1. Working Room 2
Coffee Table 1: Policy makers
Moderator: Başak Yavçan (Turkey)
Rapporteur: Ardiana Gashi (Kosovo)
Policy makers from Albania, Kosovo and
Turkey

2. Main points that stem from the report
and found interesting
- Diversity across schools with regards to standards, drop
out, satisfaction although the same curricula in Turkey and
this brings an issue relevant for the quality assurance
- Kosovo: Recommendation for functioning of parents’ and
students’ council
- More information for and awareness students so they can
contribute to social inclusion: they get along together
- Albania: Surprised with low share of students enrolled in VET
schools so a need to study why such a low enrollment rate in
VET system

3. 1 & 3: Policies for education and training, employment and social
welfare are insufficiently ‘joined up’ and co-ordinated
Cooperation between ministry of education and labour/economy and
other social stakeholders
To support students in taking professional practice in
companies/apprenticeships: example in Kosovo there are Centres of
Competence which could be used for professional practices
How to do it: There is a legal framework and strategies have been
developed which highlight the need for a cooperation between
economy and VET schools
• Monitoring needed on the extent of internships: Turkey has a
monitoring tool to record internship information which can be seen
by Ministry, school, parents and employers
• Incentives needed
• Employers list skills that they need for each occupation
• Sectoral committee important:
• Schools that work closely with industries prove to be successful
• In Kosovo as well occupational standards involves employers but
employers are not

4. 1 & 3: Policies for education and training, employment and social
welfare are insufficiently ‘joined up’ and co-ordinated
How to do it:
• In Kosovo as well occupational standards involves employers but
employers are not included in assessment
• Assessment in Turkey: done by employers and not by schools
• VET graduates once they get the diploma they are allowed to start
up a business
• Even though curricula are centrally done schools invite businesses
and based on their proposals they do adjust curricula: this is done
to adjust to local needs
• Government pays for social insurance for each interns and
employer is obliged to pay only one third of the minimum wage
• Companies take up interns as a way for them to have a say when
curricula are designed
• In Turkey there are some incentives for companies if they employ
VET students

5. VET schools are often comparatively under-resourced and
unattractive for people from socio-economic disadvantaged
students and those with special needs
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In Kosovo following up a research on 10 schools collected information from
students, parents and municipalities. Schools proposed a need for trainings
and Ministry of Education supported trainings on how to work with persons
with special needs. In Kosovo Centre of Competence organized courses on
language, reading and writing and the VET school identified these cases
A guidance Centre they track students from the primary school and evaluate
whether they are to go to the regular or special VET school. The centre also
detects very intelligent students and they guide parents where to take
students
Regular VET schools offer more time for students with special needs
All information can be tracked in e-school
More advise and coordination
Socio-economically disadvantaged students: government scholarship for some
students and in Kosovo for RAE
For informal education; children coming from households that receive social
assistance are exempted from payment for the course

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4. Students not that satisfied with learning
facilitators, context and contents
Further research to asses the satisfaction of students
with learning facilitators, context and contents
No tracking mechanism in place that would evaluate
teaching
Turkey undertakes an OECD teachers and school
principals survey TALIS which is done every four year
Project in 50 schools to assess teachers, administrators:
a pilot project not yet conducted
For content: survey with employers; incorporation of
employers during design of programs and this
information could be passed to students

7. 5. Policies to address drop out
• Males are more likely to drop out
• In Turkey secondary school is obligatory so families will be
punished/fined if their children drop out
• New track Open-VET for drop outs so they can
• If a student fails two years in a row than they have to enroll
in Open VET school
• It lasts 4 years and at the end student gets a diploma
• Up to age 23 years old
• To follow up students in order to identify potential drop
outs and work with them in order to prevent the drop out
• Ensuring councelling as a preventive measure in all schools
• Fusion program for dismissed students

8. One result achieved
Agreed that Kosovo Ministry of Education will
contact the Ministry of National Education in
Turkey to ask for placement of VET students in
Turkey companies for professional practice