Pupil/Students assessment

Procedure for assessing pupils’ achievements and progress

The VET provider determines the ways in which the learning process will be assessed.

In initial VET, pupils’ learning achievements are summarised in the training period (semester, year, and/or final) or at the end of the module. In continuous VET, the assessment is carried out at the end of the module or learning process. The VET provider can determine other periods for interim assessments.

Types of assessment

The usual types of assessment that are used in the education process are used here. These include formative, diagnostic and summative evaluation. More information about these types can be found in sub-chapter 6.3.1.2. 'Types of assessment'.

VET schools evaluate pupils’ professional knowledge, skills and products on a 10-point scale. Theoretical courses usually end in an examination that is evaluated on a 10-point scale.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory assessment. Scores from 4 to 10, as well as the terms 'credited', 'passed' and 'dismissed' ('may not attend') are considered to be a satisfactory assessment. Meanwhile, scores from 1 to 3, 'not credited', 'not attested' indicate unsatisfactory assessment.

Participants in evaluation

Learning achievements are evaluated by a teacher, education provider, school founder, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and its authorised institutions.

Teachers plan and assess their pupils progress and learning achievements. They sum up and evaluate the pupil’s academic attainment and record assessment results in the manner established by the school. They Provide information about performance, achievements and gaps in their knowledge to the pupils, their parents (guardians, caregivers), other teachers and the school administration. They also analyse and adjust the pupils’ teaching and learning. And, finally, they ensure that pupils experiencing learning difficulties are provided with timely assistance.

The school determines the general procedure for collecting, recording and using information about pupil assessment. It ensures consistent application of assessment methods in the progression of pupils from one class to another or from a lower stage of education to a higher one and among parallel classes or separate subjects. The school also coordinates the scope and frequency of tests. It provides assistance to pupils experiencing learning difficulties. Based on the pupils’ achievements, it evaluates the quality of work performed by individual teachers and the school. And last but not least, by following rules established by the legal acts it chooses the institution to evaluate competencies. This particular institution organises and implements the final evaluation of acquired competencies.

The education department of the school founder administration analyses information about pupil assessments it receives from schools and uses it for decision-making. It also takes into account the social and cultural context in making judgements about the efficiency of the school activities. It ensures that the procedure for external assessment of pupils’ achievements should be agreed with the school and its teachers. And, finally, it provides facilities for teachers’ professional development.

The Ministry of Education, Science ans Sport approves documents regulating the general contents of formal vocational education and training and pupil assessment. It also ensures timely analysis of the pupil assessment results and their presentation to the pedagogical community and the general public and also the efficient use of that information.

Progression of pupils/students

VET school students, who have completed a course and mastered one module, take an intermediary examination. Once a student has taken all the intermediate examinations set forth in the education plans, he/she is entitled to take final proficiency examinations which will qualify them for a prospective occupational activity.

If an evaluation of the intermediate achievements of a pupil’s subject (module) is unsatisfactory, based on the suggestions made by teachers, conditions are created to self-prepare for the evaluation. The evaluation date is also determined.

When a student is accepted into a state-funded VET programme or module he/she is not left to repeat the year according to the VET programme.

A student is considered to have finished a VET programme or module, if all teaching subjects (modules) that the student took are evaluated satisfactory. A learner who has finished a VET programme gains the right to have his/her professional competencies assessed.

A student is considered not to have finished a VET programme or module, if:

• They have not achieved all the results set up in the VET programme or module.

• Their achievements were assessed as unsatisfactory.

• They have not finished one third of the VET practical part or have not fulfilled the requirements of the practice programme.

The final qualification examinations are an integral part of the professional training. Pupils take a theoretical examination and a practical examination; these are parts of the final qualification examination.

Certification

Upon completion of the vocational training curriculum, pupils are issued the following documents to attest the qualifications attained and learning outcomes:

• Vocational Education and Training Diploma. This is issued to a person who has received satisfactory assessment of his/her gained competencies required for this qualification. The diploma states the qualification acquired, the professional standard according to which the qualification is acquired, the level of qualifications, the theoretical and practical results of the assessment of the parts of the acquired competences, information about the completed modules (subjects) and their evaluations.

• Certificate. This is issued to a person, who has completed a VET module or has had some of the competencies needed for the qualification, acquired non-formally, assessed. The certificate provides information about the module of the VET programme, gained competencies, the level of qualification.

• Certificate of Learning Achievements. This is issued to a person who has not completed a formal VET programme or VET module. It contains information about the VET programme followed and the completed modules (subjects) with their assessments.