2021

Newly adopted Bylaw on Detailed Conditions Concerning the Programme, Staff, Space, Equipment and Teaching Aids for Acquiring the Status of Publicly Accredited Providers of Adult Education Activities defines detailed conditions regarding the procedure of acquiring the status of a publicly accredited providers of adult education activities by the primary and secondary schools and other organizations.  

This status can be acquired for the following activities:

1. non-formal adult education which leads to acquiring competencies and/or qualifications
2. non-formal adult education which improves knowledge, skills and abilities, personal and professional development and/or socially responsible behaviour
3. provision of career guidance and counselling services
4. recognition of prior learning, a special procedure which evaluates and assesses competences acquired through education, life or work experience

Fulfilment of the conditions for schools is defined by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and for other organizations by the Qualifications Agency.

This document is relevant especially because it defines the professional competencies of the staff who work in adult education institutions. According to the bylaw, staff must acquire at least three out of five andragogical competencies: 

• planning and organising learning activities for adults
• encouraging adults to learn
• implementation methods and techniques in adult education
• communication and group dynamics in adult education
• evaluation of achievement.

The framework for the training programme for development of andragogical competences is an integral part of this bylaw. The bylaw also regulates structure of programmes for the implementation of training, types of programmes, examination procedures, issuing of certificates etc. 

2020

2019

Bylaw on standards of career guidance and counselling services

This cross-sectoral document was adopted by the Ministry of education, science and technological development with the aim to serve as a guideline for planning and coordinating career guidance activities in primary and secondary school as well as HEI. The document defines four areas of standards: Standards of career management skills, Standards of career guidance practitioners competences, Organizational standards and Standards of Program.

• Standards of career management skills define key outcomes of quality career guidance and counselling services and can serve as a guideline for defining goals and outcomes of activities provided by one educational institution.
• Standards of career guidance practitioners competences are guidelines for self-assessment of career guidance practitioners competencies as well as for providers of CPD programs for guidance practitioners.
• Organizational standards define key conditions for quality services regarding space, staff and documentation.
• Standards of Program define key elements of a quality program for career guidance and counselling services such as target group, goals, activities and methods, evaluation and monitoring etc.

Bylaw on the evaluation of institutions

Document Bylaw on the evaluation of institutions defines procedures of external and internal evaluation, their connection with school development plan and indicators of evaluation and monitoring. Described procedures of evaluation refer to preschool institutions, primary schools and general and vocational secondary schools.

• Evaluation refers to the monitoring of different aspects of individual schools as institutions. This procedure covers internal (self-evaluation) and external school evaluation.
• Schools use feedback on their performance and quality (which is given as evaluation results) to identify the ways for improvement of their practices, further development and management.
• The internal evaluation covers a whole set of inputs provided by school leadership, teachers, other staff, students, parents, school and the local community.
• Internal Evaluation Team is in charge of the internal evaluation process (data collection, planning, reporting, etc.). Main support to the Team is given by the district school authority and the Institute for Education Quality and Evaluation.

Bylaw on career guidance and counselling in dual education

In January 2019, the Bylaw on Closer Conditions, Methods, Activities and Composition of the Career Guidance and Counseling Team in the Secondary School, which implements educational profiles in dual education, was adopted. The said Bylaw brings novelties to the career guidance and counselling teams. The main difference in career guidance and counselling teams who work in general secondary schools and in schools that implement educational profiles in dual education is in their composition. Namely, teams in secondary schools that implement educational profiles in dual education have been expanded by the representatives of professional associations, local self-government units and employers. Also, these teams include teachers of vocational subjects in the field of work of the dual education profile as well as the coordinator of learning through work.

The Bylaw describes in more details a series of activities that need to be carried out by members of the Career Guidance and Counseling Teams. One of the new areas of work of the teams is the distribution of pupils for learning through work.