Inspection framework for VET schools

In 2019, the piloting phase of the inspection framework was completed. The piloting results were used for validating and improving the indicators and the evaluation scale, as well as for upgrading the electronic management system. The first group of external school inspectors was trained and a database with external evaluation was launched. The implementation phase involving the first group of school inspections started during the academic year 2019/20 (the actual timeframe that inspections were carried out was from September to December 2019 and from January to June 2020 however no data on the exact time period that the inspections took place exist). In the academic year 2019/20 only 48 schools were inspected, of which nine were VET schools.

The process of school inspections was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 35 schools were inspected in the period October-December 2020, of which seven were VET schools, three general secondary schools with VET classes, and two united schools providing VET.

During the 2020/21 academic year 49 schools providing VET (including dual training) were inspected.

In September 2021, the education minister issued Ordinance No 18 on the inspection of kindergartens and schools, which established the State education standard (SES) on the inspection of kindergartens and schools. The SES defined inspection as a process of comprehensive, independent expert assessment of the quality of provision of the kindergarten or school education at a particular point in time and determines the guidelines for improvement set out by NEI.

Three areas for inspection were defined within the SES:

a.the education process, including learning outcomes. In this area, the following aspects are inspected:

i.the effectiveness of teaching-learning interaction and the application of the competence approach;

ii.classroom and learner management;

iii.learner assessment;

iv.the support provided for personal development and the teamwork between teachers and other pedagogical specialists for achieving the best results for each of their learners.

b. institutional management, including human resource management (HR), management of the effectiveness of qualifications and the appraisal of teaching staff. In this area, the following aspects are monitored:

i.management of financial information and technological resources;

ii.management of partnerships for the development of the kindergarten or school for improving education outcomes;

iii.leadership effectiveness.

c. institutional environment, including the physical environment and the information and library resources of schools and kindergartens). In this area, the following aspects are monitored:

i.development of the organisational culture of the kindergarten or school;

ii.development of a supportive environment and effective interaction between all those involved in the education process and with all stakeholders;

iii.satisfaction of the participants.

A clause in the ordinance states that for each inspection area, the approval of the NEI director is required. The approval must be based on inspection criteria and indicators. According to the ordinance, by 31 August each year the NEI publishes on its website the criteria and indicators against which inspections are to be carried out in the forthcoming academic year.

The SES also established the inspection phases and procedures, as well as the quality evaluation scoring to be applied. The quality assessment involves the assignment of scores for each of the defined indicators. The evaluation for each criterion is formed as the sum of the scores for all indicators related to this criterion. The overall rating of each individual inspection area is formed as a percentage ratio of the sum of the scores obtained on the individual criteria to the maximum number of points for the area. The scores calculated this way are subsequently converted into a qualitative score, as follows: very good - higher than 81 per cent; good - from 61 to 80 per cent; satisfactory - from 41 to 60 per cent; unsatisfactory- lower than 40 per cent.

The NEI continued to implement school inspections according to the annual plan of the institutions inspected, and semi-annual inspection plans. In 2022, the total number of inspected institutions (kindergartens and schools) was 148.

In 2023, the National Education Inspectorate (NEI) continued carrying out school inspections in line with their annual and semi-annual inspection plans. For the 2023/24 academic year, a total of 63 educational institutions were inspected, including both kindergartens and schools. Only 3 VET schools were among those inspected.

In 2024, the NEI published a revised version of its Quality framework, marking a continuation of the organisation's commitment to quality assessment in education. This revision builds upon the 2022 publication while ensuring alignment with current operational needs. The revised publication primarily focused on maintaining the document's relevance through technical updates, particularly in the areas of links, references, and instruction manuals to reflect the requirements of the 2024/25 academic year. The revision preserved the foundation laid in the 2022 version, retaining the same core principles, mission, vision, objectives, inspection areas, and methodological approaches.