91001  MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Moldova   SABER Country Report WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 2013   Dimensions Status  1. Strategic Framework The Government of Moldova is committed to aligning the education system with the labor market needs as part of its Moldova 2020 National Development Strategy. Recognizing the challenges of workforce development, the government approved and launched the implementation of the Vocational Education and Training Development Strategy for 2013-2020. The Strategy sets forth a clear action plan and roadmap with specific targets and operational plans to strengthen the system of vocational education and training (VET) in the country but its results are yet to be seen as it is at initial  stage of implementation. National advocacy for workforce development benefits from the participation of different groups of government and non- government stakeholders, though coordination and partnership between them is often ad-hoc and donor support plays an important role in the area.  2. System Oversight The development of a quality assurance system and the development of a fully functioning entity for the assessment and accreditation of VET institutions have yet to be implemented, funding for vocational training is not based on explicit criteria with performance indicators, the National Qualifications Framework is a work in progress, and aligning of the curriculum to the occupational standards and transition to competence-based vocational  education and training has just started (the curriculum should be adjusted to the National Qualifications Framework by 2020).  3. Service Delivery While participation of the private sector in secondary and post-secondary vocational education is limited, Moldova is home to a relatively wide diversity of training providers, both public and private, in adult training services that can issue certificates recognized by the government. At the same time, quality of service provision remains low and needs improvement, and the monitoring and evaluation system is not well developed and needs to be supported by reliable and freely available data. Weak practices of evidence-  based accountability for results and questionable relevance of the training programs are the main causes of the overall low score.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 1 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 TableofContents 1.OverviewofFindingsandImplications......................................................................................................................... 3 2.Introduction............................................................................................................................... ...................................8 3.CountryContext............................................................................................................................... ...........................10 4.AligningWorkforceDevelopmenttoKeyEconomicandSocialPriorities.................................................................. 18 ‘…‹‘‡…‘‘‹…•’‹”ƒ–‹‘•ǡ”‹‘”‹–‹‡•ƒ†‡ˆ‘”•.............................................................................................. 18 SABERͲWfDratingsontheStrategicFramework........................................................................................................ 18 ImplicationsoftheFindings............................................................................................................................... .........23 5.GoverningtheSystemforWorkforceDevelopment.................................................................................................. 24 Overallinstitutionallandscape............................................................................................................................... ....24 SABERͲWfDRatingsonSystemOversight................................................................................................................... 25 ImplicationsoftheFindings............................................................................................................................... .........29 6.ManagingServiceDeliveryforResultsontheGround............................................................................................... 30 OverviewoftheDeliveryofTrainingServices............................................................................................................ 30 SABERͲWfDRatingsonServiceDelivery..................................................................................................................... 30 ImplicationsoftheFindings............................................................................................................................... .........34 Annex1:Acronyms............................................................................................................................... ..........................36 ............................................................................................................ 37 Annex2:TheSABERͲWfDAnalyticalFramework ......................................................................................................... 39 Annex3:RubricsforScoringtheSABERͲWfDData .............................................................................................................................. 48 Annex4:ReferencesandInformants Annex5:SABERͲWfDScores............................................................................................................................... ............51 Annex6:AuthorshipandAcknowledgements................................................................................................................ 52      SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 2 1.OverviewofFindingsandImplications ii. SystemOversight,referringtohowtheWfDsystem is funded, how quality standards are enforced and This report presents a comprehensive diagnostic of the whatlearningpathwaysareoffered; Republic of Moldova’s workforce development (WfD) iii. Service Delivery, which refers to aspects needed to policies and institutions. The analysis is based on a delivermarketͲandjobͲrelevantskills. World Bank research tool created under the Systems ApproachforBetterEducationResults(SABER)initiative Figure 1 shows the overall results for the three and purposefully designed to provide systematic Functional Dimensions in the SABERͲWfD framework documentation and assessment of WfD policies and while the detailed analysis is available in the next institutions. The SABERͲWfD benchmarking tool also sections.1 aims to assist the government with the implementation of the VET Development Strategy in the context of For the first Functional Dimension—Strategic internationalexperienceandglobalgoodpractices. Framework—Moldova is rated at the Emerging level of development (score 2.0 out of 4), reflecting the This chapter highlights findings from the assessment of commitment of the Government of Moldova to aligning the Republic of Moldova’s WfD system based on the the education system with the labor market needs as SABERͲWfD analytical framework and tool. The focus is part of its 2020 National Development Strategy. on policies, institutions, and practices in three Recognizing the challenges to develop a workforce, the important functional dimensions of policymaking and government approved and launched implementation of implementation—strategic framework, system the Vocational Education and Training Development oversight, and service delivery. Because these aspects Strategy for 2013Ͳ2020. The strategy sets forth a clear collectively create the operational environment in roadmap with specific targets and operational plans to which individuals, firms, and training providers, both strengthen the system of vocational education and state and nonͲstate, make decisions with regard to training(VET)inthecountry,butitsresultsareyettobe training, they exert an important influence on observed seen as it is at an initial stage of implementation. outcomes in skills development. Strong systems of WfD National advocacy for workforce development benefits have institutionalized processes and practices for from the participation of different groups of reaching agreement on priorities, for collaboration and government and nonͲgovernment stakeholders, though coordination, and for generating routine feedback that coordination and partnership between them is often sustain continuous innovation and improvement. By adͲhocanddonorsupportplaysanimportantroleinthe contrast, weak systems are characterized by area. The three Policy Goals under this Functional fragmentation, duplication of effort, and limited Dimensionhavebeenratedasfollows:2.0for“Settinga learningfromexperience. StrategicDirection,”1.8for“FosteringaDemandͲDriven  Approach,” and 2.3 for “Strengthening Critical The SABERͲWfD assessment results summarized below Coordination.” The weakest elements dragging down providesabaselineforunderstandingthecurrentstatus the score are lack of skillsͲupgrading incentives for of the WfD system in the country as well as a basis for employers and poor monitoring of existing WfD discussing ideas on how best to strengthen it in the programs. Indeed, to be effective, WfD policies must be comingyears. based on credible assessments of the demand for skills inlightofacountry’seconomicprospects. Overview of the SABERǦWfD Assessment For System Oversight, Moldova was rated at the Latent Results  level (1.5 out of 4), reflecting the fact that the The tool is based on an analytical framework that development of the quality assurance system and the identifies three functional dimensions of WfD policies development of a fully functioning entity for the andinstitutions: assessmentandaccreditationofVETinstitutionsarestill to be implemented, funding for vocational training is i. Strategic Framework, which refers to how WfD strategiesaresetandcoordinated;  1 SeeAnnex6forthefullresults. 3|P a g e   MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 not based on explicit criteria with performance The third Functional Dimension is Service Delivery, indicators,theNationalQualificationsFramework(NQF) whichscoredattheEmerginglevel(1.9outof4).Thisis is a work in progress, and aligning of the curriculum to consistent with the fact that while participation of the the occupational standards and transition to private sector in secondary and postͲsecondary competenceͲbased vocational education and training vocational education is limited, Moldova is home to a has just started (the curriculum should be adjusted to relatively wide diversity of public and private providers the National Qualifications Framework by 2020). of adult training services that can issue certificates Development of curriculum for the following recognized by the government. The quality of training occupations based on approved occupational standards remains low, which could be partly addressed by a has begun: painter, stonemason/bricklayer, betterͲdeveloped monitoring and evaluation system smith/concreter, and confectioner. The Policy Goal and increased reliability and access to data. The Policy “Ensuring Efficiency and Equity in Funding” has been Goal “Enabling Diversity and Excellence in Training given the lowest score of 1.4. The other two Policy Provision” received a relatively higher score of 2.4. The Goals “Assuring Relevant and Reliable Standards” and other two Policy Goals “Fostering Relevance in Public “Diversifying Pathways for Skills Acquisition” have Training Programs” and “Enhancing EvidenceͲbased received 1.5 each. The weakest elements dragging Accountability for Results” were both given a score of down the score are (i) lack of formal reviews of the 1.9. Weak practices of evidenceͲbased accountability impact of WfD funding on beneficiaries in terms of for results and questionable relevance of the training efficiency and equity of funding; and (ii) the programsarethemaincausesoftheoveralllowscore. accreditation policy and need for fullyͲfunctioning Quality Assurance Agency (recently created) that is These findings suggest that Moldova’s WfD policies and important to ensure that the training providers meet institutions are weak from policy conceptualization to externallyestablishedstandardsor oversight and implementation. Many of the gaps qualityinservicedelivery. identified share common root causes, implying that addressing a selected gap may lead to progress on Figure1.Moldova’sDimensionͲLevelScores relatedfronts. PolicyImplicationsoftheFindings As Moldova is facing stiffer competition globally and regionally (including through the forthcoming Deep and ComprehensiveFreeTradeAgreementwiththeEU),the country needs to face new competitive pressures more firmly. With a weak WfD system, Moldova will not be abletowithstandthiscompetition. Key measures that could advance Moldova towards goodglobalstandardsincludethefollowing: x Ensuring leadership and strategic coordination: All key pillars of the WfD system require immediate and concerted actions from the part of many players. The weak leadership and strategic coordination create critical bottlenecks along the entire system. A stronger and more active highͲ  level leadership (for example, at the level of prime Note: See Figure 3 for an explanation of the scale on the horizontal axis. minister) would be important to align WfD policies Source: Based on analysis of the data collected using the SABERͲWfD with the country’s socioeconomic goals and questionnaire. enhance the national policy dialogue on skills and   SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 4 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 the labor force, and encourage firms and public services—initial vocational education and training authorities to commit additional resources and (IVET), continuing vocational education and time that the dialogue requires. Government and training (CVET), and trainingͲrelated active labor nonͲgovernment WfD champions in Moldova need market policies (ALMPs). Even simple reporting on to depart from the adͲhoc, unstructured dialogue enrollments, staffing, budgets, and main andtoexercisemoresustainedandwellͲstructured accomplishments, if done routinely, serve as a tool advocacy for WfD. This dialogue should rely on foraccountability.InSingapore,forexample,public institutionalized processes to collaborate on wellͲ sector training providers typically issue annual integrated interventions to advance an economyͲ reports in this spirit. It would also be advisable to wide WfD policy agenda. In the area of workforce systematically participate in international development to support growth, East Asia’s fastest assessments such as OECD’s Program for growing economies over the past 50 years—South International Assessment of Adult Competencies Korea, Taiwan, China, and Singapore, among (PIAAC), measuring cognitive and technical skills of others—provide the clearest examples of the role the working age population (aged 15Ͳ64) and ofleadersinshapingtheskillsagenda.2 relatingthemtolabormarketperformance,aswell  as developing national learning assessments. x Providingforamoreeffectiveinstitutionalsetup:It Indeed, WfD policies should be formulated on the is necessary to make the sectorͲlevel committees basis of wellͲinformed analyses. Additionally, functional and sustainable. One option to consider implementationofapprovedpoliciesandstrategies would be to entitle an executive arm of the (including the VET Development Strategy) should government (for instance, the Ministry of Labor, be routinely reviewed and updated on the basis of Social Protection and Family or the Ministry of available evidence to allow for necessary Economy) to set up these committees and support adjustmentsandimprovements. their work. It is important to provide adequate  institutionalandfinancialsupporttoensurethatall x Ensuring quality: Proper mechanisms need to be in key stakeholders engage in policy dialogue on place to guarantee systematic quality assurance. It occupational standards and the NQF through is important to envisage capacity building of the institutionalized processes. This aspect is critical, Quality Assurance Agency in VET (its creation was considering that so far competency standards have approved in October 20133) because the lack of only been developed for a limited set of such mechanism erodes public trust in the quality occupations. So far, six occupational standards of training providers. SchoolͲlevel solutions, such have been developed and approved for painter, as the creation of proper supervisory bodies to stonemason/bricklayer, smith/concreter, locksmith hold service providers accountable for student and plumber,confectioner,andviticulturist. school outcomes, is also advisable. While most  schools develop reports for administrative x Enhancing evidenceͲbased accountability for purposes, it would be reasonable to ensure results in WfD: The government should consider publication of these reports for easier access and adopting the practice of routinely sponsoring skillsͲ useofschoolinformationbythebroaderpublic. related surveys and impact evaluations of existing  programs. The key indicator of interest for the x Fundingandincentivesmechanisms:Itisimportant public is that of graduates’ labor market to shift from the ‘mechanical’ approach of outcomes—for all modes of delivery of training approving the budget for WfD based on historical  spending to a system in which funding is linked to 2 Thesecountrieshavebuiltastrongfoundationinbasicskillsthrough enrollments, performance, and effectiveness of generaleducationandhavetakendecisionstodeveloptrainingsystemsthat effectivelyequipworkerswithjobͲrelevantskillstoexpandtheirown training programs. In this regard, CVET brings the technologicalcapabilities.See:WorldBank.2013.WhatMattersin WorkforceDevelopment:AFrameworkandToolforAnalysis.SABERWorking  3 PaperSeries#6,Washington,D.C.Availableat Law #239 of October 18, 2013 on amendments to the Education Law of http://www.worldbank.org/education/saber 1995.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 5 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 biggestchallenges,astrainingprovisioniscurrently specific employerͲled sector skills councils that fragmented among different line ministries and define occupational standards and competencies authorities. Funding allocated for CVET (including to shape the curriculum used by the training onͲtheͲjob training for smallͲ and mediumͲsize providers. In Korea, the relationship between the enterprises, or SMEs) should rely on formal Korea University of Technology and Education processes with input from key stakeholders and (KUT) and Samsung illustrates an arrangement timely annual reporting. A program stimulating onͲ wherevariousactorsworktogethertoenhancethe theͲjob training for SMEs should be adopted in relevance of training programs in a public addition to the existing onͲtheͲjob training institution. KUT hosts the Employee Vocational programs for selected public sector employees. Education Program, which offers short courses to RegardingthetrainingͲrelatedALMPsimplemented Samsung’s own workers as well as those from the by the National Agency for Labor Employment, firm’s subcontractors. KUT provides the premises, they should be consistently reviewed for impact, and the teaching and administrative staff. and results of the review should be published and Samsung, for its part, leads in defining the course used to inform program adjustments and funding. curricula, provides the equipment, and lends inͲ It is also advisable for the government to design a house experts to coͲteach the courses. The range of incentives for skills upgrading by all collaboration benefits all parties. Samsung gains employers and revise the restrictive fiscal from having subcontractors that can meet its regulations which undermine incentives to train product specification and quality standards; its the workforce. The first step has already been subcontractors gain from being able to retain or made. The amendments to the Tax Code (article expand their business with the company. Most 19) introduced in December 2013 envisage that importantly, the university gains from the costs incurred by the employer for professional opportunity to involve its faculty in organizing and education of workers will be exempted from the teaching the courses. This involvement enhances taxes as defined (in a manner prescribed by the the competence of its administrators and government; its implementation has yet to be instructors in the design and delivery of industryͲ seen). relevanttrainingprograms.5   x Increasing the relevance of public training: x Recognizing informal training: Limited attention to Interventions are necessary to simultaneously prior learning has led to suboptimal social and tackle issues of relevance of the WfD in line with economic outcomes, particularly considering the labor market needs, increase the quality of high number of labor migrants returning to education, and foster formal linkages between Moldova with skills and knowledge acquired training institutions, industry, and research informally that are not being recognized or valued. institutions.4These links should go beyond offering TheconceptfornonͲformalandinformaleducation internshipopportunitiestostudents.Itisimportant was adopted by the Collegium of the Ministry of to pursue a variety of arrangements to make Education. The methodology for recognition and training as relevant to industry needs as possible. certification of nonͲformal and informal learning is In the Netherlands, for example, the under development (it will need to ensure that the institutionalized arrangements involve an umbrella proper mechanisms allowing recognition of prior organization connecting training providers to learning are put in place).6In the United States, for  example, many community colleges give students creditforworkexperienceinindustry.7 4 Toillustrate,in1996CostaRica’sPresidentledthecountryonaneventually successfulbidtopersuadeIntel,aglobalcomputerchipmanufacturer,toset up the firm’s newest plant in the country. Part of the deal included the  introduction of new courses in technical training and new curricula. In subsequent years, the country continued to align its education and training programs to meet the needs of employers in the information technology  5 industry. The IT industry is today a major part the economy, accounting for Ibid. 6 nearly 19 percent of exports in 2009, compared with just 4 percent in 1997. ThestrategyforlifeͲlonglearningisunderdevelopment. 7 Source:Ibid. Ibid.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 6 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 x Making VET more attractive: The general negative expanded autonomy at lower levels of the perception of VET should be tackled through a set education system in return for accountability for ofcoherentgovernmentactionsonmultiplefronts. student performance; and introduced Measures should include further diversifying performanceͲbased financing. The Vocational learning pathways, improving program quality and Education and Training Development Strategy for relevance, and continued dissemination of good 2013Ͳ2020adoptedbythegovernmentinFebruary results from wellͲperforming schools into the 2013 was visionary and foresaw many actions media. In Switzerland, for example, TVET tracks at takenbythesuccessfulreformers(presentedinthe the secondary level offer excellent programs and subsequent chapters). In this regard, the SABERͲ flexible pathways to tertiary level courses, which WfD instrument not only provides a diagnostic of attract a sufficiently meaningful share of the the current state of affairs with WfD policies and country’s top students to overcome public bias institutions in Moldova. Based on the predefined against such programs. In Singapore, sizable rubrics shown in Annex 3, it can also be used as a investments in a highͲquality TVET system over the tool to monitor the progress with implementation years, coupled with sustained attention to the of reforms in order to build an upͲtoͲdate, employability of graduates, have lowered social advanced system of workforce development in the resistance to the TVET programs that the less country(Figure2). academically inclined students enter after 10 years ofgeneralschooling.8 Figure2.GenericBenchmarkingRubrics  x Many countries in the region have faced similar challenges, such as having the inflexible education system not responding to the changing labor market needs; the inefficient use of resources in thesystem;lowqualityoftheteachingstaff;lack of data on the skills and competencies that students actually acquire as a result of the educational process; as well as lack of the participation from the employers, who can actually improve education services provided. During the Source:WorldBank.2013.WhatMattersinWorkforce Development:AFrameworkandToolforAnalysis. first years of transition in most ECA countries, the SABERWorkingPaperSeries#6,Washington,D.C.Availableat vocational school system—which once produced http://www.worldbank.org/education/saber. more than half of all secondary graduates—  collapsed. Many students chose to pursue a  tertiarydegree.Atthesametime,employersassert   that it is now hard to find graduates with good technicalskills.Nevertheless,thereareexamplesof successful reformers that were able to change the WfD system and ensure that they can produce graduates with appropriate skills (such as Poland). The successful reformers supported, inter alia, systematic data collection on student outcomes (throughdevelopingnationallearningassessments, conducting regular tracer studies of graduates to determine their employment outcomes, and then using this data to inform education policy);  8 Ibid.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 7 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 2.Introduction workforce with adequate knowledge and skills in line withlabormarketneedsandrequirements. The Republic of Moldova, a resourceͲpoor and landlocked country, is undergoing a difficult transition Significantchangesinthecountry’seconomiclandscape from a planned to a market economy. Although a deep have increased the demand for skills. Evidence from economic collapse marked its first decade of employer surveys shows a shortage of required skills independence,9economic growth resumed in 2000 and among the workforce. Moldovan enterprises, especially continuedatanaverageannualrateof5.9percentuntil exporters, complain about the difficulty of finding the 2008 global financial crisis. The economy recovered skilled workers with the “right” set of skills. Recognizing from the 2008Ͳ09 global economic crisis with average the importance of workforce development for annual GDP growth exceeding 5 percent over 2010Ͳ improving the country’s socioeconomic prospects, the 2013. As a result, Moldova experienced the highest Government of Moldova approved a new Vocational cumulative GDP growth among all regional partners’ Education and Training (VET) Development Strategy for relativetothepreͲcrisisyearof2007.Atthesametime, the years 2013Ͳ2020 in order to reform its VET sector as a small open economy in which agriculture has a andalignittotheneedsofthenationaleconomy.10 significant role, Moldova’s growth performance has To inform policy dialogue on these important issues, been strong but volatile, reflecting vulnerability to this report presents a comprehensive diagnostic of climaticandglobaleconomicconditions. Moldova WfD policies and institutions. The results are Significant structural changes are shaping Moldova’s based on a new World Bank tool designed for this economy. The share of agriculture in total GDP purpose. Known as SABERͲWfD, the tool is part of the contracted from 29 percent in 2000 to 11 percent in World Bank’s initiative on Systems Approach for Better 2012. Between 2000 and 2010 the labor employed in Education Results (SABER), 11 the aim of which is to the agricultural sector declined by almost 60 percent. provide systematic documentation and assessment of While industry has largely maintained its share in the policy and institutional factors that influence the employment, the share of the services sector has performance of education and training systems. The increased. At the same time, as shown in the following SABERͲWfD tool encompasses initial, continuing and section, Moldova lags behind many of its peers in targeted vocational education and training that are economic, political, and institutional reform processes, offered through multiple channels, and focuses largely which are important for greater job creation and on programs at the secondary and postͲsecondary improvedproductivity. levels. International outward labor migration is considered to AnalyticalFramework be the major factor that affects the Moldovan labor marketbothdirectly(byreducingthenumberofpeople The tool is based on an analytical framework12that working in the country) and indirectly (by increasing identifies three Functional Dimensions of WfD policies reservation wages of those staying in the country). Key andinstitutions: characteristics of the Moldovan labor market include (1) Strategic Framework, which refers to the praxis of low labor force participation, a persistently high advocacy, partnership, and coordination in relation incidence of informal employment particularly in the to the objective of aligning WfD in critical areas to agriculturalsector,andhighyouthunemployment.Also, prioritiesfornationaldevelopment; an aging population and shrinking labor force pose very (2) SystemOversight,whichreferstothearrangements serious threats for the future development of the governing funding, quality assurance, and learning country. On this front, in order to compensate for the pathwaysthatshapetheincentivesandinformation labor force decline and ensure improved living signals affecting the choices of individuals, standards, it is necessary to provide for a steady  increase in labor productivity and thus equip the 10 The National Development Strategy ‘Moldova 2020: 7 solutions for Republic of Moldova’, the Vocational Education and Training Development  Strategyfortheyears2013Ͳ2020. 9 11 During 1991Ͳ1999, GDP declined by almost 60 percent (with the exception FordetailsonSABERseehttp://www.worldbank.org/education/saber. 12 of1997,whenMoldova’sGDPgrew1.6percent). ForanexplanationoftheSABERͲWfDframeworkseeTanetal2013.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 8 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 employers, training providers, and other ImplementingtheAnalysis stakeholders;and Information for the analysis is gathered using a (3) Service Delivery, which refers to the diversity, structuredSABERͲWfDDataCollectionInstrument(DCI). organization, and management of training The instrument is designed to collect, to the extent provision, both state and nonͲstate, that deliver possible, facts rather than opinions about WfD policies results on the ground by enabling individuals to and institutions. For each Topic, the DCI poses a set of acquiremarketͲandjobͲrelevantskills. multiple choicequestions whichareansweredbasedon Taken together, these three Dimensions allow for documentary evidence and interviews with systematic analysis of the functioning of a WfD system knowledgeable informants. The answers allow each as a whole. The focus in the SABERͲWfD framework is Topic to be scored on a fourͲpoint scale against on the institutional structures and practices of public standardized rubrics based on available knowledge on policymakingandwhattheyrevealaboutcapacityinthe global good practices (See Figure 4).14Topic scores are system to conceptualize, design, coordinate, and averaged to produce Policy Goal scores, which are then implement policies in order to achieve results on the aggregated into Dimension scores. 15 The results are ground. finalized following validation by the relevant national Each Dimension is composed of three Policy Goals that counterparts,includingtheinformantsthemselves. correspond to important functional aspects of WfD Figure4.SABERͲWfDScoringRubrics systems (see Figure 3). Policy Goals are further broken down into discrete Policy Actions and Topics that reveal moredetailaboutthesystem.13 Figure 3. Functional Dimensions and Policy Goals in theSABERͲWfDFramework  Source:Tanetal.2013.  The rest of this report summarizes the key findings of the SABERͲWfD assessment and also presents the detailed results for each of the three Functional Dimensions. To put the results into context, the report begins below with a brief profile of the country’s socioeconomicmakeup.  Source:Tanetal.2013.  14 See Annex 3 for the rubrics used to score the data. As in other countries, the data are gathered by a national principal investigator and his or her team, based on the sources indicated in Annex 4, and they are scored by the World Bank’s SABERͲWfD team. See Annex 5 for the detailed scores and Annex 6 for a list of those involved in data gathering, scoring and validation, andreportwriting. 15 Since the composite scores are averages of the underlying scores, they are rarely whole numbers. For a given composite score, X, the conversion to the categorical rating shown on the cover is based on the following rule: 1.00ч  Xч 1.75 converts to “Latent”; 1.75 < Xч 2.50, to “Emerging”; 2.50 < Xч 13 SeeAnnex2foranoverviewofthestructureoftheframework. 3.25,to“Established”;and3.25<Xч4.00,to“Advanced.”  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 9 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 3.CountryContext are Russia (30.3 percent of total exports in 2012), Romania (16.5), Italy (9.4), and Ukraine (5.7). Main This section reviews the main social and economic sources of imports to the country are Russia (15.7 factors that affect the demand and supply of skills and percent, mainly comprised of natural gas and fuel), laborinMoldova. Romania (11.9 percent, again, mainly fuel), and Ukraine Economic Trends. Economic growth in the Republic of (11.4,especiallyfoodandelectricity). Moldova averaged 5.9 percent per year between 2000 The Moldovan government has a relatively large and 2008 but suffered a 6 percent decline in 2009 as a presence in the economy, with total budgetary result of the global financial turmoil and economic expenditures representing about 38 percent of GDP in slowdown. The economy recovered quickly, with GDP 2012. Social assistance and support constitute about growth reaching 7 percent in 2010Ͳ2011, but dropped one third of the budget, followed by education (20.7 0.8 percent in 2012 on account of a severe drought percent) and health services (13 percent). Most of the affectingtheagriculturalsector.16Officially,theGDPper budgetary revenues are derived from taxes (83.3 capita is about US$ 2,037,17but this estimate does not percent), nonͲfiscal sources (4.9), and special funds and account for the high share of the informal economy means (4.9). The role of development partners is which, according to estimates, is about 45 percent of significant, with the share of international grants theofficialGDP.18 growing from 5.5 percent of budget in 2009 to 6.3 Significant structural changes are shaping Moldova’s percentin2012. economy. The share of agriculture in total GDP contracted from 29 percent in 2000 to 11 percent in Over the past decade, economic growth was 2012. Two thirds of the agricultural output are accompaniedbypovertyreduction.Theshareofpeople composed of relatively low addedͲvalue crops (mainly living under the national poverty line went from 30.2 corn, sunflower, and wheat), while one third is percent in 2006 to 16.6 percent in 2012. A modest generated in the livestock sector. In the same period, reduction in inequality has been registered recently, industry’s share of GDP contracted by 1 percentage with the Gini coefficient of consumption expenditures point (accounting for 14 percent of the GDP in 2012). declining from 0.3094 in 2009 to 0.3050 in 2010, and Production of food and alcoholic beverages is the main then to 0.2943 in 2011. The economic growth in the industrial activity (constituting more than 41 percent of past decade has been closely correlated with the inflow industrial output in 2012), followed by energy of migrants’ remittances feeding private consumption. generation (around 15 percent), production of Accordingtoestimates,remittancesreached25percent construction materials (8.5 percent), and textiles, of GDP in 2012,19even though some experts believe apparel, and footwear (7.1 percent). The share of that not all international transfers reported as migrants marketserviceshasseenthe biggestgrowthintermsof remittances are “real” remittances. 20 With domestic contribution to GDP, expanding from 37 to 49 percent production lagging much behind aggregate demand, between 2000 and 2012, mainly due to the growth of domestic consumption is being covered by imports of retailactivities. goods and services, with the trade deficit reaching alarminglevels(Ͳ42percentofGDPin2012). With exports worth 44 percent of GDP and imports of 84 percent, Moldova is a typical case of a small open Demographics. Moldova is a small country with 3.6 economy. Key goods exported are vegetables and fruits million people living on the right bank of the Nistru (12.9 percent of total exports), alcoholic beverages  (9.9), apparel (11.8), and electric machines and parts 19 WorldBank,2013. 20 thereof(8.9).Moldova’smaintradepartnersforexports The majority of sources calculate the inflow of remittances from three components of the Balance of Payments compiled by the National Bank of  Moldova: (i) compensation for work; (ii) personal transfers; (iii) emigrants’ 16 NBS,“Dynamicsofthekeymacroeconomicindicators(1995Ͳ2012)”,data transfers. The problem is that a significant part of these transfers does not availableat actually represent emigrants’ transfers, but rather payments for the services http://www.statistica.md/public/files/serii_de_timp/conturi_nationale/serii_ provided to the nonͲresidents by individuals residing in Moldova, anuale/Dinam_princ_indic_macro.xls. investments made by the nonͲresidents to the real estate market of 17 IMF,WorldEconomicOutlookDatabase,April2013. Moldova, and payments for other destinations (Prohnitchi and Lupusor, 18 Schneiderandothers,2008. 2013).  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 10 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 River and about 600,000 residing in the Transnistrian the expected reduction of the share of workingͲage region.Morethanhalfofthepopulationresidesinrural population (aged 15Ͳ64 years) from 72 percent in 2010 communities, which places Moldova as the European to 62 percent by 2050. The dependency ratio will grow countrywiththehighestshareofruralpopulation. respectively from 38.5 to 59.6 percent, reflecting the risingpressureontheproductivepopulation. The country is undergoing a slow but steady demographic decline: between 1999 and 2011 the An aging population and a shrinking labor force pose natural growth rate was negative; it somewhat very serious challenges for the future development of stabilized in 2011Ͳ2012, but both shortͲ and longͲterm the country. In order to compensate for the labor force demographic prospects are bleak. There is a very large decline and ensure improved living standards, it is ruralͲurban demographic discrepancy: In 2008Ͳ2012 the necessary to create a steady increase in labor birthrateincitieswas9.96per1,000andthedeathrate productivity. Coupled with outward migration and was8.84per1,000;invillages,thebirthratewashigher increased economic inactivity, this situation adds to the (12.02per1,000),butthedeathrateevenhigher(13.54 financial hardship of the public pensions system which per 1,000). In other words, the human capital and labor is already in a difficult situation because of the force endowment in rural areas is declining at a much widespread informal employment and informal fasterratethanincities. payment. The difficult demographic situation has been further Employment. One of the features of the economic exacerbated by the largeͲscale outmigration of the development of Moldova in the last decade is that the labor force. According to conservative official statistics, economy kept growing while the number of people in 2012 about 17 percent of men and 10 percent of employed declined from 1.51 million in 2000 to 1.32 women at working age were working abroad or looking millionin2004andfurtherdownto1.15millionin2012 for work abroad. Migration has left many rural (Table 1). This has been both a direct outcome of labor communities almost depopulated, posing migration as well as an indirect one, reflecting the role unprecedented policy challenges, such as bringing vast of reservation wages in the Moldovan economy. As areas of abandoned land back into agricultural activity migrants’ families in Moldova keep receiving and efficiently providing basic public services and remittances from migrants, the motivations to accept utilitiestoadwindlingpopulation. employment for relatively modest wages decline. Thus, the employment rates are very low in Moldova (less According to World Bank population projections, the than 40 percent in 2012, compared to the 60Ͳ70 population in Moldova is set to decline until 2050, with percent typical for countries in Central and Eastern an annual average growth of around 0.7 percent. 21 Europe) with many years of productive life lost across Pursuant to these projections, population decline will all demographic groups22(Figures 5 and 6). Labor force likely be accompanied by important structural shifts, participation in Moldova is extremely low, particularly the most significant of which are population aging and Table1.Keylaborandlabormarketindicators,2004Ͳ2012  2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Population,million 3.603 3.595 3.585 3.576 3.570 3.565 3.562 3.560 3.559 WorkingͲage 2.327 2.353 2.353 2.349 2.360 2.368 2.373 2.372 2.366 population,million Employed 1.316 1.319 1.257 1.247 1.251 1.184 1.143 1.173 1.147 population,million Distributionoftheemployedbyformal/informaljobs,% Formaljobs 65.4 66.6 64.9 66.4 68.9 70.0 69.1 69.3 70.3 Informaljobs 34.6 33.4 35.1 33.6 31.1 30.0 30.9 30.7 29.7 Employmentrate,% 45.7 45.4 42.9 42.5 42.5 40 38.5 39.4 38.4 Source:NBSdatabank.   22 Population projections for various age groups may have issues accounting 21 WorldBankpopulationprojectionsavailableat: for migrants who left Moldova (last census was conducted in 2004), thus http://go.worldbank.org/H4UN4D5KI0. “inflating”denominatorusedforrelevantcalculations.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 11 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 among women, rural residents, youth (15Ͳ24 years), looking themselves to migrate for work and therefore older workers (55 years and more), and those with low donotactivelylookforemploymentinMoldova. educationalattainment. Figure 7: Unemployment rate in Moldova, 2004Ͳ Figure 5: Employment Rate (population aged 15+, first 2013 quarter2013) 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Unemploymentrate,% Youthunemploymentrate,% Source:NBSdatabank.   Notes:*denotesdatafor2012.Dataisnotseasonallyadjusted. Between 2000 and 2010, the labor force employed in Source: World Bank (2014). Back to Work: Growing with Jobs in Europe and CentralAsia. the agricultural sector declined by almost 60 percent,  from 770,000 people in 2000 to 323,000 in 2011 (See Figure 6: Average Years of Lost Potential Employment Figure 8). In the same period, the number of jobs in foranIndividual,circa2010 nonͲagricultural sectors has grown by only 14 percent, from 744,000 to 850,000, which is not enough to compensate for the job losses in the agricultural sector. As a result of the structural shifts taking place in the economy, one quarter of the labor force is currently employed in agriculture (compared to 40.5 percent in 2004).Whileindustryhaslargelymaintaineditssharein total employment, the services sector grew; for example, the trade and hotels’ share went from 13.6 percent of total employment in 2004 to 18.3 percent in 2012, and the public services sector grew from 18.3 to 21.5percent.    Source: World Bank (2014). Back to Work: Growing with Jobs in Europe and CentralAsia.  Thegeneralunemploymentrateisratherlow(Figure7). However, the unemployment rate among youth aged 15Ͳ24 is a more pressing problem, as it is three times the national average. The historical decline in youth unemployment shown in Figure 7 is not as much an outcome of improved employment, but rather another reflection of the reduced willingness to work, provided that many young people either keep receiving financial support from their parents working abroad or are  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 12 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Figure 8: Employment in main economic sectors, Figure9:EBRDTransitionIndex,2012 2004Ͳ2012(%) 100% 5.8 5.9 7 7 7.1 7.5 7.7 7.7 8.3 90% 18.3 18.1 20.4 20.1 19.8 80% 21 21.9 21.3 21.5 5.6 5.4 70% 5.2 5.5 5.7 5.7 5.6 5.7 6.1 13.6 13.9 60% 15.6 15.9 16.7 4 3.9 18.4 18.7 19 18.3 50% 5.4 6.1 12.3 12.1 6.6 6.2 5.9 5.7 6.1 40% 12.8 12.7 13.1 13.1 12.8 13.1 13.2 30% 20% 40.5 40.7 33.6 32.8  31.1 28.2 27.5 27.5 26.4 Source:WorldBank(2014).BacktoWork:GrowingwithJobsinEuropeand 10% CentralAsia. 0% 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Othersectors Demandforskills Publicadministration,health,educationandsocialprotection Transportandcommunications The adjustments in economic structure require an Trade,hotels,andrestaurants adequately prepared workforce. Many workers in Constructions Source:NBSdatabank. Moldova, especially youth and the elderly, are illͲ prepared to succeed in today’s labor market and lack  the skills the employers need. Recent studies of the National Confederation of Employers of Moldova Informality remains an important part of the Moldovan (NCEM), including “Key Constraints on the Business labor market. Although in decline, informal occupations Environment in Moldova” (2013) and “Seven Obstacles still account for almost one third of the total jobs for Business Climate in the Republic of Moldova” offeredintheeconomy.23 (2013), report a lowͲskilled labor force and the current In summary, Moldovan economic growth has failed to education and training system among the key have a positive net effect on job creation and the constraints to the development of private business in growing urban economy has been unable to absorb Moldova. In particular, the reports recognize that the unemployed agricultural workers. The recent World education and training system of the country should be Bank report “Back to Work: Growing with Jobs in moremarketͲdriven. Europe and Central Asia” (2014) argues that sustained Interestingly, the NCEM employers’ survey showed that market reforms pay off in terms of greater job creation two thirds of companies, in particular large enterprises, and increased productivity, but it takes time to conduct periodic assessments of current and future materialize. Meanwhile, Moldova lags behind many of skills needs. At the same time, almost half of the firms its peers in economic, political, and institutional reform (46 percent) encounter difficulties on a frequent or efforts, which are important for greater job creation systematic basis when hiring staff with the desired andimprovedproductivity(figure9). competenciesandskills. Thisaffects,firstandforemost, agriculture, industry, transportation, and construction (57.4 percent), and large companies (58.3 percent compared to 40.2 percent of microenterprises), in particular those located in the capital (52.2 percent). Overall,morethan40percentofMoldovanfirmsreport that “skills” have become a severe constraint to their growth(Figure10).  23 NationalBureauofStatistics,“LaborMarketinMoldova2012,”2012, The problem of an unsatisfactory level of skills is availableat http://www.statistica.md/public/files/publicatii_electronice/piata_fortei_de attributed to the lack of relevance of the education _munca/Piata_Muncii_2012.pdf. systemtothelabormarketneedsandlackofsupportto  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 13 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 workers to adequately equip themselves for new job opportunities. The employers’ survey of the NCEM showedthat whileover46percentofenterprisesfacea constraint in the form of skills shortage, the majority of companies (57 percent) do not allocate resources for training. This is primarily due to the lack of funding for training (30.7 percent of respondents), although the national legislation (Labor Code, article 213) envisages the allocation by the employer of at least 2 percent of the payroll for relevant purposes (as taxͲdeductible expenditures).  Figure 10: Share of firms report that “skills” have becomeasevereconstrainttogrowth  Source: World Bank. 2012. Skills, Not Just Diplomas: Managing Education for ResultsinEasternEuropeandCentralAsia,Washington,D.C.  Supplyofskills Education system. In Moldova, primary education begins at the age of 7 and lasts four years. Secondary schoolingcoversthefollowingeightyearsandisdivided into five years of lower secondary (gymnasium), which is compulsory, and three years of upper secondary schooleducation(lyceum)(Figure11andTable2).  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 14 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Figure11:EducationsysteminRepublicofMoldova Source:MinistryofEducationofRepublicofMoldova,http://particip.gov.md/public/documente/137/ro_1112_EducatiaͲ2020.pdf.   SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 15 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Table2:Keyindicatorsoftheeducationsectorintheperiodofacademicyears2008/09– 2012/13  2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 Totalnumberofpupilsandstudents,thousands 607.9 579.7 557.9 537.1 520.0 Totalnumberofpupilsandstudents,per10,000inhabitants 1704 1626 1567 1508 1461 Enrolmentrateofthepopulationaged7Ͳ23years,percent 60.3 59.9 59.8 59.9 60.5 PreͲprimaryeducationnetenrollment,percent 72.7 74.0 75.8 78.3 80.6 Primaryeducationnetenrollment,percent 87.5 87.6 87.8 87.9 87.9 Lowersecondaryeducationnetenrollment,percent 84.6 84.0 83.3 82.9 82.3 Studentsinsecondaryprofessionaleducationinstitutions,per10,000 92 90 90 88 86 inhabitants StudentsinpostͲsecondaryprofessionaleducationinstitutions,per10,000 68 62 60 57 55 inhabitants Source:NBS.   After graduating gymnasium, children have the The Government of Moldova’s primary objective in opportunity to continue their education in lyceums or education is to improve the quality, efficiency, and vocational education. In 2012, out of the 38,600 relevanceoftheeducationsystemtomeettheneedsof graduates of lower secondary education, almost half the labor market and the broader economy. However, (46.5 percent) continued studying in lyceums, 21.4 the country’s demographic and fiscal realities have not percent in secondary vocational education institutions, made it easy for the government to fulfill this mandate. and 19.2 percent in secondary specialized educational Over the years, the education sector in Moldova has institutions. Graduates of the gymnasium can enter witnessed uneven quality and a lack of efficiency. For trade schools, where studies last one year; vocational example, Moldova’s performance in the Organization schools (three years); or colleges (four to five years). for Economic CoͲoperation and Development (OECD) High school graduates can be enrolled in trade schools ProgrammeforInternationalStudentAssessment(PISA) or vocational schools for one year and in colleges for 2009 show that the performance of the country’s 15Ͳ two to three years. Advanced technical/vocational yearͲolds in reading, math, and science is among the education is provided by colleges and consists of shortͲ lowest in the region. Around 60 percent of Moldova's cyclespecializedcoursesinagriculture,teachertraining, students lack the basic levels of proficiency in reading arts, mechanics, construction, industrial wood and math literacy needed to participate effectively and processing, economics, and others. The duration of the productively in society. These students may not be program depends on the field of study. Vocational failing according to national guidelines (and tests) for schools issue qualification certificates; colleges issue the competencies that a 15ͲyearͲold is expected to diplomas.Highereducationisdividedintothefirstcycle acquire, but their low scores on this assessment of licentiate lasting three to four years (leading to a BA indicate serious deficiencies in their ability to use degree) and the second cycle of a master’s program reading or math literacy as a tool to acquire knowledge (lasting one to two years). Additional details on the and skills in other areas—an important competency Moldovan education system are provided in Figure 11 neededtoworkintoday’seconomy. andTable2.24 Between 2008 and 2012 Moldova’s education sector  spending accounted for 8.7 percent of the country’s GDPonaverage—ahighsharebyregionalcomparisons.  At the same time, over the last several years Moldova 24 Enrollmentratesarecalculatedonthebasisofpopulationprojectionsfor witnessed a significant decline in the number of respectiveagegroupsthatmayhaveissuesaccountingformigrantswho haveleftMoldova(thelastcensuswasconductedin2004),thusinflatingthe students. In 2008Ͳ2012, the number of VET schools denominatorusedforthesecalculations.Untilthe2012/2013schoolyear,all generalsecondaryschools(with11gradesofstudyandunevenquality)have beenreorganizedinlyceumsorgymnasiums.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 16 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 students declined by 16 percent.25This leads to excess schools, unused school space and facilities, and high operatingcosts.Existinginfrastructure,mostlyoutdated and obsolete, is used only at half of its capacity, even though the number of IVET schools declined by eight institutions. 26 The system also needs to adjust the teachingstafftothecurrentneeds.27 In light of the above, the government recently initiated the ambitious but necessary reforms aimed to improve the quality and efficiency in the education sector. The country moved to perͲstudent financing of primary and secondary schools (the principle of “money follows the student” should also be introduced in the subsector of vocational education). The reforms are supported by development partners. The EU, for example, has recently approved funding to support the implementation of the new Vocational Education and Training Development Strategy for the years 2013Ͳ2020 that was approved in 2013.28While initial strides have beenmadeintheeducationsector,muchremainstobe done, including the approval of important legislative acts (like the Education Code, the Education Strategy 2020, and the Decentralization Strategy in the EducationSector).   25 Thetotalnumberofstudentsinallsubsectorsdeclinedfrom726,000 studentsinthe2003/2004academicyearto520,000in2012/2013.NBS, “EducationintheRepublicofMoldova.Statisticalpublication2012/2013,” Chisinau,2013. 26 TheIVETsystemiscomposed,atitssecondarylevel,of67vocational schools(21tradeschoolsand46professionalschools)serving19,600 studentsinthe2012/13schoolyear.ThestudentͲteacherratiohassteadily declinedinrecentyearsandreached9studentsperteacher.AtthepostͲ secondarylevel,thereare47trainingproviders(colleges),includingsix privateentitiesthatserved30,700studentsin2012/13.Similarlyto secondarylevel,thestudentͲteacherratiowasonadecliningpathandstands nowat12studentsperteacher(moredetailedinformationonWfDtraining providers,includingforCVETeducationandexistingtrainingͲrelatedALMPs, ispresentedinSection6). 27 In2008Ͳ2012,thewagesintheeducationsectorincreasedfrom66to87 percent–anunsustainabletrendifthesystemremainsoverstaffed. 28 Theobjectiveofthisbudgetsupportistomodernizeandstreamlinethe VocationEducationandTrainingintheRepublicofMoldovainorderto increasethecompetitivenessofthenationaleconomy,bytraining competentandqualifiedworkforceinlinewithcurrentandfuture requirementsofthelabormarket.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 17 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 4.AligningWorkforceDevelopmenttoKey Strategy is the most visionary strategic document adopted in the educational sector in the past two EconomicandSocialPriorities decades. It clearly dissects the problems undermining WfD is not an end in itself but rather an input toward the VET sector in Moldova and sets out the goal of broader objectives–of boosting employability and modernizing and upgrading VET education in order to productivity, of relieving skills constraints on business increase competitiveness of the national economy growth and development, and of advancing overall through training of a competent and qualified economic growth and social wellͲbeing. This chapter workforce in line with current and future labor market brieflyintroducesMoldova’ssocioeconomicaspirations, needs. It also sets a number of specific development priorities, and reforms before presenting the detailed priorities, including: 1) restructuring of the school SABERͲWfD findings on the Strategic Framework network into a twoͲtier system (secondary and Dimensionandtheirpolicyimplications. secondary specialized VET) and improvement of configuration of the school network by 2017; 2) SocioeconomicAspirations,Prioritiesand ensuring training of VET teachers on the basis of Reforms competencies and in line with labor market needs so that to increase employment of graduates by 10 In 2012, the Moldovan Parliament passed the National percent compared to 2012 baseline; 3) enhancing VET Development Strategy “Moldova 2020: Seven Solutions quality through more efficient utilization of financial for the Republic of Moldova” (henceforth “Moldova resources and introduction of quality assurance system 2020”). Moldova 2020 acknowledges that economic and to have functioning system of assessment and growth and poverty reduction during the past decade accreditation of relevant institutions by 2017; 4) have been closely correlated with the flow of inclusionofscientificandmethodologicalcontentinthe remittances and consumption it has generated, which curriculum of vocational education programs so that by hasalsobenefitedthestatebudgetbutexacerbatedthe 2020, 100 percent of the curriculum will correspond to trade deficit. The development vision that Moldova the National Qualifications Framework; 5) improving 2020 sets out is based on the analysis of the critical the quality of teaching staff, including the constraints to economic growth: poorly developed modernization of primary training and advanced human capital, weak infrastructure, and limited access training of teachers for vocational education, as well as to investment capital.29As long as these critical issues increasingtheirmotivation,sothatby2020,allthestaff remain unresolved, the investment potential of the will have been trained in accordance with the National national economy cannot be fully realized. To tackle Qualifications Framework; and 6) increasing the these constraints, Moldova 2020 focuses on a number attractiveness and accessibility of VET, so that by 2020 of “crossͲsector” development priorities, among which the number of students will have increased by 10 “aligningtheeducationsystemtolabormarketneedsin percent. order to enhance labor productivity and increase employment in the economy” has been identified as SABERǦWfDratingsontheStrategic key. Other priorities include “roads: in good conditions everywhere,” “financing: cheap and affordable,” Framework “business: with clear rules of the game,” “energy: In the SABERͲWfD framework, the role of WfD in delivered safely, used efficiently,” “pensions system: realizing Moldova’s socioeconomic aspirations equitable and sustainable,” materializes through actions to advance the following “justice:responsibleandincorruptible.” three Policy Goals: (i) setting a strategic direction for WfD; (ii) fostering a demandͲled approach in WfD; and In line with Moldova 2020, the Ministry of Education (iii) ensuring coordination among key WfD leaders and developed the “Strategy for Development of the stakeholders. The ratings for these Policy Goals are Vocational/Technical Education for the Period 2013Ͳ presentedandexplainedbelow,followedbyareflection 2020” (henceforth, the “VET Strategy”). The VET ontheirimplicationsforpolicydialogue.  29 PopaAnaandOprunencoAlex,2010.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 18 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Based on data collected in the SABERͲWfD terminates. Advocacy for WfD benefits from the questionnaire, the Republic of Moldova received an participation of different government agencies overall rating of 2.0 (Emerging) on the Strategic (including the Ministry of Education; Ministry of Labor, Framework Dimension (see Figure 12 below). This score Social Protection and Family; Ministry of Economy; and is the average of the ratings for the underlying Policy the National Agency for Labor Employment) and nonͲ Goals relating to: (a) Setting a Direction for WfD (2.0); government actors (including various business unions, (b) Fostering a DemandͲled Approach to WfD (1.8); and trade unions, Trade and Industry Chamber, and (c) Strengthening Critical Coordination for WfD (2.3). specialized NGOs). The Ministry of Education has The explanation for these ratings on the Policy Goals recently played an active role by developing a VET andtheirimplicationsfollowbelow. Strategy that was approved by the Moldovan government in 2013 (see Box 1). The Ministry of Figure 12. SABERͲWfD Ratings of the Strategic Economyisalsowillingtotakeamoreprominentrolein FrameworkDimension WfDdialogue,asshownwiththesignatureinDecember 2012 of the tripartite Partnership Memorandum with the Ministry of Education and the Chamber of Trade and Industry. The memorandum provides for a better coordination of partners’ policies and actions aimed at increasingtherelevanceofVETinMoldova.  Note: See Figure 3 for an explanation of the scale on the horizontal axis. Source: Based on analysis of the data collected using the SABERͲWfD questionnaire.  ‘Ž‹…› ‘ƒŽͳǣ”–‹…—Žƒ–‹‰ƒ–”ƒ–‡‰‹…‹”‡…–‹‘ˆ‘” ˆ Leaders play an important role in crystallizing a strategic vision for WfD appropriate to the country’s uniquecircumstancesandopportunities.Theiradvocacy andcommitmentattractpartnershipswithstakeholders for the common good, build public support for key priorities in WfD, and ensure that critical issues receive due attention in policy dialogue. Taking these ideas into account, Policy Goal 1 assesses the extent to which apexͲlevel leaders in government and in the private sector provide sustained advocacy for WfD priorities throughinstitutionalizedprocesses. Moldova is rated at the Emerging (2.0) level on this Policy Goal, reflecting fragmented leadership from the government and limited, adͲhoc advocacy from the businesscommunityandothernonͲstateactors,suchas NGOs. Donors have traditionally played an important role in WfD policy dialogue in Moldova to the extent that, according to many interviewed experts, dialogue would come to an end when certain donors’ support  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 19 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Box1.KeyprovisionsoftheVETStrategyofMoldova initiatives has been quite limited and some were On February 1, 2013, the government approved the Strategy abandoned: None of the standards developed in 2006Ͳ for the Development of Vocational and Technical Education 2008 was approved by the government, and the (2013Ͳ2020), a farͲreaching strategy envisaging significant NationalObservatoryisnolongeractive. reform in the VET sector. According to the strategy, the VET sector will be restructured in a twoͲtier system, Although WfD is a recurrent issue in the investment encompassing secondary and postͲsecondary levels.30 The climate dialogue, no comprehensive strategy for WfD National Qualifications Framework is going to be developed has been designed as yet. The only relevant document and approved by 2020. Among other actions envisaged by adopted recently is the VET Strategy, which was the strategy, one of the most important is that of identifying approved in early 2013, but its impact is yet to be seen 10 VET institutions that will play the role of centers of as it is still subject to many political constraints (as it excellence and will benefit from investments in suggests the optimization of school networks, always a infrastructure and highͲtechnology equipment. Total funding politically sensitive reform), and financial constraints for this action alone amounts to MDL 40 million (about US$ 3.3 million), to be disbursed annually between 2014 and (given the already high spending on education in 2017. The strategy also envisages actions to improve the Moldova and thus limited space for necessary quality of teaching and to increase the attractiveness of VET. investments). The latter is likely to be alleviated, as the It includes provisions to entitle the Ministry of Education to European Union committed to financially support the collect information from training providers and compile strategy’s implementation. The WfD policy dialogue is annual reports, which will ensure that implementation of sporadic, and deals more with sectorͲspecific and these actions and the strategy itself are monitored on a technical issues, rather than with strategic priorities. As constantbasis. the modern business culture is only in its embryonic Source:VETStrategy. stage, Moldovan companies concentrate on immediate  and tangible constraints to their businesses (mainly Despite recent progress, there is need for stronger fiscal and regulatory), while paying little attention to strategic leadership to follow up on the WfD agenda workforce development. Nonetheless, there are some and to ensure coordination among WfD stakeholders. exceptions to this general rule. For instance, the The role of international donors in WfD strategic Moldovan Association of the ICT Companies has taken planninghasproventobecrucialinsettingreforms,but the lead to advocate for stronger WfD in the ICT sector unsuccessful in ensuring their ownership and in Moldova, as the Association believes that irrelevant sustainability. Examples of donorͲled initiatives in the and lowͲquality training is the key constraint to the past decade include the development of occupational sector’s growth. 31 There was also an effective standards, started in 2006Ͳ2008 as part of the project collaboration between public and private stakeholders “Establishment of Moldovan National System for that were involved in elaboration of six occupational Occupational Standards, Assessment and Certification,” standards (painter, stonemasonͲbricklayer, smithͲ and implemented with support from the Swiss concreter, viticulturist, confectioner, and locksmithͲ Development Cooperation; a National Observatory for plumber).32However, these exceptions are not yet of Professional Education, created in 2004 with support sufficientscaletochangethegeneralWfDatmosphere. from the European Training Foundation; and a subsequent Concept for the Development of ‘Ž‹…› ‘ƒŽ ʹǣ ‘•–‡”‹‰ ƒ ‡ƒ†Ǧ”‹˜‡ ’’”‘ƒ…Š Professional Education, approved by the Moldovan –‘ˆ government in 2004. The impact of many of these Effective advocacy for WfD requires credible  assessments of the demand for skills, engagement of 30 PostͲsecondary VET provides advanced jobͲspecific training to get employers in shaping the country’s WfD agenda, and prepared for careers in higherͲlevel technical, professional, and managerial incentives for employers to support skills development. positions than secondary VET. Being more focused on specific occupational skills, postͲsecondary VET can be an attractive alternative to higher  31 education (with its strong academic and theoretical foundation) as such MoldovanAssociationoftheICTCompanies,2009. 32 programs provide education with a “clear destination” to the labor market. RelevantstandardsareavailableatthewebsiteoftheMinistryofLabor, InadditiontojobͲspecifictraining,postͲsecondary VETprogramsalsousually SocialProtectionandFamily,MinistryofEducationoftheRepublicof equip students with general skills and theoretical vocational knowledge as Moldova(LastaccessedonMarch7,2014). partofprofessionalpreparation. http://mmpsf.gov.md/md/docum_int/.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 20 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Policy Goal 2 incorporates these ideas and benchmarks cover a limited set of industries and rely heavily on the system according to the extent to which policies donor support. For instance, since 2011 the ICT sector and institutional arrangements are in place to: (i) has developed several reports to assess critical skills establish clarity on the demand for skills and areas of constraints.34Additionally, an assessment of the skills critical constraint; and (ii) engage employers in setting constraints in the food industry was commissioned by WfD priorities and in enhancing skillsͲupgrading for the European Training Foundation in 2013. Other workers. sectorshavebeenlessproactive. Moldova is rated at the Emerging (1.8) level for Policy Although employers have a role in defining WfD Goal 2. The country has taken some positive, albeit priorities, it is marginal and mostly ad hoc. Several modest, steps by occasionally conducting assessments representatives of employers and industry are part of of national economic prospects and skills implications. the Advisory Council of the Republican Center for the The formal assessment of the country's economic Development of Professional Education, but employers’ prospects (as part of the Moldova 2020 National participation in the Center's activities has been quite Development Strategy) does not include a chapter on limited. It is often heard that “partners for dialogue are the specific implications of economic trends for skills. missing.”Inthissense,itisimportantfortheMinistryof The Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family Education to continue building a strategic dialogue with conducts annual staff needs assessments, but this has a industries (including in the framework set forth by the severe limitation as it only covers the public sector, and tripartite memorandum with the Chamber of thus lacks relevance for the broader labor market. With Commerce and Ministry of Education, and through financial and technical support from many donors (in creating a permanent consultative/working group with 2013, from the Swedish Ministry of Justice and Public business representatives). Employers have been Employment Agency, as well as the European engaged in limited initiatives, such as the development Commission), the National Agency for Labor of national occupational standards. Not only the Employment (NALE) has annually compiled “The progress of this initiative has been slow Ͳ only some Professions Barometer,” which shows employment standards have been approved so far, but the trends and specifies which professions offer high institutional framework of this process is still unstable. chances of employment, which are “in balance,” and Standards must be developed by sectorͲlevel which are on the downside. In 2012, NALE’s Barometer committees, but only five committees have been was based on a representative survey of 3,326 createdsofar(seeBox2). employers covering various economic sectors. At the same time, studies often fail to take into account Incentives for companies to train their workforce are significant investments and policy decisions that have weak. The employers’ survey of the NCEM showed that implications on the skills demanded: For instance, whileover46percentofenterprisesfaceaconstraintin Moldova’s largeͲscale roads rehabilitation projects are the form of a skills shortage, the majority of companies currently facing constraints due to shortages of labor (57 percent) do not allocate resources for training. In thathave notbeenaccountedforormeasuredproperly fact, the policy regarding the taxͲdeductibility of inanystudy. trainingͲrelated expenses is highly demotivating. In order to deduct the trainingͲrelated expenses, the Although some deeper skills needs assessments have employers have to prove to the tax inspection that been recently conducted, these are done on an these are “ordinary and necessary,” which gives room occasional basis (such is the case of the 2013 for arbitrary interpretations and discretion. The Labor employers’ survey by the National Confederation of Employers of Moldova that covered key economic  sectors33). Usually, however, skillsͲneeds assessments percent compared to 40.2 percent of microenterprises), in particular those locatedinthecapital(52.2percent).  34 See O’Sullivan and others, 2012. Relevant skills reports include a set of 33 It showed that 46 percent of companies encounter difficulties on a measures proposed to redress the human resource shortage, such as annual frequentorsystematicbasiswhenhiringstaffwiththedesiredcompetencies review of university ICT curricula with employers’ participation, introduction and skills. This affects, first and foremost, agriculture, industry, of typing courses in secondary education, tax deductions for trainings, and transportation, and construction (57.4 percent); large companies (58.3 donationsofequipment.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 21 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Code(article 213)setsout,inarather implicitform, the ‘Ž‹…› ‘ƒŽ͵ǣ–”‡‰–Š‡‹‰”‹–‹…ƒŽ‘‘”†‹ƒ–‹‘ˆ‘” obligation for the employer to allocate at least 2 ’Ž‡‡–ƒ–‹‘ percentofthewagebillfortraining.Thisactionmustbe preceded by a formal commitment included in the Ensuring that the efforts of multiple stakeholders collective labor contract, which does not exist in every involved in WfD are aligned with the country’s key firm. socioeconomic priorities is an important goal of strategic coordination. Such coordination typically Box 2. SectorͲlevel committees for professional training in requires leadership at a sufficiently high level to Moldova overcome barriers to crossͲsector or crossͲministerial In 2011, the Moldovan government adopted Decision No. cooperation.PolicyGoal3examinestheextenttowhich 952 regarding the development of occupational standards policies and institutional arrangements are in place to for work trades. The Decision empowers the National formalize roles and responsibilities for coordinated Commission for Collective Negotiations and Consultations actiononstrategicpriorities. (composed of representatives of the government, trade unions,andemployers)tocreatesectorͲlevelcommitteesto The Republic of Moldova is rated at the Emerging (2.3) develop and reͲexamine existing occupational standards. level for Policy Goal 3. Legislation and agreements According to the governmentͲapproved methodology, the amongst stakeholders to promote coordination exist. development of occupational standards should begin with Regulations and bureaucratic practices allow all an occupational analysis undertaken jointly by 11 to 15 ministries and relevant agencies to comment on sector economic agents (representatives of firms, business associations, and so on). Another working group composed important WfD initiatives. A degree of coordination is of three to five members is then set up to draft the ensured by the State Chancellery and, a more strategic occupational standard according to an approved template. level, by the InterͲministerial Committee for Strategic Then a Control and Validation Commission verifies the Planning. Coordination, however, faces challenges as results of the analysis undertaken and validates the several institutions have WfDͲrelated mandates that proposed occupational standard. The Decision reads that overlap in a few areas. For instance, some postͲ occupational standards are valid for a period of two to four secondary professional education institutions are years. So far, only five sectorͲlevel committees have been founded by line ministries, but are regulated in many created (in the construction sector, agriculture and food aspectsbytheMinistryofEducation. industry, ICT, transport, domestic trade), and six occupational standards have been approved by the joint Necessary legislation and regulations are in place to order of the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labor, ensure that nonͲgovernment stakeholders can express Social Protection and Family (painter, their views regarding WfD policies. Trade unions and stonemason/bricklayer, smith/concreter, confectioner, viticulturist, and locksmithͲplumber). According to the business associations are part of various consultative strategy for development of professional education, one of bodies, such as the tripartite Commission for Collective thekeyproblemsinthisprocessisthelackofcapacityatthe Negotiations and Consultations (which includes the sector level and unwillingness of industries to invest time, government represented by the Deputy PrimeͲMinister, human, and financial resources in development of the National Confederation of the Employers, and the standards. The VET Strategy envisages creation of a total National Confederation of Trade Unions), the National numberof12sectorͲlevelcommittees. Participatory Council (which includes more than 30 leading NGOs, associations, and unions), and the Source: Resolution of the Government No. 952 of December 16, 2011: “On Consultative Group created by the Ministry of Economy the procedure for the development of occupational standards for workers”; interviewedexperts(seelistofinformantsavailableinReferencessection). (which includes academics, lawyers, independent economists,thinktanks,andothers).Allofthesebodies are authorized to initiate the discussions with the governmentonWfDͲrelatedissues. Despite numerous committees and workshops having been convened, efforts at strategic coordination face implementation issues and rarely lead to meaningful  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 22 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 progress. There are several explanations for this assessments of the economic prospects and their situation. First, employers and unions, while entitled to implications for skills demanded on the labor market. haveavocal presencein WfDpolicy dialogue(as partof Very few wellͲdesigned assessments have been done the tripartite Collective Negotiations Commission), do (like that for the ICT industry), and it is necessary for not seem to exercise this right actively. Second, some this approach to be widely embraced by all key institutions exist only on paper. This is the case, for stakeholders. Policies should be formulated on the instance, of the National Coordination Council for the basis of wellͲinformed analyses, including Secondary Professional Education, created in 2006 but assessments by independent organizations. never made functional. Third, the responsibility of Implementation of approved policies and strategies creating sectorͲlevel committees to serve as platforms (including the VET Development Strategy) should be for WfD dialogue has been assigned to the Commission routinely reviewed and updated with inputs from for Collective Negotiations and Consultations. Being relevant stakeholders to allow for necessary consultative by nature, this Commission does not adjustmentsandimprovements. possess the power of an executive body, which has x The government should design a range of incentives resulted in the enactment of only two sectorͲlevel for skills upgrading for all employers and consider committeessofar. revising the restrictive fiscal regulations, which undermine incentives to train the workforce. The first ImplicationsoftheFindings step has already been made. The amendments to the Asshownfromtheresultsexposedabove,theeffortsto Tax Code (article 19) introduced in December 2013 align WfD to the key economic and social priorities in envisage that costs incurred by the employer for Moldova are only in the emerging phase. Systematic professional education of workers will be exempted improvements are necessary across many aspects and from the taxes as defined (in a manner prescribed by elements: the government–and its implementation is yet to be seen). x A stronger and more highͲlevel leadership (for example, at the level of Prime Minister) would be   important to align WfD policies with the country’s socioͲeconomic goals, enhance the WfD national dialogue, and encourage the industry and the public authorities to commit the additional resources and time that the dialogue requires. Government and nonͲgovernment WfD champions in Moldova need to depart fromthe adͲhoc, unstructured dialogue and to exercisemoresustainedandwellͲstructuredadvocacy for WfD; this dialogue has to rely on institutionalized processes to collaborate on wellͲintegrated interventions to advance an economyͲwide WfD policy agenda. A more effective institutional setup is necessary to make the sectorͲlevel committees functional and sustainable. One option to consider would be to entitle an executive arm of the government (for instance, the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family or the Ministry of Economy) to set up these committees and support theirwork. x While the country benefited from many national and sectorͲlevel development strategies, these policy documents were rarely accompanied by robust  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 23 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 5.GoverningtheSystemforWorkforce Institutional mandates are generally properly defined. Occasional overlaps may arise from the fact that some Development postͲsecondary professional education institutions An important function of WfD authorities is to foster created by the line ministries, which authorize hiring of efficient and equitable funding of investments in the heads of all public training providers, and approve workforce development, to facilitate effective skills education and training programs of training providers acquisition by individuals and to enable employers to subordinatedtorespectivelineministries. meet their demand for skilled workers in a timely manner. The objective is to minimize systemic The Ministry of Finance also plays a distinct role within impediments to skills acquisition and mismatches in theWfDsystem,asitdevelopsspendingnorms,andisa skills supply and demand. This chapter begins with a decisive force in elaborating wage policies and capital brief description of how the WfD system is organized investments (approved by national legislation, including and governed before presenting the detailed SABERͲ the yearly state budget law for capital investments). WfD findings on System Oversight and their policy Funding for WfD reflects the wider budgetary implications. constraints(byinternationalstandards,Moldovaspends a high share of its GDP on education at 8.4 percent in Overallinstitutionallandscape 2012),35and policy traditions. Indeed, while virtually all OECD countries have embraced performanceͲoriented The WfD system in Moldova is governed by several management in education since the 1980s, Moldova institutions. The Ministry of Education plays a key role similarly to most ECA countries continues to use as it is responsible for organizing the process of formal management practices that focus on compliance with professional education, establishing partnerships with detailed regulations and financing schemes based on other authorities and private sector to ensure insertion inputs, not outputs. The system is inflexible and does of the graduates on the labor market, and participating not respond either to labor market needs or changes in in defining and distributing quotas for admissions in student numbers. 36 Due to the oversized vocational privateandpublicinstitutions. schools network in Moldova, a significant proportion of Another key agency is the Ministry of Labor, Social resources is inefficiently spent. While a typical public Protection and Family, which defines state policies in institution in this educational level has a capacity of the area of workforce development and vocational 500Ͳ600students,theactualnumberofstudentsis only orientation, and leads the national strategy for labor 300 on average per institution.37This leads to relatively employment. The National Agency for Labor high perͲstudent costs in the professional education: Employment, subordinated to this ministry, is MDL 16,800 in 2011, compared to MDL 15,000 in postͲ responsible for training and providing professional secondary education and MDL 20,100 in tertiary counseling to the unemployed. The Agency is also education. 38 The public budget is the key source of responsible for implementing trainingͲrelated Active funding for IVET, though there are several private LaborMarketPolicies(ALMPs):Itsprofessionalprogram training providers. There is a strictly defined annual for the year 2013 was implemented in partnership with budget cycle and budgetary procedures to which every 16 private and public training institutions. It is offered policy authority must abide. Allocations, other than freeofchargetoregisteredunemployedindividuals. meals and wages, are determined based on historical trends. Other line ministries also play an important role in WfD through leading and administering education and  training institutions—mainly colleges. This is the case of 35 NBS,2013. 36 the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, the See: World Bank. 2012. Skills, Not Just Diplomas: Managing Education for ResultsinEasternEuropeandCentralAsia,Washington,D.C. Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Health, which Atthesametime,since2013,primaryandsecondaryschoolsinMoldovaare have direct influence in skills development in the fundedbasedonperͲstudentfinancingformula. 37 sectorsforwhichtheyareresponsible. Government of Republic of Moldova, Decision No. 97 of February 1, 2013 on “Approval of the Strategy for Development of the Vocational and TechnicalEducationfortheperiodof2013Ͳ2020.” 38 Averageexchangeratein2011was11.74MDL/USD.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 24 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 SABERǦWfDRatingsonSystemOversight The Republic of Moldova is rated at the Latent (1.4) level on Policy Goal 4. The rating reflects systemic The SABERͲWfD framework identifies three pertinent weaknesses with respect to procedures for allocating PolicyGoals correspondingtooversight mechanisms for funding and monitoring its effect on equity, as well as influencing the choices of individuals, training providers lack of performanceͲbased funding. At the same time, and employers: (i) ensuring efficiency and equity in socialscholarships(“stipends”)areprovidedtostudents funding; (ii) assuring relevant and reliable standards; in need or disadvantaged students including the and(iii)diversifyingpathwaysforskillsacquisition. disabled.39 Based on data collected by the SABERͲWfD Initial vocational education and training (IVET): The questionnaire,Moldovareceivesanoverallratingof1.5, public budget is the main source of funding for IVET, or Latent level, for system oversight (see Figure 13). both at the secondary and postͲsecondary level, even This is the lowest rating compared to the other two thoughtrainingprovidersarealsoentitledtononͲpublic functionalpillars.Thisscoreistheaverageoftheratings sources, including tuition fees. Routine budgeting for the underlying Policy Goals: ensuring efficiency and procedures for WfD funding are in place; spending equity of funding (1.4); assuring relevant and reliable norms are approved by the government and funding standards (1.5); and diversifying pathways for skills decisions consider input of government officials only. acquisition (1.5). The explanation for these ratings and Besides spending regulations, funding decisions are theirimplicationsfollowbelow. made based on historical trends as there are no formal Figure 13. SABERͲWfD Ratings of the System criteria to allocate funds based on the number of OversightDimension students trained and it does not have any linkages to performance of vocational schools. Student support is mostly provided through scholarships, which are transferred to training providers and then paid to students. There are no other financial support mechanisms in place such as governmental grants, loans, or vouchers (for students in need, from disadvantaged or marginalized groups, including personswith disabilities). Currentlytheentiresystemof funding WfD institutions and programs is being reviewed by the Ministry of Education. Among the  Note:SeeFigure3foranexplanationofthescaleonthehorizontalaxis. measures envisaged by the VET Strategy to improve Source: Based on analysis of the data collected using the SABERͲWfD efficiency and equity in funding allocations, two are of questionnaire. key importance: a) creating a clear twoͲtier vocational  education system by 2017 (secondary and postͲ ‘Ž‹…› ‘ƒŽ Ͷǣ •—”‹‰ ˆˆ‹…‹‡…› ƒ† “—‹–› ‹ secondary with relevant reflection of its costs in the —†‹‰ perͲstudentbasedfinancingmechanism)andoptimizing the school network; and b) reforming the funding WfD requires a significant investment of resources by system, so that by 2017 all vocational/technical the government, households, and employers. To ensure institutionsarefundedbasedonenrollment,takinginto that these resources are effectively used it is important accountschoolperformanceandequityconsiderations. toexaminetheextenttowhichpoliciesandinstitutional arrangements are in place to: (i) ensure stable funding Continuing vocational education and training (CVET): for effective programs in initial, continuing, and PublicallyͲfunded CVET is limited only to professional targeted VET; (ii) monitor and assess equity in funding; development of staff from some publicly provided and (iii) foster partnerships with employers for funding services (like education, health, or general public WfD. administration sectors). No programs to foster onͲtheͲ  39 GovernmentResolutionNo.1009of01.09.2006.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 25 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 job training for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) systematic evaluation of the impact of the program’s are in place. There are some state programs financially fundingonvulnerablegroups. supporting business development, including through training of entrepreneurial skills for SME managers, but In general, the flexibility of funding for IVET and CVET is not for core employees. This is largely a result of the very limited. Salaries of staff are regulated by the absence of a clearly defined ministry or agency legislation,andcapitalinvestmentsareapprovedbythe responsible for CVET at the national level. Given this state budget law based on very strict norms and rules. situation, CVET in Moldova is sectorͲspecific and There is a lack of active measures to facilitate determined by the agenda of each ministry and their partnerships between the training providers and respective training institutions. For example, the employers and no formal arrangements to support Ministry of Education is responsible for continuous them are in place. Small partnerships are nonetheless training of teaching staff only. Individual ministries being established by individual training providers. under the leadership of the Ministry of Finance identify Governmental facilitation could and should play an current and capital investments in the subordinated important role in fostering the development of such CVETinstitutions,whichalsohavetobeapprovedinthe relationships(seeBox3). state budget. Private CVET institutions exist in some Box 3. Example of partnerships between training public and private enterprises, which do not benefit providesandemployers directly from publically funded CVET programs. No Vocational School No. 8 from Chisinau has national report on CVET is produced by any national established partnerships with a dozen companies entity. from the textile and footwear industries to provide TrainingͲrelated Active Labor Market Programs relevant training. The main goal of the agreements is (ALMPs): the professional training program of the for the school to train future employees according to National Agency for Labor Employment (NALE) is the a more relevant program in order to increase their only trainingͲrelated ALMP implemented by the chances of immediate employability in private Moldovan Government. Funding for this program companies. As part of one of these agreements, the consists mainly of budget allocations to training private company provides stipends of maximum MDL providers, determined through a formal process that 500 (US$ 39) to the students willing to work for at involves NALE; the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection least 1.5 years for the respective company. These and Family; and 16 public and private training providers partnerships and support from donors have allowed that are recruited annually through a competitive the school to buy 20 new sewing machines and 30 process. NALE produces public annual reports that industrialirons. include data on graduates’ profiles and employment. According to thereportfor2012,themainbeneficiaries Source:IliePaduret,headofVocationalSchoolNo. 8. of ALMPs include youth (73 percent), women (73.2  percent), and rural populations (54.9 percent). NALE ‘Ž‹…› ‘ƒŽ ͷǣ ••—”‹‰ ‡Ž‡˜ƒ– ƒ† ‡Ž‹ƒ„Ž‡ also works with particularly vulnerable social segments, –ƒ†ƒ”†• such as former inmates (207 former inmates registered with NALE, including eight persons graduating from The WfD system comprises a wide range of training training courses).40NALE has assessed the impact of providers offering courses at various levels in diverse ALMPs (internally; no public report is available) and has fields. An effective system of standards and used findings to adjust the programs—for example, accreditation enables students to document what they introducingamonthlystipendasanewformofsupport have learned and employers to identify workers with fortrainees.Programoptionsarelimitedandthereisno the relevant skills. For Policy Goal 5 it is therefore important to assess the status of policies and  institutionsto:(i)setreliablecompetencystandards;(ii) 40 NationalAgencyforLaborEmployment,“ActivityReportfor2012,”2013 assure the credibility of skills testing and certification; available athttp://anofm.md/files/elfinder/Docs/rapoarte/Raport%20anofm%202013. pdf.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 26 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 and(iii)developandenforceaccreditationstandardsfor standard, and validating it. As competency standards maintainingthequalityoftrainingprovision. were approved in early 2013, training providers have not yet aligned their curricula to these standards, and TheRepublic ofMoldovascoresatthe Latent (1.5)level no competencyͲbased testing is used to certify for development for this Policy Goal. Since 2010 the qualifications. Some sector experts assert that adapting country has been in the process of introducing a curricula will be much more daunting compared to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and putting in developmentoftheoccupationalstandardsthemselves. place the necessary institutional infrastructure for aligning curricula, testing procedures, and standards for Certificates issued by Moldovan secondary schools, accreditation and licensing with this framework. The qualification certificates of vocational schools, and development of curriculum for the following qualification diplomas issued by colleges are formally occupations has started: painter, stonemason/ recognized by public and private employers. To get bricklayer, smith/concreter and confectioner based on qualificationcertificates,studentsaretestedbasedona approved occupational standards. However, the score mix of both theoretical and practical exams. However, suggests that the adjustment of curricula and testing the appraisal of the certificates depends largely on the procedures could be paced in better coordination with employer. Some employers may not trust the the development of occupational standards, and that certificates, particularly when issued by schools known measures to ensure quality of training providers and for using outdated equipment and technological programscouldbeimproved. standards. In fact, many employers complain that they generally need to retrain young specialists, even when The development of the NQF and related activities are they have professional certificates. This is why, in many supported by the European Training Foundation. In cases, the graduation certificates are of little value for February 2013, a concept document for the NQF was its holder. The national VET Strategy recognizes skills developed jointly by representatives of the Ministry of testing as a key problem that will be tackled in the Education and the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection mediumterm. and Family, functional sectorͲlevel committees, teachersandschooldirectors,andindependentexperts. Relevance and quality of VET is also undermined by a The NQF will cover all occupations of secondary and more fundamental issue: the lack of Quality Assurance postͲsecondary education and a wide range of skills Agency for Vocational Education for a long time (its from semiͲskilled to professional level. According to the creation was adopted in October 201341). Although the Strategy for Development of Vocational/Technical 1997 Law on Evaluation and Accreditation of Education Education for 2013Ͳ2020, the NQF should be approved Institutions42determined that all training providers and by2020. programs were subject to accreditation procedures, it was only until 2008 that an Accreditation Agency was Competency standards for six occupations already enacted by governmental decision. Due to a lack of developed (confectioner, locksmithͲplumber, painter, education quality standards, this agency did not viticulturist, stonemason/bricklayer and smith/ function and no training provider has been formally concreter) have benefited from input from numerous accredited in the last five years. In order to address this stakeholders, particularly the Professional Capacity issue,theMinistryofEducationdraftedamendmentsto Building Institute that provided methodological support the Education Law and included provisions in the VET and guidance for the development of the standards, strategytocreateaQualityAssuranceAgency. and employers, who have contributed both to their development and validation. Development of these standards was possible due to active and direct involvement of multiple stakeholders (including training providers, industry associations, labor unions, and government agencies) as part of SectorͲlevel  Committees in place. Their participation covered three 41 Law No. 239 of October 18, 2013 on amendments to the Education Law of key activities: assessing the occupation, drafting the 1995. 42 LawNo.1257of16/07/1997.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 27 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 ‘Ž‹…› ‘ƒŽ ͸ǣ ‹˜‡”•‹ˆ›‹‰ ƒ–Š™ƒ›• ˆ‘” ‹ŽŽ• students graduated from Moldovan colleges. The same …“—‹•‹–‹‘ year, 2,121 graduates of the colleges (most likely In dynamic economic environments, workers need to including some graduating in previous years) acquire new skills and competencies as well as keep matriculated to universities (representing 10 percent of their skills up to date throughout their working lives. total admissions in 2011). Applicants whose They are best served by a system of initial and specialization at the postͲsecondary level matched with continuing education and training that promotes the university study program they want to continue lifelong learning by offering clear and flexible pathways pursuing are offered privileges and preferences when it fortransfersacrosscourses,progressiontohigherlevels comes to inclusion in the education programs. For of training and access to programs in other fields. For instance, those graduating from the Polytechnic College thosealreadyintheworkforce,schemesforrecognition are privileged by the Technical University; those of prior learning are essential to allow individuals to graduating from the FinancialͲBanking College receive efficiently upgrade their skills and learn new ones. privileges from the Academy for Economic Studies. Policy Goal 6 therefore evaluates the extent to which These privileges are determined by universities' own policies and institutions are in place to: (i) enable regulations. However, no credits are granted progression through multiple learning pathways, nationwide: the credit system is under piloting by 13 including for students in TVET streams; (ii) facilitate the Moldovan colleges to be further implemented in all recognition of prior learning; and (iii) provide targeted institutionsasofSeptember2014. supportservices,particularlyamongthedisadvantaged. Despite the varied opportunities for progression, the Asinthecaseofthetwopreviouspolicygoals,Moldova public perception of secondary professional education scores very poorly for Policy Goal 6: with only 1.5, the is negative. From the Moldovan social perspective, country ranks at a Latent level. While pathways and trade schools and professional schools are seen as recognition of prior learning are stated priorities of the optionsforthe“failingones.”TheVETStrategyhasseta government, the current system has not effectively priority to address this perception. Pathways are also addressed obstacles to lifelong learning such as restricted by the limited attention given to adult articulation of certifications, recognition of informally learning and recognition of prior learning. The Concept acquiredskills,andaccesstocareerguidanceservices. for Validation of NonͲFormal and Informal Learning was approvedbytheCollegiumoftheMinistryofEducation. From the perspective of learning pathways, Moldova The draft methodology for recognition and certification offers a somewhat varied set of opportunities for of nonͲformal and informal learning is under students in vocationally oriented programs (see Figure development. Career development services are 11). Graduates of vocational schools with qualification underdeveloped and concentrated mainly under some certificates can enroll in colleges or in 12th grade of ministries that target staff employed in the public lyceum (which then allows them to pursue further sector. Most of these services are standͲalone units, studies in universities). Pathways seem to be more rather than part of a regional or national network. restricted to those graduating from secondaryͲlevel There is no coherent governmentͲlevel policy for trade schools, which do not have the opportunity to occupational and career development. Policies are enrollincollegesbutonlycanexittothelabormarket. defined and reviewed at the sector level, by individual ministries, often based on obsolete standards and Students can acquire formal qualifications recognized opaquerules.  by the Ministry of Education in any of the training institutions managed by other line ministries (see some examples in Box 4). Currently, there are eight colleges under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, five colleges under the Ministry of Culture, and five colleges under the Ministry of Health. Diplomas from postͲsecondary programs give rights to progress to most university programs. In 2011, as many as 7,166  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 28 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Box 4. Examples of qualifications awarded by nonͲ of the review should be published and used to inform EducationministriesrecognizedbyMinistryofEducation programadjustmentsandfunding. x Nurse. Qualification is offered by colleges subordinated to Ministry of Health and recognized, for instance, by x Government could provide more institutional and MoldovanStateUniversity,DepartmentofBiology. financial support to ensure that all key stakeholders x Bookkeeper and accountant. This qualification is offered engage in policy dialogue on occupational standards by several colleges subordinated to Ministry of and the NQF through institutionalized processes. This Agriculture, and recognized, for example, by relevant aspect is critical, considering that so far competency departments of the Academy of Economic Studies and State University of Moldova, both subordinated to the standards have been developed for six occupations MinistryofEducation. only. x Food industry technologist. This qualification is offered by a college subordinated to Ministry of Agriculture, and x A more astute system of controls and random audits recognized, for example, by Technical University of is necessary in order to foster public confidence in Moldova,FoodTechnologyDepartment. qualification certificates/qualification diplomas issued x Fine Arts Teacher. This is a qualification offered by by the vocational training providers. Of immediate colleges subordinated to Ministry of Culture and priority is enactment of an accreditation entity to recognized for admission to the Moldovan Pedagogical define accreditation standards and supervise training University. providers. x Technician. This qualification is offered by several colleges subordinated to Ministry of Agriculture, and is x Limited attention to prior learning has led to recognized by Technical University of Moldova, Food suboptimal social and economic outcomes, TechnologyDepartment. particularly considering the high number of labor  migrants returning to Moldova with skills and Source: Expert interviews (see list of informants available in References section). knowledge acquired informally that are not being  recognized or valued. The Concept for NonͲFormal and Informal Education established in 2012 needs to ImplicationsoftheFindings be further developed and transformed into a proper strategythatallowsrecognitionofpriorlearning. Moldova’s scores for System Oversight are the weakest among the three dimensions. Systemic failures x The general negative perception of VET should be negatively affecting the oversight of the WfD system tackled throughasetof coherentgovernmentactions shouldbeaddressedwithmeaningfulinterventions: on multiple fronts. Measures should include further diversifying learning pathways, improving program x It is important to shift from the “mechanical” quality and relevance, and continuing disseminating approach of approving the budget for WfD based on good results from wellͲperforming schools into the historical spending to a system in which funding is media. attached to enrollment, performance, and effectiveness of training programs. In this regard, CVET brings the biggest challenges, as training provision is currently fragmented among different ministries and authorities. Funding allocated for CVET (includingonͲtheͲjobtrainingforSMEs)shouldrelyon formal processes with input from key stakeholders and timely annual reporting. A program stimulating onͲtheͲjob training for SMEs should be adopted in addition to the existing programs of this nature targeted to selected public sector employees. As to the trainingͲrelated ALMPs implemented by the National Agency for Labor Employment, they should also be consistently reviewed for impact, and results  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 29 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 colleges. 44 The quality of infrastructure in colleges 6.ManagingServiceDeliveryforResultson seemstobebettercomparedtovocationalschools,and theGround the professional background of instructors is more advanced.Qualitymanagementstructuresareexpected Training providers, both nonͲstate and government, are tobeestablishedincollegesasofSeptember1,2014. the main channels through which the country’s policies in WfD are translated into results on the ground. This For the CVET education, there are no integrated chapter therefore provides a brief overview of the statistical data. The network of institutions providing composition of providers and the types of services CVET is composed of several public institutions available in the system before presenting the detailed subordinated to ministries or other central authorities, SABERͲWfD findings on Service Delivery and their policy such as the Institute for Educational Science, the Public implications. Health Management School, or the Public Administration Academy. They attract most of the OverviewoftheDeliveryofTraining public funding. CVET is also provided by a vast array of Services small private training providers—200 entities is The IVET system is composed, at its secondary level, of probably a conservative estimate—that offer adult 67 vocational schools (21 trade schools and 46 trainingservices.45 professional schools), down from 75 units in the year The Professional Training Program, implemented by 2008/2009. The number of students went from 24,300 NALE, is the only existing trainingͲrelated ALMP in in the academic year 2008/09 down to 19,600 in Moldova. In 2012, this program was implemented in 2012/13,withthenumberofpedagogicalstaffdeclining partnership with 16 public and private training from 2,344 (10.4 students per teacher) to 2,171 providers and, according to NALE’s annual report, teachers (nine students per teacher) over the same produced 2,485 graduates—up 11 percent compared to period. According to the VET Strategy, because of the 2011. About 73 percent of the program’s beneficiaries declining number of students, existing infrastructure is were women, 75 percent youth (aged between 16Ͳ and used only at 50 percent of its capacity. The 29ͲyearsͲold),andmorethanhalfresidedinruralareas. infrastructure is in many cases dilapidated and most of The courses with highest enrollments were cooking the schools are using outdated teaching equipment and (21.2 percent), hairdressing (19.4 percent), and technologies. As stated in the VET Strategy, most of the computer operator (7.4 percent). According to the teaching staff has never had any experience in real interviewed representative of NALE, about 70 percent production or industry and has not participated in any of the graduates of the professional training program professional development activities in the last 10 years. findemployment. The average age of instructors is 52 years, which represents a serious concern when it comes to SABERǦWfDRatingsonServiceDelivery continuityoftraininginthelongterm. The Policy Goals for this Dimension in the SABERͲWfD At the postͲsecondary level, there are 45 training framework focus on the following three aspects of providers (colleges), including four private entities.43As service delivery: (i) enabling diversity and excellence in in the case of vocational schools, the number of college training provision; (ii) fostering relevance in public students has been on a decline recently, from 32,700 in training programs; and (iii) enhancing evidenceͲbased 2008/09 to 30,700 in 2012/13, while the number of accountability for results. The ratings for these three teaching staff followed an opposite trend, going from Policy Goals are presented below and are followed by a 2,438 to 2,551 over the same period, bringing the reflectionontheirimplicationsforpolicydialogue. studentͲteacher ratio down from 13.4 to 12. At the same time, since 2012 admission to pedagogic specialties had been suspended in three pedagogic  44 Pedagogic College “A. Mateevici” in Chisinau, Pedagogic College “I.  Creanga”inBaltiandIndustrialͲPedagogicCollegeinCahul. 43 45 NationalBureauofStatisticsdataasof01.10.2013. Again,noreliabledataisavailable.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 30 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Based on data collected by the SABERͲWfD providers are registered, the licensing policy is questionnaire, the Republic of Moldova receives an inconsistent: in the recent 5 years no new licenses have overall rating of 1.9, which places the country at an been issued for training providers at the IVET level as Emerging level for the Service Delivery Dimension (see there is no institution mandated to issue the licenses, Figure 14). This score is the average of the ratings for and licensing for training providers at  the CVET level the underlying Policy Goals: (i) enabling diversity and was abolished). Some administrative and economic excellence in training provision (2.4); (ii) fostering measures are in place for quality assurance: for relevance in public training programs (1.7); and (iii) instance, all providers of training are required to enhancing evidenceͲbased accountability for results present an annual report to the Ministry of Education, (1.7). The explanation for these ratings and their and there are minimum capital requirements of MDL implicationsfollowbelow. 500,000 for secondary training providers and MDL 1 million for postͲsecondary training providers. With Figure 14. SABERͲWfD Ratings of the Service Delivery regard to public training provision, the government Dimension grants considerable autonomy to institutions, but neither requires them to meet explicit outcome targets, nor provides financial or nonͲfinancial incentives for performance. On the positive side, Moldova is home to a relatively wide diversity of training providers, both public and private. Most private providers offer adult training services and can issue government recognized Note:SeeFigure3foranexplanationofthescaleonthehorizontalaxis. Source: Based on analysis of the data collected using the SABERͲWfD certificates.RelativelyfewoperateattheIVETlevel:Out questionnaire. of 47 colleges, six are private, and out of 67 vocational schools, two are private. At the CVET level, private ‘Ž‹…› ‘ƒŽ ͹ǣ ƒ„Ž‹‰ ‹˜‡”•‹–› ƒ† š…‡ŽŽ‡…‡ ‹ providers are more prominent, and a few of them also ”ƒ‹‹‰”‘˜‹•‹‘ collaborateactivelywithNALEtoprovidetrainingwithin Because the demand for skills is impossible to predict theagency’sALMP(fouroutofthe16trainingproviders with precision, having a diversity of providers is a implementing the NALE training program in 2013 were feature of strong WfD systems. Among nonͲstate private). There are also several foreign companies providers the challenge is to temper the profit motive offering training, particularly in foreign languages. or other program agendas with appropriate regulation Public schools are entitled to generate and withhold to assure quality and relevance. Among state providers, income, including from teaching and nonͲteaching akeyconcernistheirresponsivenesstothedemandfor activities, even though a formal approval from the skills from employers and students. Striking the right Ministry of Education (or line ministry) is necessary. balance between institutional autonomy and These revenues may come from the provision of accountability is one approach to address this concern. continuous training services, sale of articles produced Policy Goal 7 takes these ideas into account and by students, lease of facilities and equipment, benchmarks the system according to the extent to donationsandgrantsofdonorsandcompanies. which policies and institutional arrangements are in place to: (i) encourage and regulate nonͲstate provision There are also some less positive facts dragging down of training and (ii) foster excellence in public training Moldova’s efforts to foster diversity and excellence of provision by combining incentives and autonomy in the training services. No system or performance indicators managementofpublicinstitutions. are in place to properly evaluate the quality of training offered.EventhoughsomeVETinstitutionsdeclare that Moldova is rated at an Emerging (2.4) level for Policy someperformanceindicatorsexist,thereisnoevidence Goal7.AdiversityofnonͲstateprovidersisactiveinthe that these indicators are collected systematically or training market despite few government incentives to used to assess performance. The only indicator that encourage nonͲstate provision. While most of these seems to be collected is related to student enrollment.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 31 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Although institutions face consequences/closure due to maintenance and repair of radios and televisions” and poor performance (two trade schools and three “autoͲgrederoperator.” professional schools were reorganized in 2010, and three vocational schools were reorganized in 2012), ‘Ž‹…› ‘ƒŽͺǣ ‘•–‡”‹‰‡Ž‡˜ƒ…‡‹—„Ž‹…”ƒ‹‹‰ there are no effective mechanisms to reward highͲ ”‘‰”ƒ• performing institutions except for good “word of Public training institutions need reliable information on mouth”reviewsbystudentsandteachers. current and emerging skills demands in order to keep their program offerings relevant to labor market There are no proper bodies to supervise the executive conditions. It is therefore desirable for public training management of schools: Existing Administrative institutions to establish and maintain relationships with Councils and Teachers Councils are bodies for collegial employers, industry associations, and research decisions regarding operational activity rather than for institutions. Such partners are a source of both management supervision; they include only information about skills competencies and expertise representatives of teaching, nonͲteaching, and and advice on curriculum design and technical administrative staff, but are not open for employers, specificationsfortrainingfacilitiesandequipment.They representatives of trade unions, local government, etc. can also help create opportunities for workplace There are no mechanisms to address complaints training for students and continuing professional regarding school management, and in the best cases development for instructors and administrators. Policy they are only formal, and not generally used, or they Goal 8 considers the extent to which arrangements are are ad hoc. Independent associations of training in place for public training providers to: (i) benefit from providers do not exist; some existing associations are industryand expertinputinthe design ofprogramsand informally subordinated to the Ministry of Education (ii) recruit administrators and instructors with relevant andincludeonlypublictrainingproviders.46 qualifications and support their professional The process for approving and closing programs is ad development. hoc and the rationale behind these decisions is not Moldova is evaluated on the high end of the Latent always clear. Market demand and availability of funding (1.7) level of development for Policy Goal 8. Informal should be the two important factors considered when and sporadic links exist between public training introducing newprograms.Goodexamplesinthissense institutions and industry, with limited involvement of exist.The“ExerciseFirm”isanexampleofanewcourse industry in curriculum design and the specification of that has been introduced to increase the relevance of standardsfortrainingfacilities. the training offered by VET schools. Exercise firms are establishedinfourvocationalschoolsand14colleges.A Agricultural colleges seem to be more exposed to hub coordinating activity of exercise firms created by industries than others, due to the fact that they often Moldovan trade and professional schools has been combineeconomicactivitywithteaching.Inmostcases, establishedandisfunctioningactively.Itisimportantto formal links are limited only to the provision of note that introduction of the course was partly possible internship opportunities by companies. Participating in due to financial support provided by the Austrian an internship is compulsory for all trainees; offering an DevelopmentAgencyaspartoftheEcoNetproject. internship opportunity is compulsory for public, but not private enterprises. The effectiveness of this practice Programs should be closed or adjusted when a labor has been questioned by trainees, employers, and market analysis shows there is little demand or that the training institutions, who do not seem to be satisfied program has become irrelevant due to technological with the quality and outcomes of internships. In changes. For instance, two programs have been closed secondary vocational schools, the chairman of the recently due to declining demand – “radioͲmechanic commission for qualification examination is the  representative of an economic agent specialized in the 46 For example, there is a Council of College Directors and a Council of field (according to the regulation on organization and VocationalandTradeSchoolsDirectors(whichalsohavesubstructuresinthe North, Center, and South regions). There is no distinct association of the implementation of qualification examinations). Some privatetrainingproviders. VET schools have developed stronger links with  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 32 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 industries independently or with donor support, but update and confirm their teaching degrees. Some these are exceptions rather than systematic practices donorͲsupported initiatives also aim at providing (see Box 3). Only a few schools interact closely with instructors with practical training and professional potential employers to assess labor market needs. development opportunities (see Box 5). However, Some schools also benefit from equipment donations, motivations for staff to upgrade their technological and which is a rare accomplishment given that fiscal teachingskillsareratherweak,becausethewagepolicy regulationsdonotencouragesuchcollaboration. isveryrigidanddoesnotofferenoughcompensationto those investing in their training. No surprise, less than Industries’ role in designing the program curricula is 10percentofinstructorsattendedthesetrainings. very limited. The members of the working group, which develop the study programs, can include industry Box 5. Training opportunities for instructors and heads in representatives, representatives of employers’ publicandprivatefield associations, sectorͲlevel committees, and  representatives of higher education institutions. Training opportunities are provided by the Educational SciencesInstitute,aresearchinstitutionsubordinatedtothe However, there is yet no widely spread practice to Ministry of Education and the National Academy of Science. consult industry experts while designing curricula. It offers trainings to the educational staff at all levels of Technical specifications, norms, and standards are education and, in the case of secondary education, training establishedbylineministries(MinistryofConstructions, mainlytargetsmanagementandpedagogicalskills. Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture and Food  Industry), and then used by training institutions. Many Training and professional development for school managers of these standards have not been revised since Soviet is part of many projects implemented with support from times. Facilities in many cases are outdated and not international donors. Such is the case of the CONSEPT leadingtoprovisionofrelevantskills. project, supported financially by the Liechtenstein Development Service. CONSEPT’s mission is to support the The design of curricula in some postͲsecondary schools VET schools in implementing high quality training according benefits from inputs from universities. For instance, the tothedemandsoftheproductivesector.CONSEPTpartners content of curricula developed by the FinancialͲBanking are those VET schools that perceive the future changes as College of Moldova is endorsed by the Academy of an opportunity and are ready to face the challenges. Readiness to offer inͲservice training and shortͲterm preͲ Economic Studies, where many of the college graduates service training, offer of trades in high demand and continuetheireducation. commitment of staff towards modernization are the three most important criteria for VET providers to be eligible for The low score on this Goal also reflects the fact that CONSEPT. Seminars, workshops and conferences are often there are legally defined criteria for recruiting school organized by some nonͲgovernmental entities, including managers, 47 but there are no explicitly defined and Educational Science Institute, ProͲDidactica, Professional enforceable criteria for recruiting instructors and Capacities Building Institute and others. Seldom, industry teachers. Given that previous industry experience is not exposuresarepossibleaspartofvisitsabroadsponsoredby a criterion for the recruitment of instructors and internationaldonors. administrators of public training institutions, most  school heads and instructors often lack any experience Source: Information about the CONSEPT project is available at http://led.md/wpͲ with the real sector. Furthermore, despite formal content/uploads/2010/12/1.1_CONSEPT_PB_EN_04.20114.pdf Last provisions, instructors often face practical difficulties in accessedonMarch7,2014. accessing opportunities for professional development   and opportunities for practical (technological) training are very limited. Existing training schemes in the public sectoronlyoffersupportforupdatingpedagogicalskills; indeed, training is compulsory for those willing to  47 There are plans to improve the legally defined criteria for recruiting school managers further, in particular in terms of having industry experience, accordingtoinformationfromtheMinistryofEducation.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 33 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 ‘Ž‹…› ‘ƒŽ ͻǣ Šƒ…‹‰ ˜‹†‡…‡Ǧƒ•‡† monitor and improve system performance, except for ……‘—–ƒ„‹Ž‹–›ˆ‘”‡•—Ž–• the case of developing the new VET strategy where an Systematic monitoring and evaluation of service analysis of systemͲlevel trends and issues was gathered delivery are important for both quality assurance and fromexisting,althoughsporadic,impactevaluations.No system improvement. Accomplishing this function VETͲdedicated surveys have been conducted by the requires gathering and analyzing data from a variety of MinistryofEducationoranyotherauthority.Also,there sources. The reporting of institutionͲlevel data enables isnosystematicimpactevaluationofprograms. the relevant authorities to ensure that providers are deliveringonexpectedoutcomes.Suchdataalsoenable ImplicationsoftheFindings these authorities to identify gaps or challenges in For all three policy goals of the SABERͲWfD third training provision or areas of good practice. Dimension, there is a wide gap between Moldovan Additionally, periodic surveys and evaluations of major realities and international best practices. While programs generate complementary information that Moldova has some positive achievements, a lot more can help enhance the relevance and efficiency of the needstobedone,asexplainedbelow: system as a whole. Policy Goal 9 considers these ideas when assessing the system’s arrangements for x It is important to enhance evidenceͲbased collecting and using data to focus attention on training accountability for results in WfD. The government outcomes,efficiencyandinnovationinservicedelivery. may consider adopting the practice of routinely sponsoring skillsͲrelated surveys and impact MoldovascoresonthehighendoftheLatent(1.7)level evaluations of existing programs. The key indicator of for Policy Goal 9. All training providers, state and nonͲ interest for the public is that of graduates’ labor state, are required to collect and report administrative marketoutcomes(forallmodesofdeliveryoftraining statistics. Reports are rather formulaic, as they only services—IVET,CVET,and trainingͲrelatedALMPs).It include descriptive text and statistics and some basic would also be advisable to systematically participate data related to quantity of inputs and outputs, rather in international assessments, such as OECD’s Program than on quality of the process and educational for International Assessment of Adult Competencies outcomes. Key data collected include enrollment and (PIAAC), measuring cognitive and technical skills of graduation, staffing, financial and budgetary the working age population (aged 15Ͳ64) and relating information. Data are supplied to the Ministry of them to labor market performance, as well as Education, line ministries (in case of colleges developingnationallearningassessments. subordinated to line ministries), and the National  Bureau of Statistics. Aggregate data are regularly x Proper mechanisms are necessary to ensure the published by the National Bureau of Statistics and are systematic quality assurance. Those should include occasionally used to assess institutional performance as capacity building of the Quality Assurance Agency in well as to analyze systemͲlevel trends and issues. VET, and schoolͲlevel solutions, such as creation of Sources of data on labor market outcomes are limited proper supervisory bodies to hold service providers to a few adͲhoc skillsͲrelated surveys or evaluations of accountable for school and student outcomes. While specific targeted programs. Public access to data is most of the schools develop reports for limited. Job placement data is only collected administrative purposes, it would be reasonable to occasionally by some VET schools, but reliability of data ensure publication of these reports for easier access is questionable. No surveys of graduates’ labor market anduseofschoolinformationbythewiderpublic. outcomes have been ever undertaken by any VET  schoolinMoldova. x Inordertoincreasetherelevanceofpublictraining,it isimportant toenhanceformallinksbetween training Indeed, it is important to conduct regular tracer studies institutions, industry, and research institutions. These ofgraduates todeterminetheiremploymentoutcomes, links should go beyond offering internship and then use this data to inform education policy. At opportunities to students. The market relevance of the same time, the government rarely uses data to publictrainingprogramsdependsonproviders’access  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 34 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 to reliable sources of upͲtoͲdate information on current and emerging skills demands (for which employers and industry associations are a key source of information). Instructors and students need relevant exposure and preferably actual work experience, as well as access to facilities, equipment, and instructional materials, making it important to pursue a variety of arrangements to adjust training to industryneedsasmuchaspossible.   SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 35 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Annex1:Acronyms ALMP ActiveLaborMarketPolicies; CIS CommonwealthoftheIndependentStates; CVET Continuingvocationaleducationandtraining; DCI Datacollectioninstrument; ECA EuropeandCentralAsia EU EuropeanUnion; GDP Grossdomesticproduct; IVET Initialvocationaleducationandtraining; MDL Moldovanleu,nationalcurrencyinRepublicofMoldova; NALE NationalAgencyforLaborEmploymentofRepublicofMoldova; NBS NationalBureauofStatisticsofRepublicofMoldova; NQF NationalQualificationsFramework; SABER SystemsApproachforBetterEducationResults SME SmallͲandmediumͲscaleenterprise TVETtechnicalandvocationaleducationandtraining USD UnitedStatesofAmericadollar; VET vocationaleducationandtraining; WfD workforcedevelopment;    SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 36 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Annex2:TheSABERͲWfDAnalyticalFramework   PolicyGoal PolicyAction Topic Settinga G1_T1 AdvocacyforWfDtoSupportEconomicDevelopment Provide sustained advocacy for WfD at the top G1 Strategic leadershiplevel G1_T2 StrategicFocusandDecisionsbytheWfDChampions StrategicFramework Direction Overall Assessment of Economic Prospects and Skills Establish clarity on the demand for skills and G2_T1 Dimension1 Implications areasofcriticalconstraint Fosteringa G2_T2 CriticalSkillsConstraintsinPriorityEconomicSectors G2 DemandͲLed G2_T3 RoleofEmployersandIndustry Approach EngageemployersinsettingWfDprioritiesandin G2_T4 SkillsͲUpgradingIncentivesforEmployers enhancingskillsͲupgradingforworkers G2_T5 MonitoringoftheIncentivePrograms Strengthening G3_T1 RolesofGovernmentMinistriesandAgencies Formalize key WfD roles for coordinated action G3 Critical G3_T2 RolesofNonͲGovernmentWfDStakeholders onstrategicpriorities Coordination G3_T3 CoordinationfortheImplementationofStrategicWfDMeasures G4_T1 OverviewofFundingforWfD Recurrent Funding for Initial Vocational Education and Training G4_T2 Provide stable funding for effective programs in (IVET) initial, continuing and targeted vocational Recurrent Funding for Continuing Vocational Education and Ensuring G4_T3 educationandtraining TrainingPrograms(CVET) Efficiencyand G4 RecurrentFundingforTrainingͲrelatedActiveLaborMarket Equityin G4_T4 Programs(ALMPs) Funding Monitor and enhance equity in funding for G4_T5 EquityinFundingforTrainingPrograms training Facilitate sustained partnerships between G4_T6 PartnershipsbetweenTrainingProvidersandEmployers traininginstitutionsandemployers SystemOversight Broadenthescopeofcompetencystandardsasa G5_T1 CompetencyStandardsandNationalQualificationsFrameworks Dimension2 basisfordevelopingqualificationsframeworks G5_T2 CompetencyStandardsforMajorOccupations G5_T3 OccupationalSkillsTesting Assuring Establish protocols for assuring the credibility of G5_T4 SkillsTestingandCertification Relevantand skillstestingandcertification G5 G5_T5 SkillsTestingforMajorOccupations Reliable G5_T6 GovernmentOversightofAccreditation Standards G5_T7 EstablishmentofAccreditationStandards Develop and enforce accreditation standards for Accreditation Requirements and Enforcement of Accreditation maintainingthequalityoftrainingprovision G5_T8 Standards G5_T9 IncentivesandSupportforAccreditation Promote educational progression and G6_T1 LearningPathways permeability through multiple pathways, G6_T2 PublicPerceptionofPathwaysforTVET includingforTVETstudents Diversifying Facilitate lifeͲlong learning through articulation G6_T3 ArticulationofSkillsCertification G6 Pathwaysfor of skills certification and recognition of prior SkillsAcquisition G6_T4 RecognitionofPriorLearning learning Provide support services for skills acquisition by G6_T5 SupportforFurtherOccupationalandCareerDevelopment workers,jobͲseekersandthedisadvantaged G6_T6 TrainingͲrelatedProvisionofServicesfortheDisadvantaged    SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 37 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013   PolicyGoal PolicyAction Topic G7_T1 ScopeandFormalityofNonͲStateTrainingProvision Enabling Encourage and regulate nonͲstate provision of G7_T2 IncentivesforNonͲStateProviders Diversityand training G7_T3 QualityAssuranceofNonͲStateTrainingProvision G7 Excellencein G7_T4 ReviewofPoliciestowardsNonͲStateTrainingProvision Training G7_T5 TargetsandIncentivesforPublicTrainingInstitutions Provision Combine incentives and autonomy in the G7_T6 AutonomyandAccountabilityofPublicTrainingInstitutions ServiceDelivery managementofpublictraininginstitutions Dimension3 G7_T7 IntroductionandClosureofPublicTrainingPrograms G8_T1 LinksbetweenTrainingInstitutionsandIndustry Integrate industry and expert input into the G8_T2 IndustryRoleintheDesignofProgramCurricula Fostering designanddeliveryofpublictrainingprograms G8_T3 IndustryRoleintheSpecificationofFacilityStandards Relevancein G8_T4 LinksbetweenTrainingandResearchInstitutions G8 PublicTraining Recruitment and InͲService Training of Heads of Public Training Recruit and support administrators and G8_T5 Programs Institutions instructors for enhancing the marketͲrelevance Recruitment and InͲService Training of Instructors of Public ofpublictrainingprograms G8_T6 TrainingInstitutions Enhancing G9_T1 AdministrativeDatafromTrainingProviders Expand the availability and use of policyͲrelevant EvidenceͲbased G9_T2 SurveyandOtherData G9 data for focusing providers' attention on training Accountability Use of Data to Monitor and Improve Program and System outcomes,efficiencyandinnovation G9_T3 forResults Performance  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 38 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Annex3:RubricsforScoringtheSABERͲWfDData Functional Dimension 1: Strategic Framework Policy Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Visible champions for WfD are Some visible champions provide ad- Government leaders exercise Both government and non- either absent or take no specific hoc advocacy for WfD and have sustained advocacy for WfD with government leaders exercise action to advance strategic WfD acted on few interventions to occasional, ad-hoc participation sustained advocacy for WfD, and priorities. advance strategic WfD priorities; no from non-government leaders; their rely on routine, institutionalized arrangements exist to monitor and advocacy focuses on selected processes to collaborate on well- review implementation progress. industries or economic sectors and integrated interventions to advance manifests itself through a range of a strategic, economy-wide WfD for WfD specific interventions; policy agenda; implementation implementation progress is progress is monitored and reviewed monitored, albeit through ad-hoc through routine, institutionalized reviews. processes. G1: Setting a Strategic Direction     SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 39 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013  Functional Dimension 1: Strategic Framework Policy Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced There is no assessment of the Some ad-hoc assessments exist on Routine assessments based on A rich array of routine and robust country's economic prospects and the country's economic prospects multiple data sources exist on the assessments by multiple their implications for skills; industry and their implications for skills; country's economic prospects and stakeholders exists on the country's and employers have a limited or no some measures are taken to address their implications for skills; a wide economic prospects and their role in defining strategic WfD critical skills constraints (e.g., range of measures with broad implications for skills; the priorities and receive limited support incentives for skills upgrading by coverage are taken to address critical information provides a basis for a from the government for skills employers); the government makes skills constraints; the government wide range of measures with broad upgrading. limited efforts to engage employers recognizes employers as strategic coverage that address critical skills as strategic partners in WfD. partners in WfD, formalizes their constraints; the government role, and provides support for skills recognizes employers as strategic upgrading through incentive partners in WfD, formalizes their schemes that are reviewed and role, and provides support for skills Approach to WfD adjusted. upgrading through incentives, including some form of a levy-grant G2: Fostering a Demand-Led scheme, that are systematically reviewed for impact and adjusted accordingly.    SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 40 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013  Functional Dimension 1: Strategic Framework Policy Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Industry/employers have a limited Industry/employers help define WfD Industry/employers help define WfD Industry/employers help define WfD or no role in defining strategic priorities on an ad-hoc basis and priorities on a routine basis and priorities on a routine basis and WfD priorities; the government make limited contributions to make some contributions in selected make significant contributions in either provides no incentives to address skills implications of major areas to address the skills multiple areas to address the skills encourage skills upgrading by policy/investment decisions; the implications of major implications of major employers or conducts no reviews government provides some incentives policy/investment decisions; the policy/investment decisions; the of such incentive programs. for skills upgrading for formal and government provides a range of government provides a range of informal sector employers; if a levy- incentives for skills upgrading for all incentives for skills upgrading for all grant scheme exists its coverage is employers; a levy-grant scheme with employers; a levy-grant scheme with limited; incentive programs are not broad coverage of formal sector comprehensive coverage of formal systematically reviewed for impact. employers exists; incentive programs sector employers exists; incentive are systematically reviewed and programs to encourage skills Implementation adjusted; an annual report on the upgrading are systematically levy-grant scheme is published with reviewed for impact on skills and a time lag. productivity and are adjusted accordingly; an annual report on the levy-grant scheme is published in a timely fashion. G3: Strengthening Critical Coordination for   SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 41 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Functional Dimension 2: System Oversight Policy Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced The government funds IVET, CVET The government funds IVET, CVET The government funds IVET, CVET The government funds IVET, CVET and ALMPs (but not OJT in SMEs) (including OJT in SMEs) and ALMPs; (including OJT in SMEs) and ALMPs; (including OJT in SMEs) and ALMPs; based on ad-hoc budgeting processes, funding for IVET and CVET follows funding for IVET is routine and based funding for IVET is routine and based but takes no action to facilitate formal routine budgeting processes involving on multiple criteria, including on comprehensive criteria, including partnerships between training only government officials with evidence of program effectiveness; evidence of program effectiveness, that providers and employers; the impact of allocations determined largely by the recurrent funding for CVET relies on are routinely reviewed and adjusted; funding on the beneficiaries of training previous year's budget; funding for formal processes with input from key recurrent funding for CVET relies on programs has not been recently ALMPs is decided by government stakeholders and annual reporting with formal processes with input from key reviewed. officials on an ad-hoc basis and targets a lag; funding for ALMPs is stakeholders and timely annual select population groups through determined through a systematic reporting; funding for ALMPs is various channels; the government process with input from key determined through a systematic takes some action to facilitate formal stakeholders; ALMPs target diverse process with input from key partnerships between individual population groups through various stakeholders; ALMPs target diverse training providers and employers; channels and are reviewed for impact population groups through various recent reviews considered the impact but follow-up is limited; the channels and are reviewed for impact of funding on only training-related government takes action to facilitate and adjusted accordingly; the indicators (e.g. enrollment, formal partnerships between training government takes action to facilitate completion), which stimulated providers and employers at multiple formal partnerships between training dialogue among some WfD levels (institutional and systemic); providers and employers at all levels stakeholders. recent reviews considered the impact (institutional and systemic); recent of funding on both training-related reviews considered the impact of indicators and labor market outcomes; funding on a full range of training- the reviews stimulated dialogue among related indicators and labor market G4: Ensuring Efficiency and Equity in Funding WfD stakeholders and some outcomes; the reviews stimulated recommendations were implemented. broad-based dialogue among WfD stakeholders and key recommendations were implemented.    SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 42 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Functional Dimension 2: System Oversight Policy Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Policy dialogue on A few stakeholders engage in ad- Numerous stakeholders engage in policy All key stakeholders engage in policy competency standards and/or hoc policy dialogue on dialogue on competency standards and/or dialogue on competency standards and/or the NQF occurs on an ad-hoc competency standards and/or the the NQF through institutionalized the NQF through institutionalized basis with limited engagement NQF; competency standards exist processes; competency standards exist processes; competency standards exist for of key stakeholders; for a few occupations and are for most occupations and are used by most occupations and are used by training competency standards have used by some training providers some training providers in their providers in their programs; the NQF, if in not been defined; skills in their programs; skills testing is programs; the NQF, if in place, covers place, covers most occupations and a wide testing for major occupations competency-based for a few some occupations and a range of skill range of skill levels; skills testing for is mainly theory-based and occupations but for the most part levels; skills testing for most occupations most occupations follows standard certificates awarded are is mainly theory-based; follows standard procedures, is procedures, is competency-based and recognized by public sector certificates are recognized by competency-based and assesses both assesses both theoretical knowledge and employers only and have public and some private sector theoretical knowledge and practical practical skills; robust protocols, little impact on employment employers but have little impact skills; certificates are recognized by both including random audits, ensure the and earnings; no system is in on employment and earnings; the public and private sector employers credibility of certification; certificates are place to establish accreditation accreditation of training providers and may impact employment and valued by most employers and standards. is supervised by a dedicated earnings; the accreditation of training consistently improve employment office in the relevant ministry; providers is supervised by a dedicated prospects and earnings; the accreditation private providers are required to agency in the relevant ministry; the of training providers is supervised by a be accredited, however agency is responsible for defining dedicated agency in the relevant ministry; accreditation standards are not accreditation standards with stakeholder the agency is responsible for defining consistently publicized or input; standards are reviewed on an ad- accreditation standards in consultation enforced; providers are offered hoc basis and are publicized or enforced with stakeholders; standards are reviewed G5: Assuring Relevant and Reliable Standards some incentives to seek and retain to some extent; all providers receiving following established protocols and are accreditation. public funding must be accredited; publicized and routinely enforced; all providers are offered incentives and training providers are required as well as limited support to seek and retain offered incentives and support to seek accreditation. and retain accreditation.    SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 43 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Functional Dimension 2: System Oversight Policy Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Students in technical and vocational Students in technical and vocational Students in technical and vocational Students in technical and vocational education education have few or no options education can only progress to education can progress to vocationally- can progress to academically or for further formal skills acquisition vocationally-oriented, non- oriented programs, including at the vocationally-oriented programs, including beyond the secondary level and the university programs; the university level; the government takes at the university level; the government takes government takes no action to government takes limited action to some action to improve public perception coherent action on multiple fronts to improve public perception of improve public perception of TVET of TVET (e.g. diversifying learning improve public perception of TVET (e.g. pathways and improving program quality) diversifying learning pathways and improving TVET; certificates for technical and (e.g. diversifying learning pathways); and reviews the impact of such efforts on program quality and relevance, with the vocational programs are not some certificates for technical and an ad-hoc basis; most certificates for support of a media campaign) and routinely recognized in the NQF; vocational programs are recognized technical and vocational programs are reviews and adjusts such efforts to maximize qualifications certified by non- in the NQF; few qualifications recognized in the NQF; a large number their impact; most certificates for technical Education ministries are not certified by non-Education ministries of qualifications certified by non- and vocational programs are recognized in the recognized by formal programs are recognized by formal programs Education ministries are recognized by NQF; a large number of qualifications under the Ministry of Education; under the Ministry of Education; formal programs under the Ministry of certified by non-Education ministries are recognition of prior learning policymakers pay some attention to Education, albeit without the granting of recognized and granted credits by formal receives limited attention; the the recognition of prior learning and credits; policymakers give some programs under the Ministry of Education; government provides practically provide the public with some attention to the recognition of prior policymakers give sustained attention to the no support for further occupational information on the subject; the learning and provide the public with recognition of prior learning and provide the and career development, or training government offers limited services some information on the subject; a public with comprehensive information on programs for disadvantaged for further occupational and career formal association of stakeholders the subject; a national organization of populations. development through stand-alone provides dedicated attention to adult stakeholders provides dedicated attention to local service centers that are not learning issues; the government offers adult learning issues; the government offers a integrated into a system; training limited services for further occupational comprehensive menu of services for further programs for disadvantaged and career development, which are occupational and career development, populations receive ad-hoc support. available through an integrated network including online resources, which are of centers; training programs for available through an integrated network of G6: Diversifying Pathways for Skills Acquisition disadvantaged populations receive centers; training programs for disadvantaged systematic support and are reviewed for populations receive systematic support with impact on an ad-hoc basis. multi-year budgets and are routinely reviewed for impact and adjusted accordingly.     SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 44 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Functional Dimension 3: Service Delivery Policy Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced There is no diversity of training There is some diversity in training There is diversity in training There is broad diversity in training provision as the system is largely provision; non-state providers operate provision; non-state training provision; non-state training comprised of public providers with with limited government incentives providers, some registered and providers, most registered and limited or no autonomy; training and governance over registration, licensed, operate within a range of licensed, operate with provision is not informed by formal licensing and quality assurance; government incentives, systematic comprehensive government assessment, stakeholder input or public training is provided by quality assurance measures and incentives, systematic quality performance targets. institutions with some autonomy and routine reviews of government assurance measures and routine informed by some assessment of policies toward non-state training review and adjustment of implementation constraints, providers; public providers, mostly government policies toward non-state stakeholder input and basic targets. governed by management boards, training providers; public providers, have some autonomy; training mostly governed by management Provision provision is informed by formal boards, have significant autonomy; analysis of implementation decisions about training provision are constraints, stakeholder input and time-bound and informed by formal basic targets; lagging providers assessment of implementation receive support and exemplary constraints; stakeholder input and use institutions are rewarded. of a variety of measures to incentivize performance include support, rewards and performance- G7: Enabling Diversity and Excellence in Training based funding.    SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 45 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013   Functional Dimension 3: Service Delivery Policy Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced There are few or no attempts to Relevance of public training is Relevance of public training is Relevance of public training is foster relevance in public training enhanced through informal links enhanced through formal links enhanced through formal links programs through encouraging links between some training institutions, between some training institutions, between most training institutions, between training institutions, industry industry and research institutions, industry and research institutions, industry and research institutions, and research institutions or through including input into the design of leading to collaboration in several leading to significant collaboration in setting standards for the recruitment curricula and facility standards; heads areas including but not limited to the a wide range of areas; heads and and training of heads and instructors and instructors are recruited on the design of curricula and facility instructors are recruited on the basis in training institutions. basis of minimum academic standards; heads and instructors are of minimum academic and standards and have limited recruited on the basis of minimum professional standards and have opportunities for professional academic and professional regular access to diverse Training Programs development. standards and have regular access opportunities for professional to opportunities for professional development, including industry development. attachments for instructors. G8: Fostering Relevance in Public  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 46 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013  Functional Dimension 3: Service Delivery Policy Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced There are no specific data collection Training providers collect and report Training providers collect and report Training providers collect and report and reporting requirements, but administrative data and there are administrative and other data (e.g., administrative and other data (e.g., training providers maintain their own significant gaps in reporting by non- job placement statistics, earnings of job placement statistics, earnings of databases; the government does not state providers; some public graduates) and there are some gaps in graduates) and there are few gaps in conduct or sponsor skills-related providers issue annual reports and the reporting by non-state providers; reporting by non-state providers; surveys or impact evaluations and government occasionally sponsors or most public providers issue internal most public providers issue publicly rarely uses data to monitor and conducts skills-related surveys; the annual reports and the government available annual reports and the improve system performance. government does not consolidate routinely sponsors skills-related government routinely sponsors or data in a system-wide database and surveys; the government consolidates conducts skills-related surveys and uses mostly administrative data to data in a system-wide database and impact evaluations; the government monitor and improve system uses administrative data and consolidates data in a system-wide, for Results performance; the government information from surveys to monitor up to date database and uses publishes information on graduate and improve system performance; the administrative data, information labor market outcomes for some government publishes information on from surveys and impact training programs. graduate labor market outcomes for evaluations to monitor and improve numerous training programs. system performance; the government publishes information on graduate labor market outcomes for most training programs online. G9: Enhancing Evidence-based Accountability  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 47 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 Annex4:ReferencesandInformants  References 1. AssociationofPrivateICTCompaniesofMoldova.2009.WhiteBookoftheICTSectorinMoldova,Chisinau. 2. AssociationofPrivateICTCompaniesofMoldova.2010.WhiteBookoftheICTSectorinMoldova,Chisinau. 3. Association of Private ICT Companies of Moldova. 2012. Report on the Activity of Association of the ICT Private Companies in 2012. Available at http://www.ict.md/files/ATIC_Raport_Anual_2012.pdf. Last accessed February 18, 2014. 4. CheianuͲAndrei Diana, Gramma Rodica, Milicenco Stela, Pritac Valentina, Rusnac Virginia and Vaculovschi Dorin. 2011.SpecificNeedsoftheChildrenandElderlyLeftBehindbyLaborMigrants,Chisinau. 5. Foreign Investors Association of Moldova. 2009. White Book 2009. 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National Confederation of Employers of the Republic of Moldova. 2013. 7 Obstacles for Business Climate in the RepublicofMoldova,Chisinau. 33. O’Sullivan J., Gremalschi A., and Sedelkov A. 2012. ICT Education in Moldova: Meeting Industry Need. Agenda for Action,Chisinau. 34. ParliamentofMoldova.1995.Lawof RepublicofMoldovano.547 of21ofJuly 1995onEducation, MonitorulOficial, Chisinau. 35. Parliament of Moldova. 2000. Law of Republic of Moldova no.1129 of 07 of July 2000 on Trade Unions, Monitorul Oficial,Chisinau. 36. ParliamentofMoldova.2000.LawofRepublicofMoldovano.976of11ofMay2000onEmployersUnions,Monitorul Oficial,Chisinau.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 49 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 37. Parliament of Moldova. 2003. Labor Code of Republic of Moldova, no.154 of 28 of March 2003, Monitorul Oficial, Chisinau. 38. Parliament of Moldova. 2003. 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ProhniƜchi,ValeriuandLupuƕor,Adrian.2013(unpublished).OptionsforUsingMigrantsRemittancesandSavingsfor the Development of the Republic of Moldova, UNDP/IOM, Chisinau. Available at http://www.md.undp.org/content/dam/moldova/docs/Publications/Study%20on%20options%20regarding%20remi ttances%20in%20Moldova%20(version%204.0).pdfLastaccessedFebruary18,2014. 45. SchneiderF., BuehnA., MontenegroC. 2010.ShadowEconomiesAllover the World.PolicyResearchWorkingPaper 5356,WorldBank,WashingtonDC. 46. Varzari V., Tejada G., Porcescu S., Bolay J. 2013. Skilled Migration and Development Practices; Republic of Moldova andtheCountriesofSouthEastEurope,ImpressumS.R.L.,Chisinau 47. World Bank. 2012. Skills, Not Just Diplomas: Managing Education for Results in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, WashingtonDC. 48. WorldBank. 2013.MigrationandDevelopmentBrief: Migrationand RemittancesFlows: RecentTrends andOutlook, 2013Ͳ2016,WashingtonDC. 49. World Bank. 2013. 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Listofinformants x MayaSandu,MinisterofEducationofRepublicofMoldova x LoretaHandrabura,DeputyMinister,MinistryofEducationofRepublicofMoldova x RaisaDogaru,DeputyHeadoftheNationalAgencyforEmployment x NataliaGarvrilita,HeadoftheCabinetoftheMinisterofEducationofRepublicofMoldova x VladislavCaminschi,HeadofUnitofInternationalandInternalRelations,NationalConfederationofEmployers ofMoldova x EmiliaMalairau,ExecutiveDirectoroftheAmericanChamberofCommerceinMoldova x DinuArmasu,ExecutiveDirectoroftheForeignInvestorsAssociationinMoldova x AnaChirita,ExecutiveDirector,AssociationofICTcompaniesofMoldova x MihaiMaciuca,FormerHeadoftheNationalCollegeforViticultureandWinemaking x AnatolGremalschi,ProgramsDirector,InstituteforPublicPolicy x EugeniaVeverita,MoldovaEducationReformProjectCoordinator,MinistryofEducation  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 50 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 x LarisaEfros,SeniorSpecialist,SecondaryandPostͲSecondaryVocationEducationDepartment,Ministryof Education x OlegBezrucico,ProjectCoordinator,InstituteforDevelopmentofProfessionalCapacities x RaisaSurugiu,HeadoftheTradesSchoolNo.2ofChisinau x IliePaduret,HeadoftheProfessionalSchoolNo.8ofChisinau x GabrielPalade,HeadoftheMoldovanFinancialͲBankingCollege x ConstantinNesterenco,HeadoftheAgriculturalCollegeofSoroca Annex5:SABERͲWfDScores   PolicyGoal PolicyAction  Topic 2.0 G1_T1 2.0 G1 ProvidesustainedadvocacyforWfDatthetopleadershiplevel 2.0 G1_T2 2.0 G2_T1 2.0 Establishclarityonthedemandforskillsandareasofcriticalconstraint 2.5 Dimension1 G2_T2 3.0 G2 1.8 G2_T3 2.0 2.0 Engage employers in setting WfD priorities and in enhancing skillsͲ upgradingforworkers 1.3 G2_T4 1.0 G2_T5 1.0 G3_T1 3.0 G3 2.3 FormalizekeyWfDrolesforcoordinatedactiononstrategicpriorities 2.3 G3_T2 2.0 G3_T3 2.0 G4_T1 info Provide stable funding for effective programs in initial, continuing and G4_T2 2.0 1.7 targetedvocationaleducationandtraining G4_T3 1.0 G4_T4 2.0 G4 1.4 G4_T5_IVET 1.0 Monitorandenhanceequityinfundingfortraining 1.3 G4_T5_CVET 1.0 G4_T5_ALMP 2.0 Facilitate sustained partnerships between training institutions and employers 1.0 G4_T6 1.0 Broaden the scope of competency standards as a basis for developing G5_T1 2.0 1.5 qualificationsframeworks 1.0 Dimension2 G5_T2 G5_T3 1.0 1.5 Establish protocols for assuring the credibility of skills testing and certification 1.7 G5_T4 3.0 G5 1.5 G5_T5 2.0 G5_T6 info Developandenforceaccreditationstandardsformaintainingthequality G5_T7 1.0 3.0 oftrainingprovision G5_T8 1.0 G5_T9 1.0 Promote educational progression and permeability through multiple G6_T1 2.0 1.5 pathways,includingforTVETstudents G6_T2 1.0 G6_T3 2.0 G6 1.5 Strengthenthesystemforskillscertificationandrecognition 1.5 G6_T4 1.0 Enhance support for skills acquisition by workers, jobͲseekers and the G6_T5 2.0 1.5 disadvantaged G6_T6 1.0    SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 51 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013 G7_T1 3.0 G7_T2 2.0 EncourageandregulatenonͲstateprovisionoftraining 2.5 G7_T3 3.0 G7 2.4 G7_T4 2.0 G7_T5 1.8 Combineincentivesandautonomyinthemanagementofpublictraining institutions 2.4 G7_T6 3.0 Dimension3 G7_T7 2.3 G8_T1 2.5 1.9 Integrate industry and expert input into the design and delivery of G8_T2 1.0 1.7 publictrainingprograms G8_T3 1.0 G8 1.7 G8_T4 2.0 Recruit and support administrators and instructors for enhancing the G8_T5 2.0 1.8 marketͲrelevanceofpublictrainingprograms G8_T6 1.5 G9_T1 2.5 Expand the availability and use of policyͲrelevant data for focusing G9 1.7 providers'attentionontrainingoutcomes,efficiencyandinnovation 1.7 G9_T2 1.5 G9_T3 1.0 Annex6:AuthorshipandAcknowledgements This report is the product of collaboration between Valeriu ProhniƜchi, who accomplished this task as independent economic consultant,andAnnaOlefirfromthe Republicof MoldovaWorldBankCountryoffice,aswellasJeeͲPeng Tan and Viviana Marcela Gomez Venegas, leader and member/s, respectively, of the SABERͲWfD team based in the EducationDepartmentoftheHumanDevelopmentNetwork.ValeriuProhniƜchicollectedthedatausingtheSABERͲWfD data collection instrument, prepared initial drafts of the report, and together with the World Bank team finalized the report;theBankteamalsoscoredthedata,designedthetemplateforthereportandmadesubstantivecontributionsto thefinalwriteup.Thisreporthasalsobenefitedfrom commentsandsuggestionsofIndhiraSantosand JohannesKoettl (Senior Economists of the World Bank), Abla Safir (Young Professional at the World Bank) as well as feedback received during the Validation Workshop organized on 27 of June from Valentina Postolachi (National Confederation of EmployersofMoldova),OctavianVasilachi(HeadofVETDivision,MinistryofEducationofRepublicofMoldova),Serghei Cebotari(NationalConfederationofTradeUnionsofMoldova),EugeniaVeverita(EducationReformProjectCoordinator, Ministry of Education), Anatol Gremalschi (Institute for Public Policy), Elena Buzu (American Chamber of Commerce in RepublicofMoldova),ElenaTerzi(NationalCouncilforParticipation),andNinaPunga(HeadofDivisionHumanResource Development,MinistryofLabor,SocialProtectionandFamilyofRepublicofMoldova). The research team acknowledges the support of all who have contributed to the report and its findings, including informants,surveyrespondents,participantsatvariousconsultationworkshops,aswellasothermembersoftheSABERͲ WfD team at the World Bank: Rita Costa, Ryan Flynn, Rijak Grover, and Kiong Hock Lee. The research team gratefully acknowledges the generous financial support of the Government of the United Kingdom through its Department of International Development’s Partnership for Education Development with the World Bank, which makes it possible for HDNED’sSABERͲWfDteamtoprovidetechnicalsupporttotheprincipalinvestigatorintheformofstandardizedtoolsfor andguidanceondatacollection,analysis,andreporting.    SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 52 MOLDOVAۣWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT  SABERCOUNTRYREPORT|2013  www.worldbank.org/education/saber TheSystemsApproachforBetterEducationResults(SABER)initiative produces comparative data and knowledge on education policies and institutions, with the aim of helping countries systematically strengthen their education systems. SABER evaluates the quality of educationpoliciesagainstevidenceͲbasedglobalstandards,usingnew diagnostic tools and detailed policy data. The SABER country reports give all parties with a stake in educational results—from administrators, teachers, and parents to policymakers and business people—an accessible, objective snapshot showing how well the policies of their country's education system are oriented toward ensuringthatallchildrenandyouthlearn.  This report focuses specifically on policies in the area of  workforce development. This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions.  The findings, interpretations, and conclusionsexpressedinthisworkdonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsofTheWorldBank,itsBoardofExecutiveDirectors,or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries,colors,denominations,andotherinformationshownonanymapinthisworkdonot implyanyjudgmentonthe partofTheWorldBankconcerningthelegalstatusofanyterritoryortheendorsementoracceptanceofsuchboundaries.  SYSTEMSAPPROACHFORBETTEREDUCATIONRESULTS 53