Green light for vocational education?

The transformation of secondary agricultural and forestry schools in central Europe

Mgr. Jiří VotavaIng. Jiří Husa, CSc.

Institute of education and communication, Czech university of life sciences in Prague

Structure of the presentation

1. Introduction 2. Methodology3. Main agents in development of agricultural

vocational education 4. Models and forecasts5. Conclusions6. Discussion

Introduction

• Research project 406/09/1479 funded by Czech Science Foundation

• Large ongoing survey, main results 2011• Before: Analysis of the qualification structure

of the labour force in agriculture (Slavík, Rolls 2007) and more resarch projetcs

Methodology

• Delphi method, from 2009, 18 expert representants of vocational schools, employer, teacher trainers, local authorities

• Survey of providers of agricultural, forestry and related vocational schools (in process)

• Documents and experience of ENTER international network

Main agents in development of agricultural vocational education

Definition of rural area (OECD, EU) - 3 categories:• Predominantly rural region: more than 50% of

the population of the region is living in rural communes (with less than 150 inhabitants / km2)

• Intermediate region: 15% to 50% of the population of the region is living in rural local units

• Predominantly urban region: less than 15% of the population of the region is living in rural local units

Main agents in development of agricultural vocational education

Definition of rural area – number of inhibitants• Rural: ≤ 2000• Urban: > 2000

10 z 10

11 z 10

Size of municipalities

Level of education in % (Czech statistical office 2001)

Zš Sš Sš s mat Voš VšTotal 23 38 24,9 3,5 8,9Up to199 inhabitants 31,8 43,6 17,7 2 3,4200 – 499 29,5 44,5 18,7 2,1 3,5500 – 999 27,9 44 19,9 2,3 4,31 000 – 1 999 26,8 42,8 21,3 2,4 52 000 – 4 999 25,9 42,1 22,5 2,7 5,85 000 – 9 999 23,8 40,2 24,5 3,3 6,710 000 – 19 999 22,3 37,9 26,3 3,8 8,120 000 – 49 999 21,7 36,4 27,5 3,8 9,150 000 – 99 999 21,7 35,7 26,9 3,9 9,6100 000 and more 16,8 30,5 29,2 4,7 16,8

Main agents in development of agricultural vocational education

Four main agents: • Production (agricultural, food, forestry) • Employment (qulified working force)• People (society, community)• Rural development

Main agents in development of agricultural vocational education

Under regulations of EU, rural development policy is focused on:

• Improving the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector

• Improving the environment and the countryside

• Improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of the rural economy

Main conception of rural development

Agricultural industry • From traditional to innovative • From production to processing • From production to distribution and

consumption

Changes in Czech vocational education in the last 20 years

• Curriculum • Structure of vocational branches • School governance and management • Consequences of development in

particular production sectors • Demography of the student body • Preferences of the public in education

(Husa 2008, expert group 2009-2010)

Innovation and development strategies in selected EU states

• Dealing with the complexity of the contemporary society• Decreasing the gap between science and society• Preparing students for the increased competition• Responding to internationalization• Shifting from generalization to specialization• Human resources development (extension - consultancy)• Responding to the wishes of the capricious consumer• Decreasing the gap between the consumer and the

agricultural sector• Dealing with the consumer paradox• Sustainable production/quality orientation• Considerations about GMOs

(Mulder 2006, Slavík, Rolls 2007, expert group 2009-201

Number of employees according to the legal form of the company and level of management

Legal form Number Higher management

Middle and lower management

Rank and file workers

Physical person 216 1,01 0,66 3,34

Limited company 77 2,49 4,56 25,16

Joint stock company 114 4,03 9,08 64,19

Cooperative 124 3,92 9,97 66,34

Another legal form 6 1,67 4,50 16,50

Other 3 1,00 0,00 0,33

Total 540 2,54 5,17 33,77

(Slavík, Rolls 2007)

Research models

Current and potentialrecipients of

education

Need /want education Do not need /want education

Current and potentialproviders of education

Offer relevant education

Do not offer relevant education

EmployersSocial partners

Demand and supply of workforce in green sector

ALL ECONOMICAL

ACTIVE

ECONOMICAL INACTIVE

URBAN REGIONS

RURAL REGIONS

ACITVE in „green“ sector“ – Employers and emploees in agricultural, food and forestry

Demand and supply of workforce in green sector

ALL ECONOMICAL

ACTIVE

ECONOMICAL INACTIVE

URBAN REGIONS

RURAL REGIOENS

ACITVE in „green“ sector“ – Employers and emploees in agricultural, food and forestry

11265

5243

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

1989 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Počty žáků přijatých do 1. ročníků ve středních školách (obory zemědělství a lesnictví, denní vzdělávání)

First grade students of agricutlural and forestry vocational secondary school )

(Ústav pro informace ve vzdělávání 2009)

Počet zaměstnanců v odvětví zemědělství, myslivosti a souvisejících činností

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

tis. p

raco

vník

ůEmployees in green sector

Employment by occupations

Conclusions

The future of agricultural secondary schools: • Demand – supply driven reform, close

collaboration with social partners • New branches and specialisation • New target groups (lifelong learning) • New forms of education• New balance between secodnary/tertiary and

general /vocational education

Thank you for your attention

Basic/broad, general programmes 21,7Teacher training and education science 3,4Arts 1,6Humanities 0,7Social and behavioural science 5,0Business and administration 9,8Law 0,6Life sciences 0,3Physical sciences 0,9Engineering and engineering trades 22,5Manufacturing and processing 9,2Architecture and building 6,6Agriculture, forestry and fishery 4,2Health 4,1Personal services 5,1Transport services 1,5Security services 0,6

Zdroj: NÚOV, 2007