The system of vocational educationIn the dynamics of social development and market transformations, the vocational education as an integral area of the continuous education in Ukraine takes on exclusively special significance. The Decree of the President of Ukraine "On the Basic Directions of Reformation of the Vocational Education in Ukraine", dated 8.05.1996, outlined the basic objectives in the development and transformation of such area of education within the near-term outlook. The legal, organizational, financial and business foundations of operation and development of the vocational education are specified directly in the Law of Ukraine "On the Vocational Education" which is a legal act of direct force enacted in February 1998. Currently, 962 state vocational educational institutions (VEI) are subordinated to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, about 523 thousand of citizens, 350 thousand of them (70 percent) are men, study in such institutions and obtain full secondary education simultaneously with profession training.
The vocational education performs important functions of social protection of youth. 8.6 thousand of orphans (which corresponds to 1.8% of school-leavers acquiring profession training for the first time), more than 50 thousand of semi-orphans (9.6%), 170 thousand of students from low-income and problematic families (33%) study in VEIs. For the purposes of revealing and support of gifted youth in the system of vocational education, for the purposes of upgrading the level of professional training, and development of art activity of students, the competitions of workmanship among the students of the vocational educational institutions are conducted. In 2000 - 2001, 5 All-Ukrainian competitions were held. VEIs are financed from the State Budget which allows to maintain more stable financial position of the vocational and educational institutions. For the purposes of fulfillment of the Law of Ukraine "On the Vocational Education", the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine approved a number of important regulations. Such regulations, in particular, include the following: "On a Vocational Educational Institution", "On a Higher Vocational College and the Center of Vocational Education, "On a College as Agricultural Firm", "On Organization of Educational and Production Process", "On Stage-by-Stage Vocational Education", "On the Procedures for Provision of Working Places for Students in Order to Carry Out Production Practical Training", and other. Activities aimed at optimization and streamlining of the network of vocational and educational institutions have been carried out, provided that student places have been preserved which ensures preservation of working places for pedagogical employees. For the purposes of reduction of specialization and enhancement of training of specialists under multifaceted professions, real acts have been undertaken. Number of vocational and technical institutions of new types raised to 129 institutions. In VEIs students are trained to master 342 professions.
More than 70 educational and scientific production facilities with participation of VEIs operate in order to coordinate the activities of the educational institutions for training, re-training of specialists in the system of stage-by-stage education, for joint utilization of material and technical basis, for development and implementation of scientific and methodological support of educational process. Educational process in VEIs is maintained by around 51 thousand of pedagogical employees, including 25 thousand of training officers. Almost every second director of VEIs and each third deputy director, more than half of teachers of vocational and educational cycle possess respective working qualifications. Most of the training officers possess two and more working professions and have undertaken respective psychological and pedagogical training.
Pursuant to Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 1529/99 "On Urgent Measures Aimed at Acceleration of Reformation of Agricultural Sector of the Economy", dated 03.12.199, in its activities, VEIs of agricultural designation to the maximum extent take into account social and economic changes currently taking place in the system of agricultural sector. Change of ownership forms in the rural area results in change of organization of production process, and, therefore, change in professional and qualification structure of training of personnel for agricultural production process capable to organize production of plant-based and cattle-based products under new social and economic conditions. In the same time, the vocational and educational institutions of agricultural designation actively participate in the process of involvement to utilization of land shares of rural population, especially pensioners, under lease term, render technical and other services to newly established agricultural enterprises. In order to fulfill Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 584/2000 "On Guarantee of Economic Interests and Social Protection of the Employees of the Social Area in Villages and Resolution of Certain Issues Arising in the Process of Conduct of the Land Reform", dated 12.04.2000, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, regional bodies of education management jointly with the local bodies of executive branch of power and bodies of local self-governance carry out certain activities aimed at allocation of land parcels to the employees of educational institutions and pensioners who used to be employed by such institutions. The issues regarding loans to the state VEIs of agricultural designation are also being resolved, as well as the issues of exemption of such VEIs from land tax. Subject to the needs of the regions, the network of VEIs for training and re-training to acquire worker professions by unemployed populations are being upgraded. The number of such institutions has increased from 360 past year to 419 current year. The State Program of Population Employment has been implemented with active participation of local bodies of education management and educational institutions of the system of vocational education. According to the recommendations of the state employment service, the number of students undertaking training, re-training and qualification upgrading in the worker professions increases on the annual basis. At enterprises and organizations, working places are being reserved for employment of disabled persons, orphan children, and children deprived of parent care. The fact that about 50 percent of graduates of vocational and technical institutions are trained according to two and more related or neighboring professions facilitates employment of such graduates. It has expanded the area of possible use of graduates, facilitated to upgrading their workmanship, and, therefore, enhancement of their competitive ability at labor market.
For the purposes of ensuring effectiveness of the system of professional training, re-training, and, respectively further employment of unemployed population, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of Ukraine have updated the methodology of calculation of costs and expenses for professional training of unemployed population according to the recommendations of the state employment service; developed regulations on organization of professional training of unemployed population under modular system; developed a draft of the regulations on professional training, re-training and qualification upgrading during production process, approved the topical plan and program of the course "The technique of work search", etc. Relations of the vocational and educational institutions with foreign countries have expanded. In Ukraine, several projects in respect of introduction of new technologies of professional training are under implementation. On the basis of higher vocational colleges with participation of the Federative Republic of Germany within the framework of "Transform" program, 16 model centers and educational and training firms have been established and have successfully operated, such centers and firms train specialists for business activities and their experience has been disseminated around all regions of the country. From September 2000, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine jointly with the European Educational Fund and donor countries of EU initiated the International Project "Reforms of Vocational Education in Ukraine", implementation of which will allow:
Upgrading and democratization of the forms of management of the vocational education constitute the pressing issue of reforming the vocational education. The state bodies managing the vocational education include the following:
In the same time, autonomy of VEIs and powers and authorities of local bodies of management of the vocational education have expanded. For the purposes of coordination of the issues of determination and implementation of the state policy in the area of vocational education, democratization of the forms of management and interrelation of interested central and local bodies of the executive branch of power and self-governance, enterprises, institutions, and organizations in the area of formation and use of labor potential of the country, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine by its Resolution No. 488, dated 7.04.1998, established Inter-Branch Council of Vocational Education. The general meeting (conference) is the supreme collective body of public self-governance at a vocational and educational institution, such meeting (conference) resolves within its competence issues of educational and production, educational and training, educational and methodological, economic, financial and business activities of a vocational and educational institution, such meeting (conference) nominates and provides its recommendations in respect of candidates for the position of a director of a vocational and educational institution. The resolutions of the general meeting (conference) of a collective of an educational institution have advisory nature. Student self-governance bodies also operate in VEIs. (c) 2001, All rights reserved.
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