Development of the National Qualifications System will allow for prompt resolution of personnel training issues - Ministry of Labour

The National Qualifications System will be improved in accordance with the strategy approved by Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 764 of October 24, 2018...

The National Qualifications System will be improved in accordance with the strategy approved by Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 764 of October 24, 2018, in order to align the quality of personnel training with the needs of the labour market and ensure the recognition of informal education, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection informed BELTA.

The National Qualifications System (NQS) is a set of institutions, tools and mechanisms that ensure the interaction between the labour market, the education system and informal learning. In essence, it is the first systemic document defining the state policy aimed at matching the economy's demand for personnel with the quantitative and qualitative indicators of their training.

"Overall, the NQS in the republic provides a certain mechanism for interaction between the education system and the labour market, both in terms of personnel training in educational institutions and the organisation of work for employees by employers. However, a mismatch between the structure and quality of education and the needs of the market is noted. The learning outcomes often do not meet the requirements set by employers for employee qualifications," the Ministry of Labour pointed out. "In turn, the education system lacks information about the real needs of the labour market, in particular, there is no information about the required competencies, directions and scope of training, retraining and professional development. Furthermore, informal education acquired by individuals throughout their working lives is becoming increasingly important. At the same time, the republic lacks a system for recognising qualifications acquired by an employee outside the formal education system or independently."

The document also defines the goal, objectives and stages of improving the NQS, as well as the organisational and legal mechanism for its functioning. The adoption of the strategy is driven by the need to improve existing and introduce new elements of the NQS, such as national and sectoral qualification frameworks, sectoral qualification councils, professional standards, and a system for independent assessment and certification of qualifications.

The strategy is designed for the medium and long term, in accordance with the Programme for the Socio-Economic Development of the Republic of Belarus for 2016-2020.

A plan of measures has also been approved, which includes the development of a forecast for the labor market's demand for personnel by professional qualification groups, the creation of a National Council for the Development of the Qualifications System, the preparation of amendments to the Labor Code regarding the improvement of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), and the development of a draft regulatory legal act on independent assessment and certification of qualifications.

It is expected that the measures will be implemented in two stages: 2018-2020 - formation of the legislative framework and organizational work for the introduction of new NQF elements; 2021-2025 - introduction of new NQF elements in the spheres of labor and education.

"The implementation of the strategy will allow for the creation of effective tools and mechanisms to ensure a balance between the demand for qualifications from the labor market and the supply from the education and non-formal learning system, to promptly update the National Qualifications Framework to ensure the connection between labor and education spheres, to develop methods for obtaining qualifications and recognition of the results of all types of learning (including non-formal), etc.," the ministry added.

News of Belarus (BELTA)