Follow-up of CONFINTEA VI: Reporting template for National progress reports in preparation of the Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE) and the end of the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) National progress report submitted by the Government of Slovenia This report is submitted on behalf of the Government of Slovenia in accordance with the commitments i made at the Sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI) as laid down in the Belem Framework for Action2, specifically with regard to monitoring its follow-up. This report is organised in different sections according to the key areas of CONFINTEA VI. Accompanying this are the explanatory notes3, which are meant to provide further clarification. Contact Information Institutional: Institution responsible for submitting this report Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Submission date 29.2. 2012 Postal address Masarykova 16, Slovenia, 1000 Ljubljana Telephone +386 1 400 5400 Fax +386 1 400 5329 Website http://mss.gov.si/en/ Contact Individual: Name Ema Perme e-mail ema.perme@gov.si Telephone +386 1 400 54 42 Fax +386 1 400 53 58 1 For more information about CONFINTEA VI see: http://www.unesco.org/en/confinteavi/ 2 Available in nine languages at http://www.unesco.org/en/confinteavi/belem-framework-for-action/ 3 The explanatory notes are intended to be a reference material to clarify the scope and background of the reporting template and explain some basic terms. Report elaboration process Which institutions and stakeholders provided input to this report? Mark all that apply Government Ministries Agriculture □ Defence □ Education □ Foreign Affairs □ Health □ Interior/Home affairs □ Labour □ Others (please mark and specify below) □ Civil society organisations □ National non-governmental organisations International non-governmental organisations □ Educational or research institutions/Universities K Private sector companies □ United Nations agencies □ Non-UN bilateral or multilateral organisations □ Others (please mark and specify below) □ Briefly provide any additional information on the process by which this report has been produced, including information on: 1) which types of public authorities were consulted or contributed to its preparation; 2) how the stakeholders were consulted and how the outcomes of this consultation were taken into account; and 3) the types of references used as a basis for reporting._ 1. The report was prepared by the expert group (Jasmina Mirčeva - the coordinator, Peter Beltram, Ester Možina, Tanja Možina, Andrej Sotošek, Margerita Zagmajster) at the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education. It is a national institution for research, development and advising activities in adult education, closely associated and cooperating with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs etc. The preparation of the national report was strongly supported by the experts, the members of the Expert Council for Adult Education, the experts from the Faculty of Arts - University of Ljubljana (Department of Pedagogy and Andragogy) and the Adult Education Association. 2. Essential data utilized in this report have been provided by The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia as well as by the Institute for Macroeconomic Analysis and Development, and the Employment Service of the Republic of Slovenia. Those institutions have been mostly involved in the processing of data provided and not as stakeholders being consulted for the needs of this report. 3. The types of references used as a basis for reporting. Bela knjiga o vzgoji in izobraževanju v Republiki Sloveniji 2011. Ljubljana: Zavod RS za šolstvo. http://www.belaknjiga2011.si/pdf/bela_knjiga_2011.pdf Beltram, P., 2012. Analiza uresničevanja Resolucije o Nacionalnem programu izobraževanja odraslih (ReNPIO) 2005 -2010. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Beltram, P., 2012. Analiza uresničevanja Resolucije o Nacionalnem programu izobraževanja odraslih (ReNPIO) 2009 -2010. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Beltram, P., Drofenik, O., Možina, E., 2010. Analiza uresničevanja resolucije o Nacionalnem programu izobraževanja odraslih (ReNPIO) 2005-2008 in Izhodišča za oblikovanje Resolucije o Nacionalnem programu izobraževanja odraslih (ReNPIO) 2010-2013. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/Analiza_ReNPIO.pdf Birman Formanič, Z., idr., 2008. Prikaz dosežkov in razvojnih izzivov izobraževalne dejavnosti Andragoškega centra Slovenije : izhodišča za oblikovanje nove zasnove andragoškega spopolnjevanja. Ljubljana : Andragoški center Slovenije. http://izobrazevanje.acs.si/dokumenti/razvojno_delo/PRIKAZ_DOSEZKOV_IN_RAZVOJNIH_IZZIVOV_IZO BRAZEVALNE_DEJAVNOSTI_ACS.pdf Čelebič, T., Drofenik, O. idr., 2011. Izobraževanje odraslih v Sloveniji - stanje in izzivi. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Drofenik, O., Radovan M., 2011. Izobraževanje odraslih v lokalni skupnosti. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. Izhodišča za kurikularno prenovo izobraževanja odraslih in oblikovanje programov za izobraževanje odraslih, 1997. Ljubljana: Nacionalni kurikularni svet, Področna kurikularna komisija za izobraževanje odraslih. http://www.acs.si/temeljni_dokumenti_nacionalni Javrh, P. (ur.), 2011. Obrazi pismenosti : spoznanja o razvoju pismenosti odraslih. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Jelenc, Z., 1991. Terminologija izobraževanja odraslih. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut Klemenčič, S., Možina, T., Vilič Klenovšek ,T., 2003. Ponudimo odraslim kakovostno izobraževanje. Kazalniki kakovosti. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://kakovost.acs.si/doc/N-461-1.pdf Local Self-Government Act, 1993. Official Gazette of the RS, no. 72/93 (with amandments). English version on http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/untc/unpan015730.pdf Letni programi izobraževanja odraslih Republike Slovenije. Ljubljana: Ministrstvo za šolstvo in šport. http://www.mss.gov.si/si/solstvo/izobrazevanje_odraslih Mirčeva, J., Dobnikar, M., 2009. Kazalniki za spremljanje izobraževanja in usposabljanja v podjetjih: poročilo. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Republike Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/Kazalniki_za_spremljanje_izobrazevanja_in_usposabljanja_v_podjetjih.pdf Mirčeva, J., Dobnikar, M., 2011. Posledice recesije na izobraževanje za potrebe trga dela in vpliv tega dejavnika na izhod iz recesije : končno poročilo. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/Posledice_recesije_na_izobrazevanje_za_potrebe_trga_dela.pdf Mirčeva, J., idr., 2010. Analiza mreže izvajalcev izobraževanja odraslih z vidika možnosti zadovoljevanja potreb prednostnih ciljnih skupin : poročilo. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/Analiza_mreze_izvajalcev_izobrazevanja_odraslih.pdf Možina T., idr., 2009. Model presojanja in razvijanja kakovosti v svetovalnih središčih za izobraževanje odraslih. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://kakovost.acs.si/doc/N-470-1.pdf Možina, E. , idr. , 2010. Evalvacija javno veljavnega programa Projektno učenje za mlajše odrasle (PUM) in Temeljno usposabljanje za mentorje (TUM PUM) : povzetek zaključnega poročila. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/dokumenti/Evalvacija_JVP-PUM_TUM_PUM.pdf Možina, E., idr., 2010. Evalvacija javno veljavnega programa Usposabljanje za življenjsko uspešnost (UŽU) in Temeljno usposabljanje za učitelje v programih UŽU : povzetek zaključnega poročila. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/dokumenti/Evalvacija_JVP-UZU_in_TU_UZU.pdf Možina, E., idr., 2010. Računalniška pismenost za odrasle (RPO) : povzetek zaključnega poročila. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/dokumenti/Evalvacija_JVP-RPO.pdf Možina, E., idr., 2010. Strokovna izhodišča za prenovo javno veljavnih programov UŽU, PUM in RPO ter temeljnega usposabljanja učiteljev in mentorjev. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/dokumenti/Strokovna_izhodisca_za_prenovo_JVP_UZU_PUM_RPO_ter_TU_uciteljev _in_mentorjev.pdf Možina, T., idr., 2009. Evalvacija izobraževalne ponudbe formalnih in neformalnih izobraževalnih programov za brezposelne. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://kakovost.acs.si/doc/N-670-1.pdf Navodila o prilagajanju izrednega poklicnega in strokovnega izobraževanja, 2008. Uradni list RS, št. 8/2008. http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=20088&stevilka=267 Operativni program razvoja človeških virov 2007-2013, 2007 http://www.svlr.gov.si/fileadmin/svlsrp.gov.si/pageuploads/KOHEZIJA/kohezija-200207/op-ess_vlada-150207_koncno.pdf Pravilnik o potrjevanju učbenikov. 2006. Uradni list RS, št. 57/2006. http://www.uradni-list.si/1/content?id=73606&part=&highlight=Pravilnik+o+potrjevanju+u%C4%8Dbenikov Resolucija o nacionalnem programu izobraževanja odraslih v Republiki Sloveniji do leta 2010 (ReNPIO), 2004. http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200470&stevilka=3149 Strokovne podlage za pripravo osnutka zakona o izobraževanju odraslih : predlog, 2008. Ljubljana, Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/Strokovne_podlage_za_pripravo_osnutka_zakona_o_izobrazevanju_odraslih .pdf Svetina, M., Dobnikar, M., 2010. Evalvacija certifikatnega sistema [Elektronski vir] : vpliv sistema na razvoj izobraževanja odraslih in individualno. Ljubljana : Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/Evalvacija_certifikatnega_sistema.pdf Zakon o izobraževanju odraslih (ZIO), 1996. Uradni list RS, št. 12/1996. http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=199612&stevilka=572 Zakon o poklicnem in strokovnem izobraževanju (ZPSI-1), 2006. Uradni list RS, št. 79/2006. http://www.uradni-list.si/1/content?id=74689&part=&highlight=zakon+o+poklicnem Zakon o višjem strokovnem izobraževanju (ZVSI), 2004. Uradni list RS, št. 86/2004. http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200486&stevilka=3840 Zakon o visokem šolstvu (ZVIS), 1993. Uradni list RS, št. 67/1993. http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=199367&stevilka=2465 Abbreviations: AE - Adult education AJPES - Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services Ministry of Education and Sport - Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sport PUM - Accredited programme Project learning for young adults NPAE - National Plan on Adult Education in the Republic of Slovenia until 2010 UŽU - Accredited literacy programmes for adults 1. Definitions and data collection on adult learning and education Yes No 1.1 Does your country have an official definition of adult education? If Yes, please provide it in the space below: According to the Adult Education Act (2006), adult education comprises education, empowerment, training and learning of individuals who have accomplished primary school (obligatory education) and intend to acquire, update, widen and deepen their knowledge while during the education they have not a status of regular primary or secondary school pupils or students. □ □ 1.1.1 Are other definitions used in practice? If Yes, please provide them in the space below: Adult education has two basic meanings. According to the wider comprehension it is a process, where individuals, having accomplished the course of elementary education, intentionally begin and take part in any kind of permanent and organized activities important for advancing the level of their information, knowledge and understanding or skills, validity and views. According to the narrower definition, adult education is a process of individuals, accomplishing the initial cycle of education, that have begun some studying and organized learning activities, but are not directed towards the acquisition of any occupation, or vocational level or certificate. (Terminology of adult education, Terminologija izobraževanja odraslih, 1991) □ □ 1.2 Has your country adopted or developed an official definition of literacy? If Yes, please provide it in the space below: □ H 1.2.1 Are other definitions used in practice? If Yes, please provide them in the space below: According to the National Strategy on Literacy Development (Nacionalna strategija za razvoj pismenosti, 2006, p. 6): 'Literacy is continously developing competence of 1X1 □ individuals for using socially agreed systems of symbols in order to learn, understand, produce and use texts for everyday life, education, work and living in the community. Acquired knowledge, skills and developed competences enable an individual a successful and creative personal growth and resposnsible participation in the labour market and society. Alongside reading, writing and numeracy which are considered basic literacy competences, also listening skills, digital competences, information, media and other literacies, are considered important for individual participation in the society. Competences and literacies as social practices are acquired and developed throughout life in different circumstances and are intertwinning all individual activities. 'In 2011 the new concept of adult literacy programmes has been proposed which is based on the results of the national evaluation of adult literacy programmes (conducted in 2010), White Paper on Adult Education in Slovenia (2011) and EU framework on key competences (2006). The new concept acknowledges key and transferable skills and competences; the key competences are basic literacy (also communication in the Slovenian language), communication in foreign language and mathematical competences. Transferable competences are digital, learning to learn, social and civic and entrepreneurship competences, and general knowledge about nature, society, science and technology (also cultural awareness, science and technology).' 1.3 How is literacy data obtained in your country? Please select the option(s) below National census □ School administrative data (years of schooling M completed/primary certificate) □ Direct testing (e.g. Literacy Assessment and Monitoring Programme, LAMP) Household surveys □ Other methodology (please describe below): □ 1.4 Has your country changed literacy data collection methods since the UNLD mid-term review in 2006? □ 1X1 If Yes, please select the option(s) below that best describe the change(s) New conceptual definition on literacy in place (for policy) New conceptual definition on literacy in place (for data collection only) New assessment of youth and/or adults' literacy skills Increase in the periodicity without significant conceptual changes Other changes (please provide details below): □ □□ □□ 1.5 Has your country faced challenges in collecting literacy data? If Yes, please describe them briefly in the space below: Slovenia has been involved in several international surveys dealing with literacy of youth (PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS). However, there is no recent data on adult literacy in Slovenia, last survey on adult literacy skills has been conducted in 1998 as a part of OECD International Adult Literacy Survey. IXI □ 1.6 Please provide any additional information, explanations or comments that you consider relevant in order to clarify any potential issues regarding the information in this section. In 2008 Slovenia joined the group of countries starting the PIAAC survey, after 6 months Slovenia officially withdrew from the survey due to financial crisis in the country and is not taking part in the second cycle of PIAAC survey either. There were no other national research projects dealing with adult literacy skills in Slovenia in the last 6 years whatsoever. 2. Policy: political commitment to adult education and adult literacy 2.1 Does your country have laws, legal regulations or other public policy measures/initiatives with a primary focus of supporting lifelong learning, adult education and adult literacy? Please name them, giving the year in which they were enacted and adding documentation/evidence, if possible. Y e s If Yes: name of legal/policy instrument and references (add as many lines as needed) Year Life lon g lear nin g □ C Ad ult edu cati on Ad ult liter acy C C Strategija vseživljenjskosti učenja (Strategy on Lifelong Learning) (the document was approved by the Ministry of Education and Sport but did not pass the Parliamentary procedure) Zakon o izobraževanju odraslih (Adult Education Act) http://www.uradni- list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=2006110&stevilka=4673 http://www.see- educoop.net/education_in/pdf/zak_izob_odraslih-slo-enl-t04.pdf Resolucija o Nacionalnem programu izobraževanja odraslih (National Plan on Adult Education in the RS until 2010) - NPAE http://www.uradni- list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200470&stevilka=3149 Bela knjiga o vzgoji in izobraževanju v Republiki Sloveniji, 2011 p.369-417 (White Paper on Education in Slovenia) http://www.belaknjiga2011.si/pdf/bela_knjiga_2011.pdf Operativni program razvoja človeških virov 2007-2013 (Human Resource Development Programme 2007-2013) http://www.svlr.gov.si/fileadmin/svlsrp.gov.si/pageuploads/KOHE ZIJA/kohezija-200207/op-ess_vlada-150207_koncno.pdf Nacionalna strategija za razvoj pismenosti (National Strategy on Literacy Development) (the document was approved by the Ministry of Education and Sport but did not pass the Parliamentary procedure) http://www.pgmb.si/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Nacionalna-strategija-za-razvoj-pismenosti-2006.pdf 2007 1996 (2006) 2004 2011 2007 2006 2.2 Which target groups of learners do current national adult education and/or adult literacy policies address? Examples could include women, youth, indigenous peoples, minority linguistic/ethnic groups, migrants, individuals with disabilities, rural residents, prisoners and others (please specify). Which age groups are targeted? What is the size of the target group? Specific target groups, including age range (add as many lines as needed) Total number of individuals in the group (estimated figures) 100.000 Unemployed 200.000 Low educated adults (less than upper secondary educational attainment) Low educated (skilled) employees 45+ 130.000 Ad Immigrants 20.000 ult edu Prisoners 1.500 cati on 15.000 Early school leavers 15-25 Ad 8.000 ult Ethnic Minority (Roma) liter 26.000 acy Individuals with disabilities (special needs) 2.3 Has your country set any goals and deadlines that national policy/ies in adult education and/or adult literacy are expected to reach? If yes, please specify the goal and, if applicable, relevant timeframe. Y N e o s Specify goal Specify timeframe NPAE 2010 is the document that determines national goals of activities and investments in the field of adult education. In the NPAE 2010, which expired in 2010, there were two major benchmarks set: for participation in lifelong learning and for aducational attainment. The new issue of the NPAE 2010 also sets goals for these indicators: 2015 18% participation of the 25-64 population in lifelong learning (the value for 2010 was 16.2) Ad ult edu cati on K C 6% participation in non-formal general education (verified literacy programmes, foreign languages, leisure and liberal educational programmes) 1/3 of adults without elementary school attainment will accomplish elementary level of education. Ad ult liter acy □ E 60% population 25-64 with at least 4-year upper secondary school (the most recent figure available is 55%) 2.4 Does your country have a policy on the language of instruction in adult education? If Yes, please provide a brief explanation and references in the space below including when it was put in place: The language of instruction is Slovene. There are two bilingual regions in the country, where languages of instruction for the national minorities' members are Italian and Hungarian respectively. Organization and Financing of Education Act (Zakon o organizaciji in financiranju vzgoje in izobraževanja), 1996 (2011) Article 3. (http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=199612&stevilka=567) Both minorities, Italian and Hungarian, are treated as autochthonous minorities, which are also mentioned in the Slovenian Constitution (http://www.uradni- list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=199133&stevilka=1409), where Article 11 determines the Italian and Hungarian languages as official languages in the nationally mixed regions respectively. Minority members have all the collective rights for their cultural and linguistic development, which are based on the respective international and bilateral treaties: regarding the Italian minority, its protection is based in the London Memorandum, signed by Italy, UK, USA and Yugoslavia in 1954, and in Osimo agreement, signed by Italy and Yugoslavia in 1975. Both documents establish mutual responsibility for protection of the Italians which are the citizens of Yugoslavia and Slovenians which are the citizens of Italy. Protection comprises schools in the mother tongue language of instruction, media in minority languages, billingual public announcements and signposts, legal protection in minority language etc. Nationally mixed territory on the border with Hungary was established after WW II. After gaining independence, Slovenia inherited all the legal commitments of the former state. In 2001 a special law was adopted: The Special Rights of Italian and Hungarian Minority Regarding Education Act (http://zakonodaja.gov.si/rpsi/r01/predpis_ZAKO2611.html) There is an important distinction between the statuses of both minority languages in the field of education for youngsters: in nationally mixed region, bordered to Italy, minority members have schools where language of instruction is Italian, whilst on the border with Hungary there are schools for both nationalities, Slovene and Hungarian, they attend bilingual schools, where language of instruction is mixed: a part of lectures are in Slovene, the other in Hungarian. This method is not unanimously approved by the linguistic scholars. 2.5 Does your country have a policy framework to recognise, validate and accredit non-formal and informal learning?_ Yes No □ If Yes, please provide a brief explanation and references in the space below, including when this policy framework was put in place: The accreditation of prior learning has been very important issue in Slovenia for several years now. There have been a lot of initiatives aiming at making the system of recognition formal and comprehensive (e.g. instructions for forming a career or professional portfolio, the National Examination Centre (http://www.ric.si/?lng=eng), is responsible for verifying knowledge, regardless of where it has been acquired: matriculation exam, verified language exam, primary school level knowledge etc.). A very important system is the National professional qualification scheme (2000) Zakon o nacionalnih poklicnih kvalifikacijah (National Professional Qualifications Act) (2000) http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200081&stevilka=3708 2.6 Have action plans been formulated or updated since CONFINTEA VI (December 2009) at national or sub-national level? Yes No Adult education □ If Yes, please provide a brief explanation and references: In 2010 the first issue of NPAE (http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200470&stevilka=3149) expired The new NPAE for the period 2012-2015 has been elaborated, which is currently in the governmental procedure for adoption (the draft version has not yet been published). According to good experiences with the impact of the former NPAE, on the one hand the new one is designed ambitiously, but on the other hand we have to have in mind restrictions due to the critical financial situation. It is very important, that the document sets priority fields for actions in the field of adult education: 1st priority is given to general, non-formal learning, 2nd priority is given to formal education for increasing educational attainment, 3rd priority is given to job related education and training. Special treatment is given to supportive activities' network, such as counselling, R&D, teachers and mentors training, new adult education programme development, quality assurance etc. NPAE determines also the scope of public finances dedicated to each of these priority fields. NPAE is implemented by annual adult education plans, in which the government determines programmes for each priority field for the respective year in details. Adult literacy □ If Yes, please provide a brief explanation and references: 2.7 Have adult education and adult literacy been included in other national plans/strategies? Mark Timefram References Adult education: all that e apply National Development Plan K 20062013 Strategija razvoja Slovenije (Slovenia's Development Strategy) http://www.umar.gov.si/fileadmin/user_upload/projekti/02 _StrategijarazvojaSlovenije.pdf In the 2nd developmental priority: "Efficient acquisition, transfer and utilization of knowledge for economic 2007 2013 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper □ 2011 Education strategy 2007 2013 Skills development (including 2007 vocational 2013 education and training) strategy □ development and creation of highly demanding jobs", there is an alignment: "In the field of lifelong learning, the demand for education and training at the individual level should be stimulated as well as investments of employers in this field." Državni razvojni program (National Development Programme) http://www.pora-gr.si/DRP2007-2013.pdf Bela knjiga o vzgoji in izobraževanju v Sloveniji (White Paper on Education in Slovenia) http://www.belaknjiga2011.si/pdf/bela_knjiga_2011.pdf White Paper comprises all levels of education. It has a special chapter dedicated to adult education. The main emphases are given to fostering the concept of lifelong learning as the basic frame for increasing the awareness of the importance of adult education, and to the development and further implementation of the accreditation system. The state is taking over the financial responsibility for education of vulnerable groups and for education for attaining basic knowledge and skills standards. Operativni program razvoja človeških virov (Human Resources Development Programme) http://www.svlr.gov.si/fileadmin/svlsrp.gov.si/pageuploads/ KOHEZIJA/kohezija-200207/op-ess_vlada- 150207_koncno.pdf Program ukrepov Aktivne politike zaposlovanja (Active Employment Policy Programme) http://www.ess.gov.si/_files/1043/Program_APZ_2007_201 3.pdf Education For All Fast Track Initiative (EFA FTI) Education Sector Plan □ Sustainable development strategy □ Other (specify in 2011 Strategija vzgoje in izobraževanja Romov v Republiki Sloveniji the space below) (Strategy of Education of Roma population in the RS) http://www.mss.gov.si/fileadmin/mss.gov.si/pageuploads/p odrocje/razvoj_solstva/projekti/Strategija_Romi_dopolnitev _2011.pdf The concept of the Strategy is based on equal opportunities on the one hand and on the right of Roma people to preserve their cultural and linguistic patterns on the other hand. Mark Timefram References Adult literacy: all that e apply National Development □ Plan Poverty Reduction □ Strategy Paper Bela knjiga o vzgoji in izobraževanju v Sloveniji (White Paper Education □ on Education in Slovenia) strategy 2011 http://www.belaknjiga2011.si/pdf/bela_knjiga_2011.pdf Operativni program razvoja človeških virov (Human Resources Development Programme) http://www.svlr.gov.si/fileadmin/svlsrp.gov.si/pageuploads/ 2007- KOHEZIJA/kohezija-200207/op-ess_vlada- 2013 150207_koncno.pdf Program ukrepov Aktivne politike zaposlovanja (Active Skills Employment Policy Programme) development (including 2007- http://www.ess.gov.si/_files/1043/Program_APZ_2007_201 vocational 2013 3.pdf education and training) strategy □ Education For All Fast Track □ Initiative (EFA FTI) Education Sector Plan Sustainable development □ strategy □ Other (specify in 2011 Strategija vzgoje in izobraževanja Romov v Republiki Sloveniji the space below) (Strategy on Education of Roma population in the RS) http://www.mss.gov.si/fileadmin/mss.gov.si/pageuploads/p odrocje/razvoj_solstva/projekti/Strategija_Romi_dopolnitev _2011.pdf 2.8 Have adult learners and/or adult literacy learners been involved in discussions about your policy and or plans? Y e s Ad □ ult edu cati on Ad □ ult liter acy Specify policy/plan (add as many lines as needed) References If Yes, please elaborate how they have been involved. 2.9 Please provide any additional information, explanations or comments that you consider relevant in order to clarify any potential issues regarding the information in this section. 3. Governance: governance and cooperation in adult education and adult literacy 3.1 Please list the names of organisations, institutions or agencies that are involved in planning, implementing and evaluating policies for adult education and adult literacy. Please mark/tick the level(s) at which they operate (national, sub-national). Governmental: Institution (add as many lines as needed) Geographical scope (mark all that apply) Is it involved in the implementation of programmes/courses? (mark all that apply) National Sub-national On adult education On adult literacy Ministry of Education, Science, m □ m M Culture and Sport Ministry of Labour, Family and Social m □ m M Affairs Slovenian Institute M □ M M for Adult Education I2SJ I2SJ I2SI Expert Council for M □ M M Adult Education Economic-Social Council K □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ Non-Governmental: Institution (add as many lines as needed) Geographical scope (mark all that apply) Is it involved in the implementation of programmes/courses? (mark all that apply) National Sub-national On adult education On adult literacy Association of Slovenian Adult M □ M M Education Centers I2SI I2SI I2SI (Folk High Schools) Association of Adult Educators in □ □ H K Secondary Schools Association of Private Adult M M M M Education I2SI I2SI I2SI I2SI Institutions Adult Education M □ M M Association I2SJ I2SI I2SJ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 3.2 Is there any entity at national level responsible for ensuring the coordination of adult education and/or adult literacy activities? Yes No Adult education K □ If Yes, please provide name and contact details: 1. Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport - Adult Education Division (gp.mss@gov.si) 2. Expert Council for Adult Education (gp.mss@gov.si) 3. Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs - LLL Division (gp.mddsz@gov.si) 4. Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (info@acs.si) Adult literacy K □ If Yes, please provide name and contact details: 1. Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport - Adult Education Division (gp.mss@gov.si) 2. Expert Council for Adult Education (gp.mss@gov.si) 3. Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs - LLL Division (gp.mddsz@gov.si) 4. Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (info@acs.si) 3.3 Does the national government conduct specific actions intended to facilitate cooperation among the different stakeholders in..._ Yes No ...adult education? K □ If Yes, please indicate what activities are undertaken and/or which frameworks are in place and provide references: Activities: The Government each year adopts Annual Plan of Adult Education, prepared by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport and the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs. Annual plans determine all the activities in the field of adult education that will be publicly financed as well as the scope of public funding. The Government each year adopts annual plan for Active Employment Policy Plan, prepared by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, the most important part of which are the measures for reducing unemployment and increasing employability, mainly by educational and training programmes. Programmes are conducted and regulated by the National Employment Service. Frameworks: 1. Expert Council for Adult Education: This Council has a chairman and 14 representatives. All are appointed by the Slovenian Government as acknowledged experts in the field of adult education: - four are proposed by Ministries, - three are proposed by Chambers, - three are proposed by Trade Unions, - two are proposed by Associations of public organizations of adult education, - two are proposed by other organizations in the field of adult education and their associations. Expert Council for Adult Education is responsible for monitoring, assessing and evaluating the development of adult education in the country in general, from the point of view of the needs, demands and capacities of the population, assuring quality of provision and services at internationally comparative level. Expert Council for Adult Education has also other tasks: - to prepare and deliver proposals for new adult education programmes for the Minister of Education and Sport - to proceed and approve educational programmes, adapted to adults, - to assess the equality of educational standards within its responsibility, for preparing different catalogues of knowledge, - to define catalogues of knowledge and catalogues of exams in adult education programmes, - to certify textbooks and teaching materials for adult education programmes within its responsibility to define catalogues of knowledge and to approve other textbooks and teaching materials for adult education. 2. Commission for the assessment of the implementation of the NPAE: The Commission has a chairman and eight members. All are appointed by the Expert Council for Adult Education selected among important experts in the field of adult education. They can also be the members of the Expert Council for Adult Education. The Commission elaborates questions, issues and themes which the Expert Council for Adult Education is competent for. Thus the Commission forms opinions, conclusions and proposals about the particular issue which are further delivered to the Council which is entitled to adopt them. 3. National Lifelong Learning Week (LLW) Committee: Is the coordinative national body of different national and local stakeholders and partners and, named by the Slovenian Government. The chairman of the Committee is the general director of the Secondary, Higher Vocational and Adult Education Directorate in the Ministry of Education. Science, Culture and Sport, as a rule. The Committee has ten members: - Head of the Adult Education Division in the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, - Representative from the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, - Representative from the Ministry of Culture, - Representative from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Slovenia, - Representative from the Education, Science and Culture Trade Union of Slovenia, - Three representatives from the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education, - Representative of LLW providers. The main tasks of the Committee lie primarily in the field of formal representation and national promotion. Its role is also to enable connections between the Government, other national Institutions and providers. It takes care about current financing from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport and the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs. 4. National expert group for preparing and developing ground base for national system of recognition, validation and accreditation of prior learning in AE: One of the aims of the national project which was led by the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE) which was entitled "Developing the literacy and validation and accreditation of non-formal education between 2009 and 2011", was the preparation of the ground base for the national system of recognition, validation and accreditation of informal and non-formal knowledge and skills of adults in formal education and thus for increasing their employability. SIAE established the National expert group for this task to reach this goal. In this group experts from different national stakeholders were invited: from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, the Expert Council for Adult Education, the Expert Council for Vocational Education and Training, Trade Unions, the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training, the Nation Examination Centre, the National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia and the Employment Service of the RS. The main tasks of this expert group were to analyse the best EU practice, to discuss existing projects, practices and results, analyse legislation in the field of validation, analyse new models, procedures, measures, tools and competences of experts involved in these processes. The final report will give the ground base and proposals for further development of the national system of recognition, validation and accreditation of informal and non-formal knowledge and skills of adults. ...adult literacy? If Yes, please indicate what activities are undertaken and/or which frameworks are in place and provide references: Activities: The Annual Plan for Adult Education, prepared by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport and the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs also determines conditions and demands for publishing public tenders for adult literacy programmes primarily designed and earmarked for vulnerable target groups. In Active Employment Policy Plan, there are also adult literacy programmes, aimed for early school leavers and low skilled unemployed persons. Frameworks (same as for adult education - see above) 3.4 Does the national government provide capacity-building to ensure that the different stakeholders are able to participate in policy and programme development, implementation and evaluation in..._ Yes No □ ...adult education? If Yes, please indicate what activities are undertaken and provide references: The Economic-Social Council is a legal body, where the three main social partners, trade unions, employers and the government are negotiating conditions and the content of collective agreements. When such an agreement is adopted it becomes a legislative act. Questions of rights of employees to education and training are a permanent issue and a permanent condition for the social agreement from the trade union's side. Active Employment Policy, conducted mainly by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, is a platform for meeting and collaborating of different stakeholders involved in training and education of unemployed: the Employment Service of the RS, providers of training programmes, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the RS, The Chamber of Crafts of Slovenia etc. □ ...adult literacy? If Yes, please indicate what activities are undertaken and provide references: As mentioned above, training programmes within the Active Employment Policy are often targeted to low skilled unemployed and early school leavers, where the most suitable programmes for raising their employability are basic skills programmes, which are basically literacy programmes. 3.5 Do local communities play a role in the planning, implementation and evaluation of programmes in ... Yes No ...adult education? ...adult literacy? KIKI □□ 3.6 Please provide any additional information, explanations or comments that you consider relevant in order to clarify any potential issues regarding the information in this section._ Regarding governance and cooperation in the field of adult education, the legislative framework in Slovenia is properly designed and suitable. But we face quite a lot of problems with the implementation of particular solutions. At the national level, as seen above, the system is operating and functioning properly, ensuring harmony among stakeholders and others involved. Problems are at the local level. One of them is based on differences between municipalities: not so long ago, there were 65 municipalities in Slovenia, now they are 212. Among them 157 have less then 10.000 inhabitans. However, municipalities are legally responsible for maintaining primary schools premises as well as folk-high schools (adult education centres), if they have it. Due to the fact that a lot of these small municipalities can not afford to carry out their obligations, there are several mechanisms to transfer financial sources from the national level. Nevertheless, the position of providers and participants in adult education programmes differ substiantially between bigger and smaller municipalities. There are initiatives for establishing regions which would be entities between municipalities and the state, which is taking place for several years now. Regions that we have in mind, are supposed to take a great deal of responsibility for adult education programmes provision. We can assume that that solution will be the right one and we hope it will occur in the near future. 4. Financing: investment in adult education and adult literacy 4.1 Data on public expenditure provided in this questionnaire should refer to actual expenditure. If actual expenditure is not available, please provide budget allocation. Please indicate which data are reported:_i_ Actual expenditure _□ 4.2 Please indicate the name of the currency used for reporting: Euro 4.3 Please indicate the monetary unit used in the following tables: Units Hundreds □ Thousands □ Millions M 4.4 What was the overall public expenditure on education and training in the financial years ending in 2009 and 2010 (in nominal local currency)?4 Amount (2009) Amount (2010) Source National government 1.855 1.792 calculated 5 Sub-national governments 509 545 Ministry of Finance Total 2.364 2.337 Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SORS) 4.5 Are equivalent figures on the financial contributions to adult education by the following agents available? Amount (2009) Amount (2010) Not available National government 31,5 33,6 □ Sub-national governments 0,5 0,5 □ Civil society organisations M Donors/international aid (not loans) H Private companies H Learners/households K 4.6 Are equivalent figures on the financial contributions to adult literacy by the following agents available? Amount (2009) Amount (2010) Not available National government 10 10 □ Sub-national governments 1,5 1,5 □ Civil society organisations K Donors/international aid (not loans) 0,2 0,3 □ 4 Include both current and capital expenditure on education and training directly allocated to educational institutions as well as transfers and payments to students (scholarships, grants or loans for tuition fees and/or living expenses) and the private sector. Exclude expenditure other than for educational institutions (e.g. general administration at ministry level). If the information is not available, please provide the best possible estimates. In any case, attach a detailed explanation on how this amount was computed and possible anomalies (elements not covered, etc.). 5 Control for the potential double-counting effect of transfers across different government levels. Budget allocation Private companies M Learners/households M 4.7 Have new mechanisms or sources of funding for adult education and adult literacy been introduced since CONFINTEA VI (December 2009)?_ Yes No □ If Yes, please provide a brief description: The Slovene Human Resources Development and Scholarship Fund (Javni sklad republike Slovenije za razvoj kadrov in štipendije), established in 2006, has, since 2009, taken over all the activities concerning public tenders for co-financing education and training for employees, financed by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, and adults for attaining upper secondary educational level. New measures to attract low skilled employees to participate in educational and vocational programmes were introduced, they were mainly co-financed by the ESF. New verified basic skills programmes for vulnerable groups were introduced. 4.8 Please provide any additional information, explanations or comments that you consider relevant in order to clarify any potential issues regarding the information in this section._ Since late nineties there has been no reliable data on expenditure on education and training in companies. Companies are no longer obliged to report on their investments. Today the only published data are based on Labour Force Surveys and are not reliable for getting into details. There are some sparse data on financing adult education by different agents available, such as: the average amount of money spent on education by individual member of household is 62 Euros per year (2009) (SORS). The Agency for the education of employees was established in 2009 as a fund by some regional Chambers of crafts. Members have to contribute 1% of their income for all their employees. In 2010 they have spent 77.000 Euros for education of their members. We believe that this example will encourage also other regional chambers. The last year that the Statistical Office published data on investment in education and training in private companies, was 2004 (Statistical Yearbook). Published data were collected in 2000. In that year the figure was over 90 million Euros, which represent over 0,5% of the total expenditure on labour. The percentage was even bigger a year before (1%). We assume that it is a substantial scope of funding. E.g. the Slovene best company Krka from Novo mesto, spends approximately 2 million Euros on education and training of their employees. 5. Participation: youth and adults' access to, and participation in, education and literacy programmes_ 5.1 Please indicate the areas of learning that are addressed by different organisations. Identify target groups (for example women, youth, indigenous peoples, minority linguistic/ethnic groups, migrants, individuals with disabilities, rural residents, prisoners and others) and if information and communication technologies (ICTs) are used._ Public sector organisations Mark all that apply Target group(s) Use of ICT Literacy (reading, writing, numeracy) □ Younger adults, less educated, unemployed, marginalised groups with no or limited access to learning, cultural, social or material goods, population in less developed regions, migrants, rural residents and adults with special needs. M Vocational (technical, income-generation-related) H Unemployed and employed, threatened by unemployment because of their low educational attainment and qualifications not demanded on the labour market or due to the restructuring of a branch. H Life skills and/or health issues K Younger adults, less educated, unemployed, marginalised groups with no or limited access to learning, cultural, social or material goods, population in less developed regions, migrants and older adults. K Use of information and communication technologies K Adults without access to ICT, adults without basic computer skills. K Official/local languages K Migrants, refugees, asylum seekers. K Foreign languages K Younger adults, less educated, unemployed, marginalised groups with no or limited access to learning, cultural, social or material goods, population K in less developed regions, migrants. Human rights/civic education K Younger adults, less educated, unemployed, marginalised groups with no or limited access to learning, cultural, social or material goods, population in less developed regions, migrants. □ Liberal education/personal growth (i.e. artistic, cultural) K Younger adults, less educated, unemployed, marginalised groups with no or limited access to learning, cultural, social or material goods, population in less developed regions, migrants. 1X1 Other (please provide a brief description below:) □ □ Private companies Mark all that apply Target group(s) Use of ICT Literacy (reading, writing, numeracy) K Younger adults, less educated, unemployed, marginalised groups with no or limited access to learning, cultural, social or material goods, population in less developed regions, migrants, rural residents and adults with special needs. M Vocational (technical, income-generation-related) H Unemployed and employed, threatened by unemployment because of their low educational attainment and qualifications not demanded on the labour market or due to the restructuring of a branch. Target groups are also all adults, having expressed interests and needs for vocational education and training. K Life skills and/or health issues H Younger adults, less educated, unemployed, marginalised groups with no or limited access to learning, cultural, social or material goods, population in less developed regions, migrants and older adults. □ Use of information and communication technologies K Adults without access to ICT, adults without basic computer skills. Target groups are also all adults, having expressed interests and needs in information and communication skills. □ Official/local languages K Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers M Foreign languages H Younger adults, less educated, unemployed, marginalised groups with no or limited access to learning, cultural, social or material goods, population in less developed regions, migrants, all adults interesed in education and training in foreign languages. H Human rights/civic education K Younger adults, less educated, unemployed, marginalised groups with no or limited access to learning, cultural, social or material goods, population in less developed regions, migrants, all adults interested in the matters dealing with human rights and civic education. K Liberal education/personal growth (i.e. artistic, cultural) H Younger adults, less educated, unemployed, marginalised groups with no or limited access to learning, cultural, social or material goods, population in less developed regions, migrants as well as all □ adults interested in liberal education and personal growth. Other (please provide a brief description below:) □ □ Civil society or non-governmental organisations Mark all that apply Target group(s) Use of ICT Literacy (reading, writing, numeracy) □ □ Vocational (technical, income-generation-related) H The members of trade unions, and the different chambers such as: Chamber of Comerce and Industry of Slovenia, Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry, Chamber of Culture, Slovene Chamber of Pharmacy, Chamber of Crafts of Slovenia, Engineers Chamber, Slovene Chamber of Real Estate, Chambers of Lawyers of Slovenia, Slovenian Advertising Chamber, Social chamber of Slovenia, Veterinary chamber of Slovenia, Chamber of Public Utilities in Slovenia, Security service chamber in Slovenia, Chamber of Arhitecture. □ Life skills and/or health issues H Participants in the programmes of the Third Age University and other associations. □ Use of information and communication technologies K All adults interested in the use of information and communication technologies. □ Official/local languages □ □ Foreign languages H The members of the foreign cultural associations in Slovenia, the Third Age University. □ Human rights/civic education H According to AJPES in the year 2011, about 21.500 societies organised into 11 □ central societies, which have been registered in Slovenia. Most of them provide certain educational and training activities for their members in regard to the matter of human rights and civil education. Sometimes education and training is also provided for non-members. Liberal education/personal growth (i.e. artistic, cultural) H Younger adults, less educated, unemployed, marginalised groups with no or limited access to learning, cultural, social or material goods, population in less developed regions, migrants, members of religious associations, spiritual groups and associations for personal growth as well as for all adults interesed in this topic. □ Other (please provide a brief description below:) □ □ 5.2 Are there surveys on provision and demand? On adult education On adult literacy Provision Demand □ K H □ Please provide references or attach reports that may have been produced with the information generated by these surveys (if any). Aktivno prebivalstvo (po Anketi o delovni sili) = Labour Force Survey Results, 2011. Ljubljana: Statistični urad Republike Slovenije = Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia. http://www.stat.si/doc/statinf/07-si-008-1201.pdf Ivančič, A., Mohorčič Špolar, V. A., Radovan, M., 2009. Access of adults to formal and non-formal education - policies and priorities : the case of Slovenia. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Republike Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/LLL2010-SP5-National_report_Slovenia.pdf Mirčeva, J., idr., 2010. Analiza mreže izvajalcev izobraževanja odraslih z vidika možnosti zadovoljevanja potreb prednostnih ciljnih skupin : poročilo. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/Analiza_mreze_izvajalcev_izobrazevanja_odraslih.pdf Možina, E., idr., 2010. Evalvacija javno veljavnega programa Usposabljanje za življenjsko uspešnost (UŽU) in Temeljno usposabljanje za učitelje v programih UŽU : povzetek zaključnega poročila. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/dokumenti/Evalvacija_JVP-UZU_in_TU_UZU.pdf Možina, T., idr., 2009. Evalvacija izobraževalne ponudbe formalnih in neformalnih izobraževalnih programov za brezposelne. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://kakovost.acs.si/doc/N-670-1.pdf 5.3 Please list which languages are used for the provision of literacy programmes. Indicate if learning materials are available in the respective language. (add as many lines as needed) Mark if language of learning materials Slovenian m □ □ □ □ □ 5.4 List and describe briefly any key challenges related to implementing literacy classes in languages other than the official/dominant language(s)._ Slovenia has not developed the policy and strategy to deal with low literacy levels of adult migrants in Slovenia. There are no official or research data on what are the needs of low educated migrants in relation to literacy. 5.5 Have the languages in which literacy programmes are offered changed since the UNLD mid-term review in 2006? Yes No □ M If Yes, please provide a brief description and references: 5.6 At what administrative levels are literacy learning materials developed and who is involved in the process? Mark all that Are local communities involved? apply Yes No National level S □ M Sub-national level K □ m Please provide references or attach documents on local community participation: 5.7 Please provide any additional information, explanations or comments that you consider relevant in order to clarify any potential issues regarding the information in 5.1 to 5.6. Pay particular attention to innovative practices and services for marginalised groups._ Mobile information point for foreigners at the SES Employment Corner. The Ljubljana Area Office of the Slovenian Employment Service (SES) has set up a mobile Info Point for Foreigners. Information for foreigners who are not citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland are regularly provided with information throughout Slovenia. Information is provided at SES locations, in worker hostels and at employment fairs and other career events. Meetings are conducted in the form of individual conversations. They are provided by advisers from the Info points for foreigners with skills in intercultural operations. The SES provides continuously updated notification on its website of the dates and locations in Slovenia where the mobile Info points are available. Source: http://www.ess.gov.si/obvestila/obvestilo?aid=245 (in slovenian language) Development of three counselling models for vulnerable groups The idea of the project was to develop three new models for counselling for adults with special needs, Roma people and older adults. In the process of counselling adult educators were involved, the representatives of the religious associations, older volunteers and Roma volunteers. All of them were specially trained for consulting and working with vulnerable groups. The project was developed and coordinated by the Institute for Education and Culture - Črnomelj and implemented together with four adult education centers from Slovenia in the period from 2009 till 2011. Didactic kit of 4 DVDs with practical advice for educators and parents - Literacy Through Play The didactical kit is addressing the emergent literacy or early literacy development within the family, it was designed for parents, grandparents, educators, carers, teachers and other people who in the preschool period take care for the development of children's attitudes towards words, books. It has been first designed as the TV series, after the excellent ratings it was decided to upgrade the series into the set of 4 DVDs to be used in promotion and awareness raising of importance of family support in child emerging literacy. One of the DVDs has subtitles in English. The aims of the kit are: to encourage parents and others who in the preschool period take care for the development of children's attitudes towards words and books; to raise awareness of the importance that families have in the formation of a range of concepts and ideas, numerical and quantitative relations and other pre-literacy skills, as well as to consolidate the first steps to literacy - from birth to the age of eight; practical suggestions and useful information for educators organising meetings and workshops with parents and carers around early literacy development. The pack comprises four DVDs with accompanying booklets, the titles and the contents of the individual DVDs are the following: How can we as a family help our children's literacy?; Tell me a story; Our little one is counting; My first letters. At the start of the project it was intended to reach the most vulnerable parents in terms of education, but it became clear that the mediator (teacher) is needed to introduce and to use DVD as a kit supporting the educational meetings and programmes (family literacy programmes) with parents. What we realised is that video and TV have got a great potential in promotion of learning, because the members of vulnerable groups are visual and audio learners, they seldom learn from written texts and books. But to reach the most marginalised parents through the video, we will have to get more insights on the ways they learn in daily life. SIAE has got now a new opportunity to develop new ICT tools within the new ESF financial scheme 2011-2014. In addition the evaluation questionnaire was added to the pack which showed that the didactic kit was very well accepted by educators and teachers in nursery institutions and kindergartens when preparing meetings with parents, in family literacy programme, but also in libraries promoting family reading. The comments were positive in regards that the DVDs contain the experts' views and the practitioners' views, as well as concrete examples. The 10 min educational part is about the right length to show it for example on meetings with parents. All the feedback was positive and encouraging. Quite a few parents replied that they are now more aware of their role of parents in developing reading and writing skills of their kids, not everything is dependent on teachers in school. They felt encouraged to tell stories for their kids, even though they are not excellent story tellers. The internet site where the whole didactic kit Literacy through play is available: http://pismenost.acs.si/dvd/ New programme for early integration of migrants The new programme to support migrants in the early stages of their stay in Slovenia was developed in 2008-2009 on the initiative of the Ministry of Education and Sport. The aim of the programme Early integration of migrants is to enable immigrants to participate in and to integrate into Slovenian society. The development of the programme started with the research on the educational needs of migrants in Slovenia conducted by the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education in 2008. The survey revealed that the majority of the migrants in Slovenia have low educational background, that their working and living conditions have deteriorated because of the economic recession, that their basic human rights are violated regularly by their employers and landlords, and furthermore that the provision of educational programmes for them is very scarce and not adapted to their present needs. One of the most urgent needs was to understand the language of the host country. The first concept of the 40-hour programme was developed afterwards covering the 'breakthrough level' of the Slovene language, including the basic information on living and working conditions for migrants and their families in Slovenia. After the successful pilot phase of the programme, the concept of the programme was accepted by the Ministry of the Interior responsible to implement the integration policy in Slovenia. The integration programme was modified and accredited as a two module programme of 60 and 120 hours under the Rule for integration of migrants (2011). The programme covers topics such as identity, family and home, labour market and workplace, health and social security, lifelong learning, public life, economics, environment, Slovenian history, culture and constitution. The programme is now (2012) available free of charge to migrants with residence in Slovenia and their family members, the programme costs are covered on the basis of the public tender from European fund for the integration of migrants. Teachers in the programme for the early integration of migrants are required to attend the 24 hours training course, furthermore a handbook has been developed to support high quality of teaching. General educational module for adults In 2008 a new general-educational module (GEM) for less educated adults has been developed on the initiative of The Expert Council for Adult Education with the aim to offer the opportunities for the assessment and validation of general knowledge, skills and competences for low educated and low skilled adults. Standards are defined on the ISCED Level 2 and 3 and cover competences in the Slovenian language, a foreign language, mathematics, basic science and technology, ICT, "learning to learn", and social and citizenship-based competences. It is expected that the module will complement the NPQ in such a way that adults - holders of NPQ, whose mastery of competences determined by GEM are validated and recognized, would be awarded a national school leaving certificate on primary, short -term vocational education (ISCED2) or vocational secondary education (ISCED3) (depending which of the GEM levels of competences adults achieve). At present the NPQ itself does not provide the holder of NPQ a national school-leaving certificate. It is envisaged (anticipated/hoped for that the GEM standards would serve as a basis for the elaboration of national standards for key competences. The GEM was approved as an experimental project by the Expert Council for Adult Education in 2008. The pilot GEM was conducted in 2010 and the results and recommendations for its incorporation in the formal school system will be available in spring 2011. Formal education open for non-formal education programme to develop basic skills in the workplace One of the novelties in the area of adult literacy in Slovenia has been the confirmation of the equivalence of standards of knowledge in the programme to develop basic skills in the workplace by the Expert Council for General Education (2009). The standards of knowledge in workplace literacy programme are now confirmed to be equivalent to standards of knowledge in primary education programmes for adults, lower and secondary vocational education for the Slovene language, mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry and natural science. The programme for developing basic skills at the workplace was designed by the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE) in 2005. It comprises 300 hours and covers societal, entrepreneurial and personal needs for education, and increases access to education for deprived employee groups. It is aimed at employees who have generally completed at most ten years of formal education, and who are working at simple mostly manual jobs. The process of placing the non-formal programme in the education system for acquiring recognised qualifications started with the research project named 'The workplace as a factor in developing basic skills', which was supported financially by the Ministry of Education and Sport and the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs. The research drew attention to procedures in managing a new workplace, which covers both the technical, 'hard' elements and the social, 'soft' elements of developing human resources. The project revealed the need to increased access to education in order to raise the qualification level of employee groups, who owing to their poorer education and qualifications are generally not included in education, and if they are, such education does not develop their general level of education, and is directed primarily at training for specific work. On the basis of the research results guidelines were drawn up for the development of employee literacy. The new programme was afterwards developed in cooperation with unions and employers and piloted in seven companies in 2007. It has to be pointed out that by the confirmation of the equivalency of standards the two fundamental principles of lifelong learning (LLL) strategy e.g. the principle of equal treatment of the two subsystems, young people and adults, and the principle of validation of the knowledge obtained in non-formal education - have acquired for the first time an admission ticket to be placed and functioning in the system of education for acquiring recognised education. We drew special attention to the role of the programme to develop workplace basic skills in raising awareness among employers and increasing their social responsibility. 5.8 Does the government collect information on the following items...? Mark all that apply Enrolment in adult education programmes (other than literacy programmes) Attendance in adult education programmes (other than literacy programmes) Completion of adult education programmes (other than literacy programmes) Enrolment in literacy programmes Attendance in literacy programmes Completion of literacy programmes If this information is available please attach the corresponding figures and documentation, or provide the references: According to the EUROSTAT data Slovenia is ranked among countries having higher rates of involvement of adults in educational and training activities. However the nationally set goals in the National Plan on Adult Education in the RS until 2010, assuring a balanced development of adult learning and education, have not been achieved. The objective in the first priority field - to raise participation in general non-formal adult learning and education for 2.5 percentage points has not been achieved, but the trend in the first four years of implementing the National Plan on Adult Education has remained positive. In the second priority field the goal of raising the educational attainment of the least educated population to the level of primary formal education remains far below the set indicator; while raising educational attainment to the formal upper secondary education is nearly achieved. In the third priority field the goal of attracting 50% of unemployed into programmes for improving the employability has been almost achieved, and 10% of employed and unemployed with no qualifications or education attained national professional qualification as planned. (The Analysis of the Implementation of the National Plan on Adult Education in the RS until 2010). Although the time comparison of the extent of educational activities reveals improvements, the developments are most obvious in the categories which are in a privileged position with regard to education. Those are predominantly employed people, having higher working and economic status and mostly living in urban areas. The access of participants in the literacy programmes (specific literacy programmes for different target groups) in Slovenia is shown in the enclosed picture. The groundwork for preparing the literacy programmes in Slovenia were the results of the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS, 1998). Please follow the attached document. 5.9 Does the government measure the learning outcomes of the following programmes...? (mark all that apply)_ Only by teachers/ facilitators Standardised tests for statistical purposes Standardised tests for certification purposes Other Adult education programmes (other than literacy) Adult literacy programmes □ □ □ If this information is available please attach the corresponding figures and documentation, or provide the references: National Examinations Centre was established for the external assessment of pupils, students and adults in Slovenia. The Matura is a school-leaving exam required for the completion of secondary education and for university entrance. Thus the Matura represents not only a final exam but also a continuation regulating the transition from secondary to tertiary education, as is the case of educational systems in many European countries. The Matura is a national exam with equal conditions for all candidates: they take the exam simultaneously, following the same procedures and rules and in accordance with the same criteria of assessment. The Matura is a school-leaving exam which signifies the acquisition of a secondary education. By passing the Matura exams candidates prove that they have achieved the standards of knowledge as determined by the general upper secondary school programme. The Matura is a test of candidates' abilities for academic studies. Candidates who pass the Matura prove they have the general ability for any academic course. Special talents or psycho-physical aptitude are not, however, evaluated in the Matura, but can be assessed by the University itself. A pass in the Matura is a general admission requirement for any academic course and a minimal admission requirement for those academic courses having no limit regarding the number of students. In accordance with the Higher Education Act, in the candidates' course selection, the achievement in the Matura and the achievement in the last two years of schooling are taken into consideration where there is a limit to the number of students. There may also be other requirements. The Vocational Matura is a national exam with two qualifications: it is a form of a school-leaving exam giving a candidate technical education; it enables candidates to continue studies in vocational colleges and other colleges without any additional requirements. The difference between the Vocational Matura and the Matura with regard to further studies is that the Matura enables candidates to enrol in all programmes of tertiary education, i.e. vocational colleges, colleges and university courses, while the Vocational Matura enables candidates to enrol only in vocational colleges and colleges but not university courses. Vocational Matura candidates wishing to enrol in university courses must pass the Vocational Matura as well as one subject of the Matura. If a candidate passes the Vocational Matura, university admission is possible in the majority of university programmes but not all of them. Exams from different subjects are required for different university courses - this is evident from the yearly Call for Enrolment. A national professional qualification (NPQ) is a formally recognised work-related, competence-based qualification, which reflects the skills and knowledge needed to do a job effectively and shows that a candidate is competent in an area of work, or individual segments of work, within an area at a certain level of achievement, and as such, part of the national qualification framework. An NPQ is shown by a public document - a certificate whose form and content are defined by the Minister of Labour. The system of assessment and certification of NPQs in Slovenia is regulated by the National Professional Qualifications Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Nos 81/2000, 55/2003, 118/2006, 1/2007) adopted by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs. This Act regulates the procedure and the competent bodies, agencies and organisations for adopting catalogues of standards of professional knowledge and skills, and the conditions and procedures for obtaining NPQs. Foreign-language exams are organised in English, French, German, Hungarian and Italian in accordance with publicly recognised educational programmes adopted by the Minister of Education. If they pass the exam, candidates are awarded a publicly recognised certificate. Exams are prepared in accordance with the Council of Europe's recommendations. There are three exam sessions per year: in February, June and October. In one session, candidates sit for written exams in their chosen language simultaneously at various examination venues. The dates of written exams are determined by the Centre. Oral exams are held before an examination board in the order determined by each examining organization. Tests are prepared by groups of experts appointed by the Centre. These groups include foreign language teachers from language schools and adult education organizations as well as experts from universities. Written tests are assessed by specially trained examiners. Assessment is carried out in accordance with uniform marking schemes (prepared by the same groups of experts who prepared the tests) at examining organization venues. Oral exams are assessed by examiners in accordance with uniform criteria. http://www.ric.si/foreign_languges_exams/general_information/ European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) It is a computer literacy certification programme provided by ECDL Foundation. It is a globaly recognised information and communication technologyand digital literacy qualification. ECDL certification in Slovenia is recognised and supported by the government. http://www.drustvo-informatika.si/ecdl/ 5.10 Are there differences between men and women in terms of their participation in adult education and/or adult literacy programmes? Mark all that apply Yes No Adult education Adult literacy m s K □ If yes: Who participates more? Women Men Adult education Adult literacy S □ K □ If there are differences: Have measures have been undertaken to address these differences in adult education/adult literacy programmes? Adult education Adult literacy Yes □ □ No M KI If measures have been undertaken please provide a brief description and references: 5.11 Please provide any additional information, explanations or comments that you consider relevant in order to clarify any potential issues regarding the information in 5.8 to 5.10. Pay particular attention to equity-related issues regarding access, participation and outcomes._ The results of research and development in the field of adult education represent the basis for the systematic regulation of adult education and the management of an effective policy. While in the nineties substantial attention was given to the research activity in the field of adult education, after 2004 the topics on adult education were almost not included among research subjects (co)financed from national sources. The consequences are seen in lower corpus of national knowledge in this field, lower basis for developmental activities and for creating the policy in the field. To strengthen research activity in the field of adult education should be one of the first priorities in the next years. Adult education as field of research should be included in long-term and short-term planning of national and international researches and evaluations, financed from public source, in the field of education on equal terms. Beside the 3 priority fields for actions in the field of adult education in the new AENP for the period 2012-2015, the supportive activities' network is defined, including also the research and development in the field of adult education. In the new AENP it is proposed that more emphasis, financial stability and better conditions for work should be given to research activity in the field of adult education. Becouse of that and in the focus of research activity there should be to discover needs for education and training among adults and the measuring of the learning outcomes of the implemented programmes. In regard with the matter of adult education participation it is a fact that quite a lot of educational and training activities have been implemented in various settings, particularly in the field of civil society (associations, societies, movements...), however they have not been evidented and analysed. 6. Quality: quality assurance 6.1 Do quality criteria for adult education and adult literacy exist in the following areas: curriculum, learning materials, facilitators' training, teaching/learning methodology and assessment of learning outcomes? If yes, please specify. Since when have they been in place? Adult education Area Mark when quality criteria are in place Indicate year when quality criteria were introduced Specify quality criteria in place 1996 - still actual for the period of 20092011 Normative criteria: The obligatory elements for the preparation of curricula are defined in the Organization and Financing of Education Act. (Article 12). The elements are: goals, duration, obligatory ways of assessment, criteria for entering the programme, criteria for the completion of the programme, the syllabus, the catalogue of knowledge, assessment catalogue, education of educators, organization of education. Curricula K 1996 - still actual for the period of 20092011 2006 - still actual for the period 20092011 Additional elements are defined in the Adult Education Act (Article 10). Especially the definiton of a target group and the specification of evaluation activities. The Vocational Education Act defines an additional element that has to be used when the curricula is prepared for vocational education and training, for example: modularization, open curricula, competence based curricula. (Articles: 12,13). Post-Secondary Vocational 2004 - still actual for the period 20092011 1998 - still actual for the period 20092011 2003 - in a period 20102011 the collection of quality indicators is in the proces of renovation Education Act defines obligatory elements for the curricula preparation in the post-secondary education (Article 20). All the accredited public programmes in adult education have to be prepared in accordance with the document "The bases for curriculum reform and program development in adult education", 1998. In all the cases when curricula are not prepared especially for the target groups of adults, the normative criteria for the implementation of the curricula when adults enter in this type of education, are prepared. Professional quality criteria: The first national publication with the quality criteria defined for curriculum implementation in adult education was developed by the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education within the national project Offering quality education to adults (OQEA). The indicators of the implementation of the curricula are also included. Quality indicators: http://kakovost.acs.si/doc/N- 461-1.pdf Learning materials 1996 - still actual for the period 20092011 2000 - still actual for the period 20092011 2003 - in the period 20102011 the collection of quality indicator is in the proces of renovation Normative criteria: Organization and Financing of Education Act (Article 21) defines that in the formal programmes the textbook used has to be approved by the Council that has jurisdiction for the certain field of education. In the case of adult education this is the Expert Council for Adult Education. In accordance with the Article 21 of the Organization and Financing of Education Act. The Rules of the approval of textbooks (learning materials) were published by the Minister in 2000. Professional quality indicators: In the collection of quality indicators withih the OQAE model for self-evaluation, there is a quality indicator (Indicator 2.1.9), which leads AE providers to develop learning materials for adults. http://kakovost.acs.si/doc/N-461-1.pdf Facilitators' training The formal accredited programmes for adult educators have to be in accordance to the elements defined in Law. Different non-formal training programmes include internal quality indicators for how to run the training programmes. However, there are not officially approved public quality indicators. Teaching/ learning methods K 2003 - in the period 20102011 the collection of quality indicator is in the process of renovation We cannot say, that especially quality indicators for teaching and learning methods explicitly exist, or that they were published in an autonomous collection of quality indicators for learning methods in adult education. We can find recommendations in the formal and non-formal curricula regarding which methods are most suitable to be used to reach different types of knowledge. Regarding the collections of quality indicators, developed within the OQAE model, attention has been given to teaching of learning methods. Within the quality area learning process, there is a quality indicator Learning methods (2.1.8), with some recommendations how to develop this element. Assessment of learning outcomes K When formal education is taken into consideration, we can say that implicitly there are some quality indicators in place, regarding assessment of learning outcomes. Such instruments for external assessment are: General matura, Vocational matura, External exams of foreign languages, External exams of the Slovene language, National professional qualifications (For further explanations see section 5.9) As all the formal adult education programmes have to have the element of approaches and methods of assessment included, we can find there some recommendations of how the assessment of learning outcomes has to be implemented. An important instrument used in adult education to monitor learning progress and outcomes is Individual learning plan. Adult literacy Area Mark when quality criteria are in place Indicate year when quality criteria were introduced Specify quality criteria in place Curricula m 1996 - Adult Education Act (still actual for the period 2009-2011) 1998 - The base for curriculum reform and programme development in adult education (still actual for the period 2009-2011) Adult literacy programmes are accredited programmes (they are approved and accepted by the Expert Council for Adult Education and the Minister) and are prepared according to the normative criteria stated in: The Adult Education Act defines elements that have to be used when preparing formal and non-formal adult education programmes, especially the definition of a target group and the specification of evaluation activities (Article 10). The bases for curriculum reform and programme development in adult education define the elements of curricula preparation in adult education. SIAE has developed guideliness and quality criteria for adult literacy teachers for adapting and implementing curricula in adult literacy, which are not fomally recognised. See previous section on learning materials. Learning materials k Adult literacy teachers are instructed to use real life materials that are relevant to the learners. No quality criteria for the learning materials have been defined so far. Facilitators' training S 1996 - still actual for the period 20092011 See previous section on adult education for the qualifications of adult educators in Slovenia. Since adult literacy programmes in Slovenia are accredited programmes, the Rules of the qualifications needed by teachers in these programmes are publised by the Minister. Alongside the formal requirements stated in legislation, literacy teachers need to complete adult literacy teachers' training prepared and implemented by SIAE. Teachers qualify for adult literacy teachers after successful completion of 100 hours of training. The training provides teachers with an understanding of the concept of literacy, basic skills and key competences, teaching literacy as a social practice, characteristics and needs of the target groups, the significance of psychological and social background for the development of basic skills, learners centred teaching and assessment etc. Teaching/ learning methods K See previous section Teaching and learning methods in AE. Within adult literacy teacher training there are recommendations and guideliness for specific teaching and learning methods for example for family literacy programmes, rural literacy programmes, for adults with special needs, workplace literacy programmes. Teachers are trained to use specific teaching/learning methods. Assessment of learning outcomes K See previous section on the assessment of learning outcomes. As regards adult literacy programmes, only in the workplace literacy programme the assessment of learning outcome has been defined, the assessment is 100% portfolio based. 6.2 Are there pre-service and in-service training programmes for educators/facilitators for adult education and adult literacy? Please mark all that apply, considering provider and type of training programme. Adult education Pre-service In-service Provider Typical Typical Mark if yes duration Mark if yes duration (months) (months) Governmental institution University Professional University studies: education Private company First cycle for primary Non-governmental organisation study and programme: secondary Educational school sciences - educational pedagogy workers and andragogy Duration: between Duration 3 600 to 660 years. hours. Second cycle study □ programme H M □ Educational M Programme H of science M 1_1 andragogy I2SI professional education Duration: 2 for teachers years in higher vocational Third cycle education study programme In 2012 the Educational programme sciences - is in the andragogy - process of (doctoral reaccreditat studies) ion. Duration: 3 years Non-formal further training programme s for adult education staff Bachelor programme in management of lifelong-learning Duration: 3 years (Duration: various: from short term programme s (8-24 hours), medium duration- to 90 hours) and long-term programme s (more than 100 hours) See section 6.7 for further explantions regarding content and duration of programme s See section 6.7 for further explanation s regarding content and duration of programme s Adult literacy Pre-service In-service Provider Mark if yes Typical duration (months) Mark if yes Typical duration (months) Governmental institution □ H 100 hours University □ □ Private company Non-governmental organisation □ □ □ □ 6.3 What is the average monthly remuneration (in nominal local currency) for a full-time educator/ facilitator in the following programmes? (academic year ending in 2010) Programme Monthly average remuneration if available Remarks/source Adult education (excluding literacy programmes) 2.124,76 (an average) It is an average salary, taking into consideration that adult educators, performing public adult educators are included into the public system of salaries for civil servants. Adult literacy see previous section see previous section 6.4 Have any initiatives been undertaken by the government concerning the working conditions of adult educators/facilitators/volunteers? Please mark if yes. Adult education Adult literacy Mark all that apply S □ 6.5 Have the national or sub-national governments implemented monitoring and evaluation mechanisms? (If yes, mark all that apply)_ Adult education Adult literacy Monitoring Evaluation Please provide a brief description and references: Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in adult education have so far stemmed from different conceptual starting points, largely dependent on what kind of education it was, and what environment (social, economic etc.). The evaluation of adult education takes place on the level of the education system at the macro level and at the micro level and (self)evaluation at the level of adult education providers. The Council for quality and evaluation is responsible for the coordination and monitoring evaluation at system level, also for the field of adult education. The evaluation of educational institutions is implemented as internal evaluation/self-evaluation and as an external evaluation. For the period that is covered with this report we can list the following legislative framework within different processes for monitoring and the evaluation fits in: Organization and Financing of Education Act (Articles 20, 21). According to the Law, new formal education programmes, methods, learning materials can be implemented in practice as "pilots". The pilots have to be carefully monitored. The results of such monitoring have to be carefully studied before implementing the new programme or method in the whole system of adult education. The Vocational Educational Act (Articles: 15, 16, 17). The provider of secondary vocational education and training (young and adults), has to implement the internal quality sistem. It has to have a quality commision, and carried out self-evalaution in accordance with the quality circle (plan, do, check, act). The Post-Secondary Vocational Educational Act (Articles 15). The post-secondary school has to have the quality commission. The tasks of the commision are to carry out self-evaluation and to cooperate in the external evaluation and accreditation procedures. In the field of post-secondary education the external evaluation and accreditation procedures are carried out by The Slovenian quality assurance agency for higher education (NAKVIS) (http://www.nakvis.si/indexang.html). NAKVIS is also responsible for the coordination of the quality activities in the field of Higher Education. The Adult Education Act: In the Adult Education Act there are no obligations for monitoring and evaluation. But despite this, the mechanisms of self-evaluation are implemented nowadays in a lot of adult education institutions. There are different projects which fostered the implementation of self-evaluation in the last decade. PROJECT: OFFERING QUALITY EDUCATION TO ADULTS (OQEA); The Slovenian Institute for Adult Education developed the OQEA project as an incentive to develop quality in adult education so that we could give advice to different educational organizations regarding self-evaluation of their quality and searching for paths towards further development. The work of SIAE together with the educational organizations that enter the project have been continuing for about two years: the SIAE's role is mostly in guidance and education, while each educational organization forms a quality group that carries out individual procedures in quality assessment and development in their organization. By 2011 the model was (and continues to be) used by 80% of the adult education centres that at the moment carry out public programmees of adult education (28 of 35), 27% of secondary schools (25 of 91), and 18% of the private educational organizations (9 of 50). In total, this represents 35,22% of all the organizations carrying out publicly accredited programmees of adult education. The development work by the SIAE and the educational organizations participating in the project is supported by the Ministry of Education and Sport, and since 2004 also by the European Social Fund. (Reference: http://kakovost.acs.si/doc/N-648-1.pdf; http://kakovost.acs.si/poki/) QUALITY ASSESMENT AND QUALITY DEVELOPMENT IN LITERACY PROGRAMMES; As SIAE has developed different programmes for adult literacy, it also carried out the monitoring of the implementation of literacy programmes. The monitoring of the implementation of the literacy programmes is one of the main tasks of SIAE developmental work. It the period 2009-2011 some national evaluation studies, based on a scientific method have been carried out by SIAE, to assess the suitability and effects of different literacy programmes. PROJECT: QUALITY ASSESMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE IN EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; The School for Leadership has implemented the project aimed to design and implement a system of quality assurance in educational organizations. The sistem is not especialy prepared for adult education providers, but a lot of the took part in the project and use the methods learned. The project runs from 2008 to 2014. The project includes the consortium of partners and public institutions involved in the field of education: National School of Leadership in Education, the National Education Institute, The Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training, the National Examination Center. The project aims at implementing the system, which will lead to a comprehensive focused and sustainable self-evaluation in schools and kindergartens as well as external evaluations. The objectives of the project: - to design, develop and introduce a system of trial quality assessment and assurance in the field of education in Slovenia in 40 experimental schools and kindergartens; - to review and provide a draft of the legal, formal, institutional and financial bases that would enable the successful introduction of quality assessment and assurance in the field of education in Slovenia; - to define the process of introducing the system of quality assessment and assurance in the field of education in Slovenia and make a proposal to introduce a system at the national level; - to identify quality indicators at the national level and at schools and kindergartens; - to develop a system of external evaluation and external evaluation carried out at 40 schools and kindergartens; - to develop a system of self-evaluation, based on indicators of quality educational institutions; - to create a proposal for the establishment of mechanism or bodies to ensure quality and the continuous operation of the quality assessment and assurance. (Reference: http://www.solazaravnatelje.si/eng/) SIQA VET; In the field of vocational education the The Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training is responsible for implementing the Slovenian Reference Point for Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training. It is an important initiative the implementation of which will have effects on the providers of vocational adult education.The reference point for the work of SIQA VET is the European network for quality vocational education ENQA-VET; The national reference point supports the implementation of the work programme of the European Network of ENQA-VET and informs the public about the results of professional activities; It performs activities in the development of quality assurance system of vocational training in accordance with the plans of the Ministry of Education and the European recommendations for linking actors in the field of vocational education, It develops and implements different approaches for identifying, developing and providing quality at the state level and at the provider level; It advises the educational organizations in establishing and managing comprehensive quality system of vocational training, especially for self-evaluation. (Reference: http://www.siqa-vet.si/) The Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training also provided training for quality groups from the providers of vocational education in implementing self-evaluation. In the years 2009-2010 the peer review method was implemented for the first time in the field of vocational education. PROJECT: QUALITY COUNSELLORS IN ADULT EDUCATION; Another development project that SIAE piloted in 2008, and which was further implemented in 2011, is the establishment of the network of quality counsellors at the level of providers of adult education. (http://kakovost.acs.si/svetovalci/) The network of quality counsellors consists of quality counsellors who perform quality guidance in adult education organizations. Quality guidance in adult education is a process in which an adult education quality counsellor expertly advises on how to assess and develop quality in adult education effectively, holistically, systematically and permanently, (s)he offers help in carrying out the processes for quality assessment and development, and helps clients to perform certain tasks by themselves, as agreed within the educational organization. PROJECT: IMPLEMENTING THE MODEL FOR QUALITY ASESSMENT AND QUALITY DEVELOPMENT IN ISIO GUIDANCE CENTERS; One of the important activities in the field of adult education are the so called "infrastructure activities", including different supportive activities to adults such as: guidance centers, centers for self-directed learning etc. In the period 2009-2011 the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education developed the Model for quality assessment and quality development in ISIO guidance centers. ISIO guidance centers consist of a national network of guidance centers that provide free, professional and impartial information to adults, regarding entering in lifelong learning, they provide help and support during their learning. As this type of service is a part of a public network, and it is financed by the state and by the European Social Funds, it is important to assure the quality of this service. The Quality model that has been developed by SIAE consists of the combination of four mechanisms: monitoring, self-evaluation, external evaluation, accreditation. The first three processes have already been implemented in the network of guidance centers. (Reference: The model for quality assessment and quality development in ISIO guidance centers: http://kakovost.acs.si/doc/N-470-1.pdf - abstract in English) Recommendations for the further development of quality systems in adult education In the period 2009-2011 the new White Paper on Education in Slovenia was prepared, including the recommendations for the further development in the field of adult education. The following recommendations were included: Internal evaluation (self-evaluation); It seems sensible to foster future development so that both internal and external approaches to quality assessment and development in adult education become established; they are clearly separate, but complementary. Internal approaches should be based on the self-evaluation of quality, and should principally be carried out by educational organizations and staff they employ. Institutional and programme accreditation; It is suggested that the programme and institutional accreditation should be implemented with minimal quality standards for providers and the requirements of periodical revisions monitoring how these standards are maintained. External monitoring; This should include monitoring the processes and the results of individual public accredited educational programmees, national projects, the implementation of novelties etc. As a rule it should be carried out by national public institutes based on the mid-term monitoring plans agreed upon with the competent ministries that would finance such monitoring. External examination (of knowledge/results); Just like in other parts of the system, the external examination is ensured for adult education on the level of primary and secondary education, and this serves as an assessment of the achieved level of knowledge both for the individual and the system. The current organization seems adequate at the moment, also from the point of view of adult education and it would seem appropriate to keep it for as long as the reasons appear to reconsider it. External evaluations; These should be national and international. National external evaluation should assess processes, results, and the effects of adult education; At times Slovenia must join international external evaluations intended to assess results and effects of the selected fields in adult education in order to evaluate the achievement of internationally set quality standards. By linking self-evaluation, accreditation, monitoring and external evaluation and external examination we would create a complementary system of quality in adult education system that would guarantee simultaneous information about the quality of the processes, their results and effects, both on the systemic level, as well as the level of an individual education provider. (Reference: White Paper on Education in the Republic of Slovenia, 2011; page: 402; http://www.belaknjiga2011.si/pdf/bela_knjiga_2011.pdf) 6.6 Have the national or sub-national governments commissioned studies in order to inform policy and programme design and implementation since 2009?_ Mark all that apply Lifelong learning Adult education Adult literacy M K K If one or more of the boxes is marked, please provide a brief description and references: Lifelong learning, adult education - evaluations, studies 2011 Mirčeva, J., Dobnikar, M., 2011. Posledice recesije na izobraževanje za potrebe trga dela in vpliv tega dejavnika na izhod iz recesije : končno poročilo. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/Posledice_recesije_na_izobrazevanje_za_potrebe_trga_dela.pdf 2010 Svetina, M., Dobnikar, M., 2010. Evalvacija certifikatnega sistema [Elektronski vir] : vpliv sistema na razvoj izobraževanja odraslih in individualno. Ljubljana : Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/Evalvacija_certifikatnega_sistema.pdf Možina, E. , idr. , 2010. Evalvacija javno veljavnega programa Projektno učenje za mlajše odrasle (PUM) in Temeljno usposabljanje za mentorje (TUM PUM) : povzetek zaključnega poročila. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/dokumenti/Evalvacija_JVP-PUM_TUM_PUM.pdf Mirčeva, J., idr., 2010. Analiza mreže izvajalcev izobraževanja odraslih z vidika možnosti zadovoljevanja potreb prednostnih ciljnih skupin : poročilo. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/Analiza_mreze_izvajalcev_izobrazevanja_odraslih.pdf 2009 Možina, T., idr., 2009. Evalvacija izobraževalne ponudbe formalnih in neformalnih izobraževalnih programov za brezposelne. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://kakovost.acs.si/doc/N-670-1.pdf Mirčeva, J., Dobnikar, M., 2009. Kazalniki za spremljanje izobraževanja in usposabljanja v podjetjih : poročilo. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Republike Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/porocila/Kazalniki_za_spremljanje_izobrazevanja_in_usposabljanja_v_podjetjih.pdf Adult literacy - evaluations, studies Možina, E., idr., 2010. Računalniška pismenost za odrasle (RPO) : povzetek zaključnega poročila. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/dokumenti/Evalvacija_JVP-RPO.pdf Možina, E., idr., 2010. Evalvacija javno veljavnega programa Usposabljanje za življenjsko uspešnost (UŽU) in Temeljno usposabljanje za učitelje v programih UŽU : povzetek zaključnega poročila. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/dokumenti/Evalvacija_JVP-UZU_in_TU_UZU.pdf 6.7 Please provide any additional information, explanations or comments that you consider relevant in order to clarify any potential issues regarding the information in this section._ Some further explanations regarding pre-service and in-service training programmes for adult educators: PRE-SERVICE PROGRAMMES: UNDERGRADUTE STUDIES (PEDAGOGY/ANDRAGOGY); Before Slovenia entered into the process of Bologna reform, the undergraduate programme for pedagogy and andragogy lasted 4 years. The qualification that the students got after successfully completed the programme was "diplomirani pedagog-smer andragogika (Bachellor's degree in Pedagogy - Course of Andragogy). The master program for pedagogy and andragogy lasted 2 years and the title after the succesful completion of studies was Master of Pedagogy/Andragogy. The students also engaged in doctoral studies of pedagogy and andragogy and after the successful completion of the doctoral studies they got the title doctor of social sciences. After the implementation of the Bologna reform in Slovenia new programmes were accredited: FIRST CYCLE STUDY PROGRAMME: EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES - PEDAGOGY AND ANDRAGOGY - 3 YEAR STUDY (One discipline or two discipline studies) (ENO IN DVOPREDMETNI ŠTUDIJ PEDAGOGIKE IN ANDRAGOGIKE - I. STOPNJA); The primary goals of the programme and the competences acquired are the following: High-quality, humanities and social-science based education with an emphasis on the systematic introduction to the basic tenets of pedagogy and andragogy; the mastery of scientific paradigms relevant: 1. to the understanding of educational processes, 2. to participation in practical problem-solving, 3. to handling practical tasks in various educational contexts at different school levels. After completing the studies the students acquire the tittle: Professor of pedagogy and andragogy. (References: http://www.pedagogikaandragogika.com/files//Predstavitev%20studija%20Pedagogika%20in%20andra gogika.pdf) SECOND CYCLE STUDY PROGRAMME: EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES - ANDRAGOGY - 2 YEARS (ŠTUDIJSKI PROGRAM ANDRAGOGIKE - II. stopnja) After the completed studies of the university programme of pedagogy and andragogy at Cycle I, students can enrol in the studies of pedagogy and andragogy at Cycle II: 1. Master studies of PEDAGOGY (one or two discipline), 2. Master studies of ANDRAGOGY at Level II. The main objectives of the university master programme of andragogy relate to different levels of competences and in several sections of the work to perform as an expert in adult learning and adult education. The students of the second-level of the study programme of andragogy after completed studies develop general competencies of humanistic and social science-educated intellectuals. In addition they also develop specific competences that enable them to understand the relationships between adult education phenomena and processes, social and cultural environment and the characteristics and expectations of individuals. The professional competences enable them to understand and solve problems that arise in these relationships, for understanding and the organising of adult education as a social and individual process. The programme educates for the responsible and thoughtful action in the field of adult education in various organizations and settings. Graduates are qualified for the research and development of adult education theory and practice. Title after the completition of studies: Master, professor of andragogy. (References: http://www.pedagogika- andragogika.com/files//FF%20Andragogika%20Predstavitveni%20zbornik.pdf) THIRD CYRCLE STUDY OF ANDRAGOGY (Doctoral studies) The studies at the third cyrcle also take place in two programmes, namely The programme of pedagogy and The programme for andragogy. Title after the completition of studies: Doctor of social sciences. All these programmes are carried out by the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Department of Pedagogy and Andragogy) BECHELOR PROGRAMME IN THE MANAGEMENT OF LIFELONG LEARNING The programme unites the professional fields of operation, management and education for organising, coordinating and managing programmes and institutions dealing with lifelong education. With the competences gained in the programme a student should: 1. become an indispensable link in building the knowledge-based society, 2. be able to efficiently organise human resources and educational processes, 3. enrich the studies through business contacts and networking. The programme is carried out by the private faculty Doba Maribor.(Source: http://doba.si) IN-SERVICE PROGRAMMES: Formal programmes: PROGRAMME OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION WORKERS The purpose of the programme: The programme is designed for the graduates of higher education study programmes, which are required by law to have pedagogical-andragogical education, in order to obtain fundamental knowledge for the implementation of the teaching process in primary and secondary education.The main objective of the programme is to enable practitioners in education to acquire pedagogical and andragogical competences that will enable them for quality educational work in elementary and secondary schools. The programme offers the following: the competences for effective teaching, lifelong learning competences, leadership and communication competences, competences of knowledge assessment and monitoring students' progress, a broad professional competence. In accordance with the criteria for accreditation of study programmes for teacher education programme, it comprises 60 credits and includes educational, psychological, adult education, general teaching skills, knowledge or specialty. Didactics and teaching i.e. andragogical practice (15 credits). Duration: Between 600 and 660 hours. The programme is carried out by the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, and University of Maribor, Faculty of Pedagogy. (References: http://www.ff.uni- lj.si/fakulteta/Dejavnosti/CPI/ProgramiZaIzpopolnjevanje/PedagoskoAndragoskaIzobrazba.html;http:// www.pfmb.uni-mb.si/index.php?page_id=69 PROGRAMME OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION FOR TEACHERS IN HIGHER VOCATIONAL EDUCATION The purpose of the programme: The programme is designed for persons who teach in accredited programmes of post-secondary education and by Law they must have pedagogical-andragogical education. Among them there are usually professionals who come from the field of work and in their university education study programmes did not get pedagogical-andragogical knowledge. (For example: technical university studies). In 2012 the programe is in the process of reaccreditation. The programme is carried out by the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts. IN-SERVICE (FURTHER) NON-FORMAL TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR ADULT EDUCATORS Engaging in this type of (non-formal) training for adult educators after an adult educator is already engaged in its professional practice can help their own professional development, by: - Acquiring new competences, developing the ability to competently carry out their work; sharing their experience with others and reflecting on their own professional practice and experiences; creating and developing professional connections with other adult educators and in relationship with others, reflecting and developing their own professional identity of an adult educator. Different adult education providers in Slovenia provide in-service programmes for adult educators. The providers are various: private institutions, adult education centres, secondary schools, universities, The third age university, associations, museums, libraries, enterprises, chambers etc. The duration of the programmes is various, from short programmes (8-24 hours), to medium duration between 48-90 hours. The main national institution that provides in-service training programmes for adults is the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE). SIAE provides short programmes (8-24 hours). It also provides programmes of longer duration (from 100-200 hours). These programmes are specialised programmes for adult educators that need training for carrying out special roles for adult educators such as: mentors of study circles, teachers in literacy programmes, quality counsellors, counsellors in guidance centers, mentors in centers of self-directed learning, mentors in programmes for young adults etc. These are specialised programmes offerred only by the SIAE. In the period 2009-2011 the new White Paper on Education in Slovenia was prepared, including the recommendations for the further development of education and training of adult educators. The following recommendations were included: - A system of professional development for adult educators will be established. It will be based on the continuous study of educational needs, it will be the subject for the long-term planning and it will provide high quality initial training of staff in adult education and further education and training in relation to the actual needs of all staff in adult education, whatever the nature of employment. - Professional personnel involved in public accredited programmes for adult education, or in education which is not publicly recognized, but is (co)financed by public funds, and other adult education activities, which are defined as a public service, must have completed a university or Bologna level of education in social sciences II. People finishing the university programmes, which do not include pedagogical-andragogical education must undergo a public accredited programme of pedagogical and andragogical education. - Youth who after the initial education for the first time enter the employment, perform a one-year traineeship under the guidance of a qualified mentor. For the independent work it is necessary to perform the professional exam. - New long-term (3-6 months) programmes for continuing education and training of adult educators and for specialization for specific themes in adult education will be developed and implemented into a system of adult education. - Better conditions have to be provided for the systematic development of quality teaching and scientific research personnel in the field of adult education, both at the level of university education as well as at other levels of adult education. - The possibilities of increasing the number of teachers in initial education of andragogy and in pedagogical-andragogical education of staff who work with adults has to be examined. - There is a need for systematical examination of the characteristics of continuing training and professional development of adult education staff in Slovenia and for the examination of short and long-term educational needs, which will form the basis for the development of new programmes and forms of further education and training of adult education staff. - To systematically determine the conditions to allow the full-time employment of adult education staff with a combination of part-time employment at more providers of adult education. - The opportunity is given to adult education staff in formal education, which in addition to the education of youth also perform teaching in adult education, that the additional engagement in adult education is considered as a regular work obligation. - Formalized criteria for advancement in professional titles for professional staff in the education system must be defined to include specific activities of adult education. (References: White Paper on Education of the Republic of Slovenia, 2011, page 405-406. http://www.belaknjiga2011.si/pdf/bela_knjiga_2011.pdf) 7. CONFINTEA VI follow-up: additional activities_ 7.1 Please indicate which activities have been implemented as a follow-up to CONFINTEA VI and the implementation of the Belem Framework for Action._ Advocacy events (conference, forum, etc.) Media campaigns Publications (booklets, leaflets, posters, etc.) Creation of committees to streamline adult education and adult literacy Adult Learners Week/Learning festivals Creation of learners' networks and/or fora Translation of the Belem Framework for Action into the national language Presenting the Belem Framework for Action to parliament Elaboration of a funding plan Development of a national roadmap for the implementation of the Belem Framework for Action Other (please specify below) 7.2 Is there any innovative experience in adult education and/or adult literacy that has been developed in your country since 2009 (CONFINTEA VI) that could be instructive for other countries? If yes, provide a brief description and references._ The Power of Example The Power of Example is a subsidiary project of Lifelong Learning Week, designed as a promotional campaign aimed at highlighting the culture of learning in selected (mainly marginalized) target groups. It takes as its basis the life stories of adults successfully engaged in learning. Publications in the collection The Power of Example are designed so that they may be used as promotional material to reinforce the values of lifelong learning via the internet or television. They may also serve as teaching aids or for illustrative purposes in the guidance activity. This year the collection of seven video and multimedia publications is joined by the teaching and promotional pack Third Age Lucky - Learning and Creativity in the Third Age. In 2010 SIAE developed an education module for the use of video and evaluated pilot realizations. The renovated training programmes were executed in 2011, when SIAE also began the preparation of a module plan for more experienced users. Beside the Power of Example several innovative experiences in adult education have been organized in the country in the last couple of years, such as: o The National Strategy on the Lifelong Learning - challenges for its implications (symposiums and discussions all over Slovenia). o Education of the elderly - education in the third age; symposia and discussions in various regions of Slovenia, Promotion of the strategy on lifelong learning - operational plan to implement the project at the local level -discussions and consultations in various Slovenian sites, o Lifelong learning and the formation of the public policy - the influence of the concept and Mark if taken place XI XI XI □ XI □ s □ □ □ □ strategy of lifelong learning on the educational terminology - symposium with publication, o The quality of the education of adults -examples of good practice, o The development of concepts of lifelong learning; understanding humanity of humans as a necessary prerequisite in forming the strategy of lifelong learning - a consultation, o Delivering programmes for adults with special needs - inclusive approach; preparation of the programme for adult educators, o Education of adults in higher education and in the research and innovative strategy of Slovenia of 2011-2020, discussion and preparation of the consultations at the Slovenian level, o Education of adults in the local community - evaluation study, discussion in focus groups in the local community; publication foreseen, o Intergenerational cohabitation as an element of lifelong learning - consultation and discussion in various parts of Slovenia. 7.3 Please provide any additional information, explanations or comments that you consider relevant in order to clarify any potential issues regarding the information in this section._ All these activities and examples of best practices are not direct issues of the Confintea VI. But they are directly linked to the particular recommendations in the Belem Framework for Action which was adopted at the Conference of Confintea VI. in the Belem, except the translation of the Belem Framework for Action. 1. Advocacy events (conference, forum, etc.): Conferences: 1. Annual Adult Education Conferences: • 2009 - 'Adult education in the time of the economic challenges', Maribor, 8 and 9 December 2009; a part of the agenda was also a short presentation on the CONFINTEA VI Conference in Belem by the director of SIAE. • 2010 - 'Directions of development and challenges', Maribor, 30 November and 1 December 2010; there was a presentation given by Martina Ni Cheallaigh of the European Commission on Adult education development guidelines at the EU level, whereas the work in groups was focused on topical issues in ALE, including literacy related issues. (more on http://pro.acs.si/lp2010/) • 2011 - 'Rethinking Values in Global Society', Ptuj, 15 and 16 November 2011; a presentation on post-Confintea VI activities was given by Carol Medel-Anonuevo of the Unesco Institute for Lifelong Learning, Hamburg, and a global overview of the field of literacy Is literacy of all citizens a value? was given by dr. Petra Javrh, a researcher at the SIAE. (more on http://pro.acs.si/lp2011/). 2. National expert round tables in 2010 organized by SIAE and financed by the Ministry of Education and Sport. The round tables were oriented to the priory thematic areas: 1. How do we care in Slovenia about education and training of adult educators, 2. Different looks on the renovation of the vocation education of adults, 3. Public network of adult education providers and programmes, 4. Do we have as adult educators enough programmes for unemployed adults?, 5. Promotion of the culture of learning, 6. Statistics accompanying adult education, 7. Validation of formal and non-formal knowledge by returning into education, 8. Possibilities for acquiring and validation of general knowledge in the Project learning programme for young adults (PUM). All documents and final reports are available free of charge at the SIAE and on the web side http://www.acs.si/index.cgi?m=3&c=27 3. Within the framework of the Slovenian Lifelong Learning Week, the Adult Education Colloquium is the national expert event with different stakeholders (researchers, experts, politicians, AE providers...). This event is financed by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Sport and organized by SIAE. In 2010 it was titled 'Education tailored to the needs of economy - the keyword is collaboration! '. In 2011 the topic of the Colloquium was 'Economic recession and adult education. (more on http://llw.acs.si/ac/). 2. Media campaigns: In the period 1997-2011, the SIAE has presented altogether 183 awards for exceptional achievements in adult education and learning: 55 to outstanding individuals, 38 to groups and 90 to professionals (individuals, groups, institutions). Award winners are presented on the LLW website (http://llw.acs.si/awards/winners/); since 1999, short, approx. 3-minute videos have been produced to present their life histories. These videos are presented on local and national TV stations and at LLW venues throughout the country. 3. Publications (booklets, leaflets, posters, etc.): 3.1 Printed and electronic books: Bregar, L., Zagmajster, M., 2011. Menedžment v e-izobraževanju : elektronski učbenik. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http//www.naberi.si/znanje/menedzment/login/index.php Bregar, L., Zagmajster, M., Radovan, M., 2010. Osnove e-izobraževanja : priročnik. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Čelebic, T., 2010. Izbrani vidiki izobraževanja odraslih v Sloveniji in mednarodna primerjava z državami EU-27. Ljubljana: Urad RS za makroekonomske analize in razvoj. http://www.umar.gov.si/fileadmin/user_upload/publikacije/dz/2010/dz08-10.pdf ISBN 978-961-683902-0 Čelebič, T., idr., 2011. Izobraževanje odraslih v Sloveniji : stanje in izzivi. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut Dobrovoljc, A., Kemenčič, S., Vilič Klenovšek, T., 2010. Svetovalna dejavnost Andragoškega centra Slovenije. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Republike Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/publikacije/Svetovalna_dejavnost_ACS.pdf Ivančič, A., Mohorčič Špolar, V. A., Radovan, M., 2010. Formalno izobraževanje odraslih v Sloveniji : percepcije in izkušnje udeležencev. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Javrh, P. (ur.), 2011. Obrazi pismenosti : spoznanja o razvoju pismenosti odraslih. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Javrh, P., 2011. Razvoj učiteljeve poklicne poti. Učno gradivo 1, Splošne in andragoške zakonitosti razvoja kariere. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Javrh, P., 2011. Razvoj učiteljeve poklicne poti. Učno gradivo 2, Poklicanost. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Javrh, P., 2011. Razvoj učiteljeve poklicne poti. Učno gradivo 3, Vzdržno načrtovanje kariere. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Javrh, P., 2011. Razvoj učiteljeve poklicne poti. Učno gradivo 4, Moč poklicne poti. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Kump, S., Jelenc Krašovec, S., 2009. Vseživljenjsko učenje - izobraževanje starejših odraslih. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. http://www.pei.si/UserFilesUpload/file/zalozba/ZnanstvenaPorocila/04_09_Vsezivljenjskoucenje,izobraz evanjestarejsihodraslih.pdf Mirčeva, J. (ur.), 2011. Gospodarstvo v recesiji in izobraževanje odraslih : zbornik prispevkov 15. andragoškega kolokvija, [Ljubljana, 26. maj 2011]. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Republike Slovenije Mohorčič Špolar, V. A., Radovan, M., Ivančič, A., 2011. Vseživljenjsko učenje - tek čez ovire? : mednarodni vidiki politike vseživljenjskega učenja in udeležbe v izobraževanju odraslih. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Možina, T., 2010. Kakovost kot (z)možnost. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Možina, T., Klemenčič, S., 2011. Mozaik kakovosti : priporočila za vzpostavitev in razvoj notranjega sistema kakovosti v izobraževalni organizaciji. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Natek, S., idr., 2010. Mreženje za vseživljenjsko učenje : zaključno poročilo. Celje: Mednarodna fakulteta za družbene in poslovne študije. http://www.mvzt.gov.si/fileadmin/mvzt.gov.si/pageuploads/doc/dokumenti_visokosolstvo/KNJIZNICA/C RP_mrezenjeVZU.pdf Vilič Klenovšek, T., Rupert, J., Jelenc Krašovec, S., 2011. Svetovalna dejavnost v izobraževanju odraslih. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Vrečer, N., Kucler, S. B., 2010. Kodeks medkulturnega dialoga za izobraževalce odraslih. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije. http://arhiv.acs.si/publikacije/Kodeks_medkulturnega_dialoga.pdf 3.2 Other publications: Andragoška spoznanja : prva slovenska revija za izobraževanje odraslih = Journal of adult education in Slovenia. Ljubljana: Filozofska fakulteta Univerze v Ljubljani, 1995- . ISSN 1318-5160 E-novičke [Elektronski vir]. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije, 2009- . http://www.acs.si/e-novicke. ISSN 1855-5942 (Slov. izd.) E-novičke [Elektronski vir]. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije, 2009- . http://www.acs.si/bulletin_e-novicke. ISSN 2232-2612 (Engl. ed.) Informativno glasilo Andragoškega društva Slovenije : ADEES [Elektronski vir]. Ljubljana: Andragoško društvo Slovenije, 2010- . http://www.andragosko-drustvo.si/ Kucler, B. S., Novak, D., 2011. Portreti dobitnikov priznanj ACS 2010 [Videoposnetek]. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Kucler, S. B., Strban, P., 2011. V tretjem gre rado [Videoposnetek] : učenje in ustvarjalnost v tretjem življenjskem obdobju. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije Letopis izobraževanja odraslih ... = Adult education yearbook. - 2010/2011- . Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije, 2010- . ISSN 1855-9956 Lifelong Learning Week posters and leaflets (Slovenian and English) Novice Sektorja za izobraževanje odraslih pri Ministrstvu za izobraževanje, znanost, kulturo in šport -NoviSIO [Elektronski vir]. Ljubljana: Ministrstvo za izobraževanje, znanost, kulturo in šport, 2010- TVU-novičke [Elektronski vir]. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije, 2000- . http://tvu.acs.si/novicke/. ISSN 1581-3746 TVU-novičke. Ljubljana: Andragoški center Slovenije, 1997- . ISSN 1408-6751 4. Adult Learners Week/Learning festivals: Since 1996 SIAE has acted as the national coordinator of the Lifelong Learning Week (LLW), which is co-financed by the Ministry of Education and Sport and the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs. Annually, SIAE prepares the LLW action plan regarding the festival's leading themes as well as organizational and promotional tasks. The plan is adopted by the national coordinating body consisting of different national and local representatives and is carried out by a network of LLW coordinators and providers of events. The LLW takes place in the third week of May (official date) whereas associated events are organized throughout the months of May and June (expanded date). The LLW has grown into a movement which annually involves from 800-1,000 institutions, NGOs, interest groups and other stakeholders which jointly organize around 5,000 to 6,000 events country- wide. A special feature of the LLW is the presentation of the SIAE Awards to learners, groups and organizations for outstanding achievements in adult education and learning. The Awards are presented at the national LLW opening where winners are introduced via video-portraits as well as in person. More information is available on the LLW website (http://tvu.acs.si in Slovenian and http://llw.acs.si in English. 5. Translation of the Belem Framework for Action into the national language: As the national institution which is responsible for the development of adult education, we translated the Belem Framework for Action into the Slovenian language. This document is available on our website: http://www.acs.si/CONFINTEA_VI . 8. The United Nations Literacy Decade (2003-2012): specific activities under the framework of the UNLD after the mid-term review in 2006 8.1 Which specific advocacy initiatives/ activities for youth and adult literacy have been undertaken in your country in the last five years? Please rank the frequency/intensity and results or impact of such advocacy work. Frequency Results very frequent often hardly never excellent good modest no results Advocacy events (conference, forum, etc.) □ □ IXI □ □ □ XI □ Media campaigns □ □ □ XI □ □ □ XI Publications (booklets, leaflets, posters, etc.) □ □ XI □ □ □ XI □ Other (please specify below) □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 8.2 Have there been specific initiatives/ activities in support of...? Yes No □ S ... women and girls? If yes, please provide a brief description and references: ... other excluded/ under-represented/underprivileged groups? ^ |—| If yes, please provide a brief description and reference: There are specific initiatives/ activities in support of excluded and under-represented groups as follows: - Adult literacy programmes in Slovenia are targeted to specific excluded groups of adults in order to support their participation in those programmes. The Slovenian Institute for Adult Education has implemented (in the period 2003 - 2006) country specific model of adult literacy provision, the model has been justified on the basis of the estimated needs of certain groups of adults as the prime motivator and the reason for their participation. For example, family literacy programme is prepared for low educated parents of children in the first three grades of primary school; parents from excluded groups are invited to family literacy programme in order to be able to assist their children in their emergent literacy and school work. Low educated and unemployed adults living in the country side are invited to the rural literacy programme on the basis of their interest to start a small business using the natural resources they may posses, etc. Furthermore, adults returning to formal education are invited to the literacy programmes called 'bridge to education' in which they have been supported in learning to learn skills, and other skills that support them in their schooling, etc. - Adult literacy programmes are included among the measures of Active Employment Policy in Slovenia; financial assistance (transportation costs and assistance for unemployed adults participating in education and training) has been provided to unemployed low educated adults participating in adult literacy classes (so far 3 adult literacy programmes are part of active employment policy e.g. rural literacy, bridge to education and special needs). Employment services provide learning assistance to adults participating in education and training, though resources are limited and not all of the adults who need learning assistance have access to it. - Adult Education Guidance and Information Centres providing information and counselling to the excluded groups of adults about adult literacy programmes free of charge, special counselling models have been developed for excluded groups (see section 5.7). 8.3 How would you rate the impact of the UN Literacy Decade in helping to boost your advocacy efforts for literacy? It has been extremely helpful □ It has helped a lot □ It has helped a little □ It has not helped K If your answer is different from "it has not helped", please provide below a brief explanation and examples of advocacy efforts, commenting on their degree of success: As regards the impact of UN Literacy Decade in helping to boost our own advocacy efforts for literacy we think that the impact is almost none in this aspect. One of the reasons might be the prevailing opinion (in public and among the politicians) that UN Literacy Decade is meant more to support countries outside Europe and North America. We would strongly recommend that recommendations are created to support advocacy efforts in the countries of Europe and North America. In this regard the work done within the framework of the Action Plan on Adult Learning: It Is Always a Good Time to Learn and peer learning activities on adult literacy are very useful. On the opposite the development of adult literacy programmes was strongly influenced by Confintea V, especially with the humanistic approach to adult literacy movement. 8.4 Have literacy policies changed in your country in the last five years? Yes □ No If yes, please specify how they have changed below and provide evidence. 8.5 Have your literacy targets changed over the last five years? Yes No □ If yes, please provide below a brief explanation: In 2010 three new non-formal programmes were included in the public tender and are being funded in the period 2010-2013 (150 groups are co-funded from ESF and national funds). The programmes were developed in 2007 and are targeted to certain marginalized groups which are underrepresented in adult education. At the same time the training programmes for teachers in those programmes were prepared. The first programme is targeted to elderly people with low literacy skills with an aim to raise their literacy levels for everyday needs and strentgening social networks for higher quality of life. The second programme is an adaptation of existing family literacy programmes to the parents of preschool children, it is striving to encourage the parents to be able to foster the emergent children literacy in the family. Finally, the third programme is an adaptation of the dialogical reading circles to Slovenain context, and it was prepared for adults with very low reading levels with an aim to motivate them to raise their reading and literacy levels. More than 100 teachers were trained to work in the new programmes, their training was also co-funded by ESF and national funds in the period 2009-2011. The programmes are extending the provision of literacy programmes in Slovenia. They are free of charge to adults and thus open the access to learning to new vulnerable groups of adults. 8.6 What are the country's current capacity-building needs in literacy and what are the obstacles and challenges in meeting them?_ Slovenia has developed and implemented a unique model of targeted adult literacy programmes, created the formal basis for the development and provision of adult literacy programmes, prepared a couple of national adult literacy strategies (Adult Literacy Strategy, 2004; Strategy for the Development of Basic Skills of Employees, 2007), established a network of providers of adult literacy programmes, etc. However, public resources to implement the literacy provision are staying low in comparison to all public resources for adult education; the numbers of low educated adults participating in those programmes are low in comparison with the estimated needs (stated in Adult Literacy Strategy). The main obstacles are: - Public authorities are not committed to the identification and prioritization of the needs of adults with literacy/basic skills difficulties and to address those needs. All of the Strategies dealing with adult literacy skills were not implemented on a national level. The development of a specific resourced national action plan for the development and promotion of literacy/basic skills learning would be vital. - Adult literacy provision is almost entirely funded from ESF funds (75% ESF, 15% national contribution) via public tenders, there is no government plan how this provision is going to be financed after 2013. Financing via public tenders does not motivate providers to invest their own resources into this provision, because of the risks of public tenders. Providers of adult literacy programmes consider public tenders as temporary funding which does not guarantee long-term development of the adult literacy provision. - Effective policy-making and policy implementation in adult literacy would also require the involvement of all stakeholders (from national levels to learners). In Slovenia only the Ministry of Education and Sport and the Ministry of Labour contribute public resources to adult literacy, other sectors do not take part e.g. culture, agriculture, economic affairs. etc. 8.7 What are the major challenges for your literacy programme/s regarding planning and implementation, administration, monitoring and evaluation?_ Major challenges for the literacy programmes regarding planning and implementation, administration, monitoring and evaluation are: - In the period 2009-2011 a national evaluation of the adult literacy scheme was conducted which confirmed that the model targeted to adults' needs is effective. The national evaluation has also shown that there exist needs for further developments of the adult literacy programmes in the areas of validation of non-formal learning, and further curriculum and programme development based on the underlying principles of learner-centeredness, flexibility and responsiveness. Adult literacy acquisition in a range of contexts appears to offer good possibilities for improving adult literacy skills. - In order to raise the quality of adult literacy provision, a network of accredited providers of adult literacy programmes will have to be established and the careers of teachers in adult literacy profession will have to be supported. - Reliable and comparable baseline information on literacy/basic skills levels of the adult population is an essential foundation for addressing the literacy skills needs of adults in Slovenia. 8.8 Are there other obstacles or major challenges in increasing efforts in literacy? Which of these areas, or other areas, requires further research?_ Research is needed of the present state of art of adult literacy skills and competences, to review the progress Slovenia has made since 1998 in this respect in order to make informed policy decisions, and further more into the needs of migrants in the area of basic literacy and language skills. The major challenge will also be to develop the system of the validation of non-formal learning within the national qualification framework to enable adults participating in literacy provision to recognise formally their learning and thus to 'make one step forward'. The challenge we will have to encounter is how to develop the national system of the validation of adult literacy skills and competences and at the same time preserve humanistic /holistic approach and the balanced role of adult literacy provision, e.g. which strives to develop human potential for civil integration and social inclusion of individuals, social cohesion and the promotion of democratic values in society and to develop human capital. 8.9 What are the prospects for sustaining efforts in literacy beyond 2013, and which steps does your government plan to take in this regard?_ The prospects for sustaining efforts in literacy in Slovenia beyond 2013 lie in the new White Paper on Education (2011) and the draft of the National Plan for Adult Education 2012-2015. The most important prospects for the adult literacy provision are stated in the proposal to adopt new adult education legislation that introduces three basic rights of adults: to attain basic general education equivalent to 4 years of secondary school, to develop literacy and key competences and achieve nationally adopted standards of key competences and have access to recognition, validation and accreditation of learning. It is also poposed that the state should take over the responsibility for the implementation of these rights by a new regulation of public institutions network and concessionaires introducing the same principles of financing as it is applied in the public institutions for youth basic education. The White Paper on Education also emphasizes the need to increase investments and strengthen research in the area of adult literacy, evaluation and monitoring.