- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Completed
Background
The white paper on Education in Slovenia places equity as one of its main principles. The Placement of Children with Special Needs Act (2011) regulates procedures for the placement of learners with special needs into education programmes. Depending on the learners' psychological and physical status, the act enables their inclusion in education, based on the assumption that additional help from experts and adaptation of the implementation of programmes will help learners to achieve a comparable standard of knowledge.
Expert opinion is that, although various system level solutions are in place, these do not ensure meeting quality education standards in the practice:
- low special education needs (SEN) students do not get sufficient additional educational support;
- teachers lack expertise for instruction classes with SEN students;
- classes can include SEN students with different kinds of special needs;
- classes at EQF level 3 can have more than the prescribed number of SEN students because schools do not have the capacities for smaller classes in some cases (merging different occupations into one class during general subjects);
- parents can insist in enrolling in programmes not suited for SEN students;
- schools are motivated to enrol students based on per capita funding, though this can lower education standards (final exam is internal).
Objectives
The overarching objective is to examine professional processes in inclusive education, observe existing good practices in high-achieving countries (Ireland, Austria, Portugal as partners and associated partner, and Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Sweden and UK-Scotland as possible contributors) and develop national adaptation plans in different national (Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia) and contextual circumstances. By connecting professionals - bringing actors and stakeholders together and engaging them in a cohesive, collective and collaborative action at local and national levels - it is also the intention of the proposal to develop and disseminate adaptation guidelines at European level. Professionals are to be specifically selected to participate in the learning process and to contribute to the local use of the learning. The aim of these plans is to make best practices seen applicable to the national level.
After the creation of national adaptation plans, European adaptation guidelines are also to be prepared and developed jointly by the participating countries' experts. This allows the experiences gained during the learning process and their country-specific recommendations to rise to the European level, making it possible that any other country aspiring to adapt best practices can also use the knowledge accumulated during the project. Developing policy recommendations at European level is also one of the key objectives of the project.
Description
Stairs is a 2019-22 Erasmus+ project, promoting social inclusion through educational best practices. The project focuses on the adaptation of good practices in social inclusion across Europe and on the adaptation process itself. The consortium consists of seven partners. The Tempus Public Foundation in Hungary is a coordinating institution; six others, including the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for VET (CPI) (seven institutions from six countries in total) cooperate in the project.
The partners prepared national reports on implementation of inclusion in education and the identification of country-specific needs in this field. Slovenia identified needs in inclusion of SEN students in regular VET programmes and the area of students with lower socio-economic status.
Two study visits to Ireland and Portugal (planned for 2020) were prepared, with a focus on good practices in the field of inclusion. In parallel, supporting materials were created for the participants in these visits. Partner countries invited external experts from the field of inclusive pedagogy. National guidelines for further development and promoting inclusion in education or development should be developed jointly during the project.
In 2020, due to COVID, the dynamics of work on the project changed. The planned study visits to Ireland and Portugal were implemented virtually; nevertheless the partners gained much interesting information and new knowledge, which they are now trying to transfer to the national space in social inclusion in education. They started preparing a national adaptation plan, which is the basis for the transfer of good practices or individual elements. The plan should contain proposals for the development of policies and practices in four areas:
- promoting inclusive orientation and sensitivity to social inclusion;
- identification and support/assistance to students with low socio-economic status (SES)'
- teacher empowerment;
- participation/networking of various stakeholders.
In 2021, the Slovenian partners prepared the National adaptation plan (NAP), with recommendations and suggestions for strengthening national approaches to ensure social inclusion in education. The suggestions were based on good practices and results from Ireland and Portugal. For example, both countries have established national systems for ensuring systematic support for schools in the most underprivileged environments. The systems are supported by national policies and based on long-term and sustainable principles. The NAP was presented at national level on two occasions: at a science conference organised by the Educational Research Institute in September 2021 and in an online presentation and discussion organised by Institute of the RS for VET (CPI) in November 2021. Various national stakeholders were invited to the latter: representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Education, and headmasters of upper secondary school, with the intent to obtain their feedback especially whether these suggestions can be put into practice. The suggestions were estimated to be real and efficient but only in the long term.
Project partners also began the preparation of the European adaptation plan (EAP), which are the European guidelines. The EAP is based on the NAPs from the participating countries (Czechia, Croatia and Hungary) and supports the social inclusiveness education in the EU.
In 2022, the project partners completed the European Adaptation Plan (EAP), entitled 'European guidelines', which were created on the basis of the national adaptation plans (NAP) of the 'learning countries', namely: Slovenia, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Croatia, as well as lessons from other countries (Ireland and Portugal). Ireland and Portugal presented good practices, as they were the 'sharing countries' in the project.
European guidelines (EAP) aim to contribute to further development in the field of ensuring social inclusion in education in the European educational area.
The partners have prepared a MOOC - open online education, intended for various target groups, e.g. teachers, counsellors, mentors in companies and students. The MOOC was structured into 6 modules, with 'inclusion in education' related content. Slovenia was responsible for the fourth module, Vocational education and training and early school leavers.
The modules included the following areas:
- Policy, policy makers and funding;
- Schools and educational practitioners;
- Special education, inclusion and school transition;
- Vocational education and training and early school leavers;
- Multi-agency collaboration;
- Adapting good practice and change management.
At the end of the project, an international online webinar was organised, where the partners presented all the main results of the project, e.g. European guidelines (EAP), got acquainted with several other European projects in the field of inclusive education and discussed the possibilities of implementing good practices in the wider European area.
Bodies responsible
- Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training (CPI)
Target groups
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
- School leaders
- Guidance practitioners
Entities providing VET
- Companies
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences
Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.
This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.
The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Stakeholders together adapting ideas to readjust local systems to promote inclusive education (STAIRS): Slovenia. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/35528