Georgian Law of vocational education defines the Goals of national policy in Vocational Education:
a) Supporting the economic development of the country;
b) Supporting social inclusion, personal and professional development of an individual;
c) Supporting life-long learning;
d) Ensuring to become close to the united European educational space and compatibility with it.
Vocational education program is completed by awarding the relevant qualification of 3rd/ 4th / 5th level defined by the educational standard in National Qualification Framework and issuing the diploma.
Types of vocational educational institutions:
Vocational Educational institutions / college – that is authorized to implement vocational educational programs, short cycle educational programs, vocational training and retraining programs and national language programs.
Obtaining the status of VET institution and implementation of respective educational activity is possible only in case of authorization of vocational educational institution defined by the rules of authorization provision. Authorization is a procedure of obtaining a status of VET institution purpose of which is to ensure compliance with standards necessary for implementation of respective activity required for issuing of education confirming document recognized by the state.
The authorization procedures are administered by – LEPL National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement.
According the Georgian Law of vocational education Higher and General education institutions have the right to implement vocational educational programs without attaining the additional authorization. Among these the higher education institution can implement any kind of vocational education program, short cycle educational programs, vocational training and retraining programs and national language programs. While general education institution has the right to implement basic vocational educational program, secondary vocational educational program, national language program, vocational training and retraining programs.
Vocational Education is implemented via:
a) Vocational Educational Program, specifically:
a.1 Basic educational vocational program, which is completed by rewarding the relevant 3rd level qualification defined by the National Qualification Framework;
a.2 Secondary educational vocational program, which is completed by rewarding the relevant 4th level qualification defined by the National Qualification Framework;
a.3 High educational vocational program, which is completed by rewarding the relevant 5th level qualification defined by the National Qualification Framework;
b) Vocational training program, which prepares the individual for implementing separate tasks and duties in the relevant profession. Learning outcomes defined in the vocational training program may be relevant to 2nd / 3rd / 4th / 5th level of National Qualification Framework;
c) Vocational retraining program that ensures the individual to gain / develop competencies for implementing the duties in the same field. Learning outcomes defined in the vocational training program may be relevant to 2nd / 3rd / 4th / 5th level of National Qualification Framework;
Preconditions for permission on Vocational Educational Program:
1. Person is permitted on vocational education program if one has the document verifying minimum basic general education.
2. Person that has:
a) The document verifying basic general education is permitted on the vocational educational program in which the learning outcomes of secondary stage of general education are integrated
b) The document verifying full general education is permitted on the secondary vocational educational program.
3. Person is permitted on high vocational educational program if one has the document verifying full general education or the document equal to it.
4. Person is permitted on vocational training program or on vocational retraining program if one meets the demands/ conditions defined by the relevant program.
The goal of Enrolment of students in vocational educational program is to ensure the accessibility of vocational education by using decentralized, fitted for vocational students, objective and transparent methods / approaches.
For supporting the interested person while decision making process, vocational educational institutions and educational resource center, in case of inquiry, is obliged to:
a) Introduce to the interested person / parties the opportunities of getting the vocational education;
b) Give information about the preconditions and selection specifications on the concrete vocational educational program;
c) Give information about the registration procedures that are defined preliminary and in case of necessity, is obliged to help in registration process.
Institution is obliged to provide information to the interested person / parties about the educational services provided by the institution, including the program specifications (such as attainable qualification, opportunities for continuing learning and / or employment, length and intensity of learning, program content and implementation form, co-implementator / partner organizations, ways of financing and others).
The process of enrolment of students in vocational educational program consists of following steps:
a) filling the questionnaire by the institution;
b) registration of the applicants;
c) selection;
d) creating the rating list of the applicants, form of which is approved by the individual administrative-legal act of the Head of LEPL – Education Management Information System (EMIS);
e) announcing the results and enrollment on the program, based on which the applicant is given the status of vocational student;
f) filling the remaining vacancies.
The enrolment of students in vocational educational program is announced once a year. Registration of the applicants is implemented during the period indicated in the individual administrative-legal act of Minister of Education and Science of Georgia.
Selection of the applicants on the basic vocational educational program is conducted by the rule defined by the individual administrative-legal act of the educational institution.
Selection of the applicants on the secondary vocational educational program, in which the learning outcomes of secondary stage of general education are integrated, is conducted by the rule defined by the individual administrative-legal act of the educational institution.
Selection of the applicants on the secondary vocational educational program, that does not include learning outcomes of secondary stage of general education, is conducted by the rule defined by the individual administrative-legal act of the educational institution.
For the enrollment on high vocational educational program the applicants are estimated based on the test results organized by LEPL - National Assessment and Examinations Center (NAEC), date of which (the test) is defined by the individual administrative-legal act of Minister of Education and Science of Georgia.
Selection of the applicants on the vocational educational program where the 50% of the learning outcomes of the mandatory vocational modules are achieved in real work environment, is conducted by the rule defined by the individual administrative-legal act of the educational institution.