LLL educational policy vs. practice in Hungary SP5 -The Role of Hungarian Educational Institutions in the Promotion of Access of Adults to Formal Education

2 Outline 1. What policy says: main points of intervention 2. What we can see in practice a)Weak points b)A best practice example: the Digital Secondary School

3 1. The National Strategy of Government (2005) identified the main points of intervention basic skills and competency development in the compulsory education enlargement of supply in the vocational and higher education learning opportunities as a key element of enhanced adaptability continual enlargement of the learning opportunities guidance services for individuals and follow-up of school leavers recognition of non-formal and informal learning support for the most disadvantaged social groups and those in risk on the labour-market developing and disseminating new teaching and learning culture

4 Beside the institutionalized forms of learning, non-formal learning activities have less importance in the different policy documents. Lack of participation of stakeholders (inst.) The social partners and the civil sector engaged in the human resources development have very limited role in the policy development at this time. Limited scope of learning (gov.) 2.a. Weak points in the practice and related policy

5 Separated education sectors (gov., inst.) The lifelong learning means a simple aggregation of the separate educational sectors operating under the control of separate ministries, but the interdepartmental co-operation is “traditionally” a weak point in the governmental work in Hungary. Lack of recognition of prior learning (inst., gov.) The Act on Adult Education of 2001 contains a reference to the recognition of experience based knowledge (outside of formal learning). Despite this entitlement of the participants recognition is not yet in operation.

6 The most disadvantaged ones are underrepresented in the programmes (gov.) The strategic policy documents contain complex programmes for disadvantaged groups, however the most undereducated and disadvantaged ones are underrepresented in these programmes. –Communication problems: The general opinion about studying in Hungary is that studying is difficult and the schools strengthen this opinion. The governmental communication should focus on the rate of life long learning’s returns: the returns are the highest at individual's level. –Motivation problems: Disadvantaged people are less motivated in learning. Internal motivation must be generated with individual scholarships and with personal mentoring assistance.

7 Lack of regional administrative system (gov.) Regional aspects are more and more present in the education policy and lifelong learning policy in Hungary  The aim of creating such committees is to allocate and distribute funds to larger regions than counties, concerning the characteristics and needs of that particular region. However there are not real formal regional levels in Hungarian administrative system  The regional level exists as a political level where local and central political intentions confront, but individual political intentions cannot occur on regional level.

8 Lack of stable financing of customized programs (inst.) Well-established programs have their fair financial conditions, though they offer out-of-date vocational training and use traditional educational methods Initiatives, which consider the special needs and conditions of (disadvantaged) adult learners do not have stable funding; they try to survive from one grant to other tender. Long-term investment in staff and facilities is not possible.

9 2.b. A best practice example: the Digital Secondary School Target group: highly disadvantaged adults (low income, other family members are also low educated, in the poorest region of Hungary, rural area, high unemployment rate, bad infrastructure, mostly Roma) Significant part of education via modern technologies: skill development in practice, supplying community ICT infrastructure Personalized mentoring system, close cooperation with social workers- positive effect for the whole family As the initiative does not fit into any official categories in terms of funding and operational rules, policy makers plan to customize the system and spread the know-how