The VET Reform Programme has been implemented in Serbia since August 2003. It is an European programme administrated by the Ministry of Education and Sport of the Republic of Serbia (MoES) in collaboration with European Union, through the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR).

At the very beginning, the main objective of the Programme was set: development of vocational education based on the needs of labour market and industry. This means that reformed VET system will educate students who will, after graduation, find employment easily and quickly or go on to further education - higher school or university. This Programme is, therefore, the pivot for reform before the planned changes are implemented in the entire system of vocational education.

VET Reform Programme - phase 1

During the first phase of the Programme implementation, at a suggestion made by the MoES, the Programme was directed in five sectors: agriculture and food production, health, mechanical engineering, building and construction and electrical engineering. Pilot programmes were implemented in 50 selected VET schools in Serbia , and five more schools have been transformed into regional training centres for adults.

Over the last two years, the project has covered a large number of fields: policy and strategy of development of vocational education has been created, which should be endorsed by the Government soon, new curricula have been developed for 20 pilot profiles and 1000 teachers were enabled for the implementation of the curricula through various seminars, training and study visits. Rehabilitation of 49 schools, worth 2 million Euros, included fixing the roofs, replacing worn out joinery, repairing water and sewage facilities, renovating heating systems and electrical installations. 37 innovative projects regarding teacher training, introduction of new teaching methods, development of teaching material and modernization of curricula, realized by schools, faculties and other institutions, have been financed through the Innovation Fund. IT equipment has been installed in 55 schools, as well as specific equipment for each sector which contributed to modernisation of teaching process. Special attention has been paid to the development of social partnership: ISOR Committees have been formed within the Programme with task to annually send requests to the Ministry of Education and Sports for changing the existing and introducing new occupational profiles, based on the needs in economy.

Results of the reform in pilot schools
Less non-attendance and higher average marks are among the first results of the reformed curricula. Teachers notice that students show more interest in teaching content; during the practical training students acquire new skills quickly and easily which has been evident at the final examination, attended by representatives of employers as members of the Examination commission. Follow-up in mechanical engineering and agricultural schools has shown that up to 70-80% of students have found employment within 3 months after graduation. More scholarships are provided by employers who have more confidence in pilot profiles. Students are more interested in pilot profiles, for e.g., occupational profiles in agricultural school are the 5 th most popular profiles (and used to be the 13 th most popular not so long ago), which means that students with better marks enrol pilot schools now.

VET Reform Programme - phase 2

The second phase of VET reform has started in December 2005. Similar to the previous phase, the Programme will be realised through several key areas aiming at the development and implementation of new strategies for vocational education and training based on the partnership with the economy, strengthening the capacity of national and local actors to design and implement new programmes to enhance employability, ensuring quality training provision for adults, supporting innovation of learning processes in VET at grassroots level and upgrading the school infrastructure (equipment and teaching aids). All the efforts will be based on the results achieved during the first phase.

21 demonstration schools have been selected to participate in the second phase of the reform process in the sectors of tourism and catering, wood processing and 'new technologies' within mechanical and electrical engineering.

Eight pilot profiles in three occupational sectors have been planned for the school year 2007/2008. Two pilot profiles (technician for telecommunications and mechatronic) are completely new, while other profiles kept the old names, but the new curricula will be developed (cook, waiter, confectioner, tourist technician, technician for primary wood processing and upholster-decorator).

Schools involved in the second phase of the Project will receive IT and specialised equipment, professional development trainings and seminars will be organised for teachers and school directors in order to prepare them for the implementation of the new curricula and modern management.

For the realisation of the second phase of VET Reform Programme the European Union, through the European Agency for Reconstruction has provided 6 million euros.

The Vocational Education and Training Reform Programme is realised with the technical assistance provided by the consortium led by the German consulting company GOPA .

Deadline for realisation of the Programme is December 2007.