24th July 2015

Tag list

• Cross-Sectoral Cooperation

Location / Country / Region

Bulgaria

Time frame

2012

Short description

The Ministry of Education and Science undertakes an action of this type as an instrument for the improvement of the quality and the coherence of the education and training policy-making process. The objective is to raise the awareness of the decision-making actors and of the broad public about the results of the LLL policy implementation. The document focuses on the efficacy and efficiency of the LLL policy implemented under the NLLLS until 2011 and on the sustainability of the impact achieved, as well as on the factors for its success and failures. The scope of the evaluation includes the results achieved during the period 2009-2011, the degree of achievement of the objectives defined in the NLLLS, the appropriateness, relevance and consistency of the NLLLS as a whole and the coordination process. The evaluation is based on statistical data (from national and EU sources) and interviews with LLL actors. Based on the analysis of data, recommendations for the next period (2014 – 2020) are defined.

Actors Involved

The document was elaborated by a working group created by the Minister of Education and Science. It included representatives of the main stakeholders in the field of LLL:
– Government institutions – Ministries of education and science, of labour and social policy, of Culture, of employment, the National Statistical Institute, the National Agency for Erasmus+ Programme, the Centre for control and assessment of training quality and Agencies of VET;
–    All the national employers and employees organisations;
–    The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences;
–    Non-government organisations active in the field of LLL.

Target audiences

The project is aimed at

• policy and decision making actors in Bulgaria such as the government institutions related to the development and the implementation of policies in the sectors of education and training, employment and youth, as well as the  employers’ and employees’ organisations.
• the management and pedagogic staff of formal and non-formal education and training providers.
• research centres and NGOs active in the field of education and training.

 Relevant links, websites, etc.

Ministry of Education and Science – www.minedu.government.bg
Ministry of Labour and Social Policy – www.mlsp.government.bg
Employment Agency – www.az.government.bg
National Agency for Vocational Education and Training – www.navet.government.bg

Background

Political, Economic and Social dimensions

The evaluation of the LLLS policy’s impact has mainly political, economic and social dimensions. It provides reliable data and evidence related to the results achieved and gives a basis for the definition of directions for the improvement of policy actions and the allocation of public funds among the different areas of intervention. This contributes to a higher degree of fulfilment of the objectives of LLL – the continuous professional and personal development of the citizens, the improvement of their employability and productiveness, and the support of the achievement of important personal goals.

Analysis

Innovativeness

The action implemented is the first of its type in the field of education and training. It was carried out with the participation of relevant stakeholders who contributed with data and analyses to the NLLLS implementation. The collection of additional information through interviews with employees in companies and representatives of key institutions participating in the implementation of the strategy supported the objectiveness of qualitative and quantitative information and ensured an analysis of results from different points of view. The findings and the recommendations defined concerning the realisation of the NLLLS at the regional and local levels and as a result of the implementation of the project Comfort (Community Forum Trends, Lifelong Learning Programme, No. № 190825-LLP-1-2010-BG-KA1-KA1ECETA) were also used in the preparation of the document. A comparison of the achievements with the objectives that were defined at the national level and with the key EU indicators provided in the document was useful in order to understand the level of progress realised and the critical areas which need special attention.

Key success factors

The fact that that the action was carried out on the request of the main policy maker, the Ministry of Education and Science, as well as the format of the working group and the approach used contributed to gathering reliable quantitative and qualitative data about the results achieved. As a whole the action is a serious step forward towards the development of an evidence based LLL policy.

Sustainability

The main findings, conclusions and recommendations defined were used in the process of designing and elaborating the new NLLLS for the period 2014-2020. All participants in this process expressed the opinion that this document was necessary and developed in time.

Contact Details for Practice:

The document is available at : http://www.mon.bg/?go=page&pageId=74&subpageId=144

Contact person: Valentina Deikova, Ministry of Education and Science, Head of Department “Lifelong Learning”,  e-mail: v.deikova@mon.bg