Abstract

  Striving for innovation in VET in Slovenia

The article presents the main features of the VET system in Slovenia as it has been shaped in the course of transition from the second half of the 1990s. Its main characteristics are the over-abundance of choices offered to potential students and its permanent adjustments partially caused by the changing labour demand and demographic changes and partially by the strategy of step-wise change. The national qualification system, which generates new qualification standards and provides for the creation of education programmes and for the recognition of informal learning, is presented as a new element of the VET system. The attempts to open the curricula to employers' needs, to go beyond the subject-structured curricula and to modularise the educational programmes on the basis of qualification standards are discussed. The experiences show that their success depends a lot on the autonomy, engagement and training of schools and their teaching staff. They are facing several challenges to the planned innovation, such as lack of experiences, opposition from the advocates of general education, undeveloped local partnerships and too centralised administering of the educational system. On the top of all there is insecurity caused by the falling population of youth and its declining interest for vocational education and training.