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With the aim of bridging the two learning paths and promoting the attractiveness and flexibility of vocational education and training, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports is introducing vocational modules in the last four years of secondary (general) education, starting from September 2020.
In January 2020, the new project Getting started with diversity and inclusion was launched. Schools, with the financial support of the education ministry, aim to deliver a set of innovative interventions to support diversity and inclusion in VET.
On 6 February 2020, the Ministry of Education announced a new strategy for digital education from primary school to secondary technical and general education: Simply digital - future competences for strong children (einfach digital - Zukunftskompetenze fir staark Kanner). The strategy introduces a set of measures to strengthen the digital competences of all pupils:
The fact that Iceland is an island State with only one major point of entry from abroad, has a very small population and undertook measures of social distancing and a comprehensive testing strategy all led to low infection and fatality rates.
At the beginning of March 2020, the first cases of Covid-19 were reported in Poland. A significant number of measures to prevent and combat Covid-19 were introduced in different policy areas including education. The provision of education was changed, and new forms of teaching and learning were introduced.
On 18 March, the President of the Republic signed a Decree declaring a state of emergency, lasting 15 days; it was renewed twice and ended on 3 May. Considering the need to reduce the risk of contagion and implement measures to prevent and combat the Covid-19 epidemic, this legislative act partially suspended the exercise of certain rights, including the right to move around the national territory.
In 2019 more than 34% of adults participated in lifelong learning in Sweden, making it the highest rate in the European Union. A government bill on municipal adult education was adopted by the Parliament on the 3 June 2020 aiming to strengthen competence provision, accelerate the integration of immigrants and facilitate re- and upskilling of adults.
Almost a quarter of young people who enrol in a VET program have already completed general upper secondary education (23% in 2018). Of learners who enrolled in a VET programme in 2018, 39% had already started another kind of education programme (Statistics Denmark 2019).
Due to an amendment to the Vocational Training Act (BAG), since 1 May 2020 it has also been possible to complete apprenticeship training on a part-time basis. The aim is to make access to apprenticeship training easier for people for whom full-time training was previously difficult due to care obligations or health restrictions.
School closures and short-time work in companies as part of the measures to combat the corona pandemic also affect vocational education and training (VET). Even though schools have been gradually reopening since the beginning of May 2020 and apprenticeship-leave examinations are taking place again, the coming summer and autumn have further challenges in store.