1 The current state of the recognition of non-formal and informal learning in the CR (UNIV project) Hana Čiháková NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (NÚOV) THE CZECH REPUBLIC

2 ACT NO 179/2006 COLL., ON THE RECOGNITION OF FURTHER EDUCATION RESULTS The Act: was approved in March 2006 and came into force in August 2007, should motivate the adult population to further education, should expand the opportunities for individuals to gain new qualifications and improve their position on the labour market, should improve the reaction of the education system to the needs of the labour market.

3 TARGET of RPL groups of inhabitants at risk of unemployment with low or without any professional qualification people with a qualification which unfortunately does not lead to success on the labour market people who try to acquire qualification for the branch or field in which they already have their own business or perform services

4 RPL ACCORDING THE ACT NO 179/2006 COLL. AUTHORISATION = A. of a person or legal entity to verify the attainment of professional qualification of a person specified in a particular QS for partial qualification AUTHORISED PERSON = a person or legal entity which has been authorised AUTHORISING BODY = central administrative body competent to make decisions on granting, extending or withdrawing the authorisation

5 RPL in the PROJECT UNIV Focused on implementing the system of RPL for the level ISCED 3C in the network of VET schools which provide educational services for adults ( Pilot testing of the qualification and assessment standards in VET schools in 6 regions of the CR Guiding through the RPL process (the role of counsellor) Educating of the authorised persons (assessors) and counsellors Candidates do not pay any fee for the examination

6 Authorised person does not know anything about the candidate  It is necessary to identify and verify every competence from the AS THAT IS WHY THE COUNSELLOR SHALL: - explore and record the candidate’s job and study career, - identify his/her competences (what are his/her abilities in terms of KSC), - assist him/her in creating the portfolio, ie. providing “proofs” (references, products, etc.). THAT IS WHY THE AUTHORISED PERSON SHALL USE: - examination, - demonstration in real or simulated work situations, - candidate´s self-evaluation. Specifications of RPL

7 COUNSELLOR Basic tasks of the counsellor are: to guide the candidate through the whole procedure of recognition and motivate him/her to achieve the best possible result to help the candidate to identify his/her prior learning to the widest possible extent and to participate in their formulation to assist the candidate to obtain relevant documents to prove that he/she possesses the required competences to suggest to the candidate suitable options for further education

8 EDUCATION OF COUNSELLORS AND ASSESSORS Three-day educational course for counsellors and assessors. It is a three-module course, where module A is concerned with life-long learning and the process of prior learning recognition, module B with counselling and guidance of the candidate in the process of RPL and module C is concerned with assessment of prior learning. Guides and assessors must be prepared and able to communicate with a broad spectrum of candidates with different social backgrounds and from different environments; they must be able to adapt their communication to candidates from different socioeconomic environments.

9 Candidate acquires KSC within the non-formal and informal learning He/she needs the certificate of PQ The place where it is possible to acquire the certificate (UNIV) Guidance about RPL He/she decides to join the RPL process

10 COUNSELLOR – development of the portfolio; he guides the candidate through the whole recognition process and at its end he carries out the assessment and motivational interview with him AUTHORISED PERSON – recognition/refusal of proofs gathered in candidate’s portfolio + verification of all other competences according to the assessment standard COUNSELLOR motivates the candidate and advises him/her what the subsequent FE should be - for obtaining the desired partial qualification (PQ) - for obtaining other related PQs – eventually the corresponding CQ

11 PILOT TESTING 94 teachers/trainers and social partners - an educational course RPL in 24 partial qualifications was carried out in partner secondary technical schools. 66 schools were involved in the UNIV project. Candidates recruited from both unemployed and people at risk of unemployment are persons with some experience in a certain occupation, but without the corresponding formal VET qualification. These candidates were approached by employers in regions or chosen with help of labour offices or VET schools.

12 PILOT TESTING 66 schools were involved in the UNIV project 94 teachers/trainers and social partners passed an educational course 24 partial qualifications were pilot tested 146 candidates passed examination for PQ (144 successfully) 32 candidates received all PQ which are necessary for acquiring of CQ 204 certificates of PQ were issued

13 POINTS OF INTEREST How to motivate candidates to enter the procedure? Counselling is an absolutely necessary part of the whole process. It is not correct to simplify the RPL process to exam performance only. How to ensure quality assurance mechanisms? What should be the roles of the stakeholders at the regional or local level (regional council, municipality, other social partners or providers of education)? How to involve them in the RPL process? Is it necessary to regulate everything on the national level by the law and NQF? How to ensure the accessibility of the recognition system for everyone? How old should candidates entering the RPL process be? Should the candidate pay the fee for the examination (= RPL process)? Which problems could appear in the implementation of the RPL system at a higher qualification level?

14 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION