes and for preparation of standards of occupations; establish institutions for adult education and prepare programmes funded by the Chambers, which they send to the Centre to be verified.
The majority (representative) Trade Union (website: http://www.ssm.org.mk/index.php?lang=en): Submits proposals for improvements of the conditions for practical training of the participants with the employers; it establishes institutions for adult education and prepares programmes funded by the trade union, which are verified by the Centre.

• 
  Learning outcomes
  

The adult education programmes are based on learning outcomes and most of them take reference to existing occupational standards. The programmes are prepared according to the Model for special programmes. Special item of the Model is dedicated to the learning outcomes. All new verified adult education programmes are described in learning outcomes.
Example of a special programme for education of adults for makeup is provided on the website
http://mrk.mk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/%D0%9F%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%B1%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B0-%D0%B7%D0%B0-%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B7%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BD%D0%B8-%D0%A8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B5%D1%80.pdf

• 
  Quality assurance
  

Accreditation of special programmes – it is conducted by the Centre for Adult Education, in accordance with a Rulebook. Programmes are prepared by the institution which plans to realize the training, according to the Model for special adult education programme. The Decision is adopted by the Director of the Centre for Adult Education.
Accreditation of adult education institutions – it is conducted by the Ministry of Education and Science according to a Rulebook. The Decision is adopted by the Minister of Education and Science.
Monitoring - The Centre monitors the service provider and the quality of the training, using the tool for monitoring and evaluation of institutions. The service provider submits an annual report to the Centre at the end of the year. The State Educational Inspectorate, through integral evaluation, conducts supervision over the quality of the educational process in the open civil universities for life-long learning.

Teaching staff - Adult education programmes are realized by teachers, professors, practical training instructors and experts, who have been trained in work with adults. The preparation is organized by the Centre for Adult Education, or the relevant institutions. A Rulebook prescribes the conditions for the staff. The staff must be involved in permanent professional development.
Exams at the end of adult education – organized and administered by the institution which realizes the programme. Participants acquire a Certificate.
Table 32: Tabular presentation of non-formal education for adults

Entry requirements	Above 15 years of age and without student status. Specific conditions defined by the service provider.
Education and training	The service provider determines the duration of the programme. Programmes are realized in a verified institution. Practical training may be realized with an employer.
Financing	From the Budget of RM, the budget of the local self-government units, chambers, the respective trade union, self-funding by the participant, donations.
Teachers qualifications	Completed higher education for the theoretical part of the programme, and completed training for work with adults. The practical part of the programme is realized by a person with at least relevant secondary education and 3 years of experience in the relevant area; secondary education, and at least 5 years of working experience in the relevant area; master exam, and completed training for work with adults. The staff must be involved in continuous professional development.
Expected learning outcomes	The special adult education programmes are based on learning outcomes. They are prepared according to the Model for special adult education programmes.
Assessment and awards	Continuous during the training and completed exam at the end of the training. Upon completion of the training, the participant acquires a Certificate.
Progression routes	In all types of vocational education.
Labour Market	YES, with Certificate.
Quality assurance	Special programme for education of adults verified by the Centre for Adult Education; Institutions verified by the Ministry of Education and Science; Desk monitoring by analyzing the yearly reports of the institutions and on-the spot monitoring of the implementation of special programmes. Performed by the Centre for Adult Education; Supervision and integral evaluation of public open universities for lifelong learning (отворени граѓански универзитети) performed by the State Education Inspectorate; Continuous professional development of teachers and trainers.
Example	Argon welder Profile of the participant for enrollment in the programme – completed secondary education (general or secondary vocational education). Candidates should be older than 17 years. Duration of the programme – 250 hours. Service provider a verified institution. Knowledge assessment: Continuous, with a written test and practical work after completion of each topic. Final test at the end of the programme. Participants acquire a Certificate. After completion of the training, they may apply for a job on the labour market.