National strategy

National VET priorities in Montenegro are mainly defined by national VET strategies covering four-year time periods and accompanying action plans which cover two-year time periods. Currently, the VET Development Strategy 2020-24 is in place and the Action Plan for 2022-23 is being drafted.

The strategy outlines that the strategic goal of the development of vocational education is a quality and inclusive system of vocational education which is the basis for lifelong learning, economic and social integration, personal and professional development of an individual, with an effective management and financing system.

It sets three operational objectives which are further divided into measures to be implemented. There are also eight indicators to be reached for the defined objectives. The objectives are as follows:

•    Vocational education that provides skills, competencies, and qualifications for employability, lifelong learning, inclusion, personal development, and active citizenship of individuals

This objective target VET curricula and talks about development of qualifications in accordance with the principles of the National Qualifications Framework. Educational programs are to be flexible, modularized and credit-evaluated, with broad profiles, based on learning outcomes including professional and key competencies The VET Centre developed 65 modularized educational programs in the period from 2017 to 2021, and we can say that it was one of the key areas in the previous period. This year, 10 more programmes are being modernized, and a dozen more will be revised in 2023.
It also emphasizes the need that students with special educational needs are enabled to gradually acquire level or vocational qualifications.

Recognizing the importance of labour market intelligence and destinations of the VET students, these objectives state that the decision-making process needs to be based on relevant data and information on labour market needs and the results of vocational education. Improving the policy of enrolling students in secondary schools is on the agenda, too. One of the indicators specifies that the graduate tracking system has been established. It also encourages the implementation of career guidance and counselling activities in the school.

•    Innovative and accessible vocational education which is relevant to the individual, labour market and society  

This objective focuses on a few interconnected measures, the first of which is in relation to work-based learning in a real work environment, accompanied by improving the professional development of teachers and management staff in vocational education. Strengthening mechanisms for improvement of WBL in all forms (school-based, company-based, or a combination of the two) is high on the agenda of VET reforms. It also suggests the establishment of a quality assurance system in vocational education at the national and school level, in accordance with EQAVET and emphasizes the need to make adult training and qualifications available.

•    All-embracing and effective vocational education, with management and funding that foster excellence and efficiency

In order to provide excellent VET, the system needs to secure optimum conditions for delivering VET programmes, so improving infrastructure and technical conditions at VET providers is an urgent issue. However, as equipment for VET programmes is often very expensive, more innovative solutions have to be sought, and therefore this objective also wants to enhance the participation of social partners in the policy definition, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of vocational education, which also includes a clear division of responsibilities between stakeholders in the management and financing of vocational education.

It also states that there is room for improving international cooperation in the field of vocational education.

VET is provided in 22 out of 24 municipalities in Montenegro (Danilovgrad and Gusinje are the only 2 municipalities not offering VET courses). There are exclusively VET schools (only in 9 bigger towns), 12 mixed schools (both VET and gymnasiums) and 2 educational centers (Plužine and Šavnik – offering all levels of education – preschool, primary, gymnasium and VET). Even schools which only offer VET courses often have to include a number of programmes from different sectors. The exception to this rule is a few medical schools, a few electrical engineering schools, a few economics schools, one naval school, and in the capital Podgorica one construction school, one mechanical engineering school, one tourism school. We can say that VET is present in almost all towns in Montenegro. The thing is that, in most small towns with a small number of students completing primary education, the choice of VET courses offered by VET schools cannot be wide which results in either students taking up courses they do not like or having to travel to nearby municipalities for the school of their choice. The existing network of VET schools is not sustainable in the long run and, sooner or later, someone will have to do something regarding rationalization of the VET system, but it is a tough political decision which so far, no government has had the courage to initiate. The same, and to a much greater extent, holds true for primary schools.

Formal education: main policy measures on ELET  

After leaving compulsory, nine-year primary education, students can choose between four-year general secondary education (Gymnasia) and VET. Around two thirds of students in Montenegro choose VET. Secondary vocational education in Montenegro is provided in accordance with the provisions of the General Act on Education and Vocational Education Act.
In line with the legal provisions, vocational education in Montenegro can be provided as follows:
Lower vocational education (two years), completion of which results in attainment of a lower vocational education qualification (these programmes have not been offered recently)

Secondary vocational education (three or four years), completion of which results in the attainment of three-year or four-year secondary vocational education qualification;

The three-year programmes are offered in both school-based (most of the practical training is done at school workshops) and dual mode (all of the practical training is done at employers), and these programmes do not allow for university schooling. However, the four-year VET courses allow for both labour market entrance and for further study at universities and faculties. A good number of VET students do enroll into tertiary studies. 
The most popular 4-year VET courses are in the sectors of Medicine and Health, Tourism and Catering and Economics.

Post-secondary vocational education (two years, as continued secondary vocational education), completion of which results in attainment of higher vocational education qualification. (Currently, only the programme for police officers in Danilovgrad is being delivered).

The master craftsman exam also belongs to vocational education.

When it comes to marginalized groups, in 2019/2020, 1,803 Roma and Egyptian children were enrolled in primary schools (1,793 in 2018/2019), while there were only 142 high school students and 13 university students. Although dropout rates are decreasing moderately, overall graduation rates remain dramatically low, with only 88 students successfully completing primary school, while only 19 students completed secondary school in 2019.
https://www.skupstina.me/me/dogadjaji/peta-sjednica-odbora-ljudska-prava-i-slobode

Addressing ELET through non-formal and informal learning and quality youth work

When it comes to non-formal and informal education, non-governmental organizations play a significant role in this area. Forum MNE addresses the issue of ELET through direct work with NEET youth supporting the process of reintegration into the trade market through program of non-formal education based on a one-stop-shop methodology. Forum MNE currently implements 2 projects intended for the NEET youth, aged 18 to 30. Projects are implemented with the financial support of the European Union and the Ministry of Public Administration.
The regional project “My career from zero to hero- Strengthening networks of Western Balkan CSOs to implement a one-stop-shop youth employability model for future jobs of the 4.0. digital revolution” is implemented in Montenegro by Forum MNE in cooperation with the partner organizations in: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. 
The project envisages creation of a one-stop-shop model which provides all youth employability services at one place for developing skills for future jobs of the 4.0 digital revolution. The model includes following services: 1. youth outreach, 2. developing digital skills through practical work and mentorship support, 3. developing soft/transferable skills, 4. developing entrepreneurial skills, 5. online educational tutorials, 6. career counselling and 7. networking. It is implemented in Podgorica and involves 50 youth within first phase and 20 within entrepreneurial skills course.
The second project of Forum MNE: "One-stop-shop service for social inclusion and youth employability” is implemented in northern region (Bijelo Polje, Berane, Rožaje). The programme involves 25 young people and consists of three courses to be held between January and November 2022: soft skills course, digital marketing course and entrepreneurship in IT.

The NGO Parents' Association implements the "Učionica družionica" program, which was launched by the social support group in November 2017. The goal of the program is to support the education, development and social integration of children from socially disadvantaged families in Montenegro, and to ensure that every child in the country has the same opportunities for education and development. Most of the help is given to children who live in extreme poverty and do not have sufficient educational support in their families. The parents of the involved children most often do not have the capacity (low or no education) or the opportunity to help them with school activities, which is why they have difficulties acquiring basic knowledge and therefore limited opportunities for further education and social integration.
The program is implemented through individual classes, work and socializing in groups (learning, socialization, workshops), online support (a volunteer works with the child every day, via Viber and Zoom, helps in mastering school material), and we cover learning school material, learning material that children are not mastered (reading, writing, addition, English), as well as help with homework.

Through creative workshops, we provide children with help in painting, drawing, recycling, etc., while a very important segment is social integration, where activities such as playing, dancing, and socializing are organized.

Through psychological workshops, a lot is said and worked on regarding self-confidence, peer violence, motivation. Activities are carried out in the Toy Library and Development Center, a space that the Association of Parents in Podgorica received for use from the Government and equipped it through donations and volunteer work. Free transportation and snacks are provided for children during their stay.

In cooperation with the Association of Young Entrepreneurs, the children went through the Trade Tools program, the goal of which was to increase motivation to continue their education as well as to acquire practical skills in selected trades (auto mechanic, photographer, designer, hairdresser, crocheting, agriculture...)

In addition to the space provided by the Government, the program is financed with the support of the private sector, and a smaller part of the Capital City.

Phiren Amenca worked on the introduction of affirmative action measures for the enrollment of students from the Roma community at faculties in Montenegro. 
Regarding this issue organization sent initiatives to the Ministry of Education in several mandates and the Rectorate of the University of Montenegro in order to enable the enrollment of students from Roma population. Namely, earlier in the law on higher education there was a provision that allowed 1% of places at all faculties to be reserved for students from the Roma population. Meanwhile, that provision was changed. The proposal of the new law on higher education envisages the same provision again, but the proposal of the law is still in the procedure and has not been adopted.
The same organization works with young people from the Roma and non-Roma communities. One of the current projects is "All Against Anti-Gypsyism", which is being implemented with the financial support of the U.S. Embassy in Podgorica. As part of the project, workshops on anti-Gypsyism were organized for high school students from the Roma and non-Roma communities. As part of the project, a team of young ambassadors against anti-gypsyism was formed, which included students from the Roma and non-Roma communities.

As the Montenegro 2021 Report (European Commission) states, some progress was made on the 2020 recommendations for continuing education reform, in particular on Vocational Education and Training. However, the establishment of the new Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, and related staff changes, paired with the COVID-19 pandemic led to a slow-down in reforms. The focus was on the provision of a hybrid system of classroom and online schooling. What suffered most, by all means, was work-based learning, as there was limited provision of practical training at enterprises due to a complete or partial lockdown.

Work-based learning

Montenegro introduced apprenticeships/dual education in 2017. It has designed a system of quality apprenticeships to provide skills and competences relevant to labor market needs. In 2017, a Dual Track was introduced in the 3-year VET training (in parallel to the existing school-
based track) track. It was established simultaneously for students in the first, second and third year of training. During the first year, students learn one day per week at the company, in the second year it is two and in the third year three days per week.

Cross-sector coordination and monitoring of ELET interventions

Information not available at the moment.