1. Petya Evtimova – Team Leader, Project Management Unit
SWISS SUPPORT FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF DUAL-TRACK PRINCIPLES IN THE BULGARIAN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM
Petya Evtimova – Team Leader, Project Management Unit

2. Interlinked objectives
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MAIN GOAL
Create a replicable model and build capacity for implementing dual vocational education in Bulgaria
Interlinked objectives
Pilot a new approach in the development of VET curricula
Implement the curricula in a complete educational cycle in a number of professions
Build capacity for the implementation of the dual system
Support legislative changes for the implementation
Promote a positive public image of the project and of VET in general
The main aim of the project is to create a model and build the necessary capacity for the introduction of dual education in Bulgaria.
The project aims at modernizing Bulgarian VET so that it meets the needsand requirements of the labour market.
Interlinked objectives
Pilot a new approach in the development of VET curricula
Implement the curricula in a complete educational cycle in a number of professions
Build capacity for the implementation of the dual system
Support legislative changes for the implementation
Promote a positive public image of the project and of VET in general

3. BUDGET Overall Budget CHF 3 530 000
Swiss contribution 85 % CHF
BG contribution % CHF

4. MAIN IMPLEMENTING INSTITUTIONS
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation/SDC/
National Coordination Unit (NCU) /Council of Ministers
Project Management Unit (PMU)
State Institutions: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Economy, National Agency for Vocational Education and Training
Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Training
Bulgarian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce (BSCC)
Branch Associations/Employers’ Organizations
VET Schools
Partner Companies
On this slide I have listed the institutions responsible for the proper implementation of this project.
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation/SDC/ - providing the Swiss financial contribution.
National Coordination Unit (NCU) /Council of Ministers – coordinating the national institutions participation in the project
Project Management Unit (PMU) – this is the unit managing the implementation of the project – with me being the team leader of this unit.
State Institutions: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Economy, National Agency for Vocational Education and Training – these are the three BG line ministries that play decisive role in the VET reform in the country
Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Training – providing Swiss expertise in curricula development and trainers for teachers and instructors from the companies
Bulgarian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce (BSCC) – providing support for the links with the business and managing the VET Forum – a consultative body involving all stakeholders interested in the VET reform
Branch Associations/Employers’ Organizations
VET Schools
Partner Companies

5. PMU Steering Committee SCO MES SDC, NCU, MES, MLSP, ME, NAVET
SFIVET experts,
Backstoppers
NCG VET
VET Forum
Secretariat (BSCC)
Operative Partnership Groups
Schools
Companies
Implementing Consultants
Legend:
steerring and supervision
mandating and controlling
recommendations and consulting
This is the organizational chart of the project.
As you see there are 4 levels of management:
Steering Committee – responsible for the decision taking and the overall control over the project activities as well as for implementing the result of the project into the respective VET policies. The Committee meets twice per year.
2.Second level – the Project Management Unit. Responsible for the operational management of the project.
3. Third level – BG and Swiss experts and consultants engaged with the development of syllabi and curricula.
4. Fourth (Local) level – the so called Operative partnership groups – consisting of representatives of the VET schools, companies, school boards, local authorities.

6. Scope Year Professions Schools Classes / Profession Students 2015 2 3
240
2016
2017
2018
2019
Total 10 15
1200
This is the scope of the project.
It has been planned start dual education in two professions in three schools every year. Of course these indicators could be exceeded if there are more well established partnerships between schools and companies.

7. MODEL FOR IMPLEMENTING DVET
9th
10th
11th
12th
Days per Week è
1.0
General Education
4.0
3.0
45.0%
In-Company-Training
0.0
35.0%
Professional Theory
20.0%
grade
The model which the project will try to implement in Bulgaria is the following:
In the 9th grade students study 4 days per week general education subjects and 1 day professional theory.
In 10th grade they study 4 days and have 1 day of practical training in the company.
In grades 11th and 12th students spend two days in school and 3 days work in the company.

8. SELECTED PROFESSIONS FOR 2015/2016
MACHINE TECHNICIAN
TECHNICIAN-TECHNOLOGIST IN THE PRODUCTION OF MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS

9. SCHOOL-COMPANY PARTNERSHIP
MACHINE TECHNICIAN
Vocational School “Ivan Hadjienov”
Kazanlak
Partner companies:
- ARCENAL AD
- М+S HUDRAULIC AD
- GUALA CLOSURES BULGARIA AD

10. SCHOOL-COMPANY PARTNERSHIP Technologist Dairy Production
Vocational Food-Processing School “Prof. Dr. Georgi Pavlov” - Sofia
Partner companies:
SCHREIBER FOODS BULGARIA
and
MY DAY

11. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
SERIES OF WORKSHOPS WITH PROFESSIONALS FROM THE COMPANIES, TEACHERS IN PROFESSIONAL THEORY AND VET EXPERTS FOR THE ELABORATION OF NEW SYLLABI AND CURRICULA FOR THE TWO SELECTED PROFESSIONS
FULLY DEVELEOPED QUALIFICATION PROFILES FOR THE TWO PROFESSIONAS BASED ON REAL WORKING SITUATIONS
AMENDMENT IN THE NATIONAL FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME “B” ALLOWING DUAL EDUCATION FOR ACQUIRING THIRD LEVEL OF PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION IN VET SCHOOLS
ELABORATION OF TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR THE WORK IN THE COMPANIES

12. RISKS AND CHALLENGES political commitment
lack of confidence in the cooperation between schools and companies
parents’ and students’ concerns
teachers’ concerns
unknown system for the BG business
opposition from trade unions
Despite the big potential of this project there are risks that could threaten its proper implementation.
These risks come from the fact that there is not enough confidence between the companies and the VET schools thus not many stable partnerships exist between schools and companies.
Parents and students but also teachers have their concerns, too due to the fact that this is a new system unknown to them. However we try to overcome these concerns organizing teachers-parents-students meetings with the PMU and so far these meetings have given a good result.

13. POTENTIALS
reform the entire BG VET system using the Swiss model and bring it closer to the needs of business
create a replicable model to be introduced in many other schools and businesses
use EU Structural Funds ( ) to widen the scope of the project
provide students with the skills and competences they should have to enter the labour market
Despite the risks and challenges this project also provides big opportunities:
Students are motivated to participate as they receive salaries for their work in the companies.
Participating in the project the school will have a better image and will be better recognizable at local and national level
The teachers will increase their qualification; the companies will be provided with better prepared work force.
And last but not least the new methodologies for developing curricula and syllabi could and should be multiplied and implemented in many schools and for many professions creating a real reform in the VET system.

14. PROJECT MANAGEMENT UNIT
Petya Evtimova Polina Zlatarska
Team Leader Business Services Expert
tel: tel:
Nikolay Georgiev
Vocational Education Expert
tel: