Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - Bosnia and Herzegovina (Ratification: 1993)

Implementation of policies and programmes of vocational guidance and vocational training. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in August 2013 which includes observations made by the Confederation of Trade Unions of Republika Srpska (SSRS). The report enumerates the legislative texts applicable to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBH) and the Republika Srpska (RS). The Committee recalls that each of the entities constituting Bosnia and Herzegovina is autonomous with regard to labour and employment issues. The vision of vocational education is defined by the Framework Law on Secondary Vocational Education and Training in FBH (2008) and the Strategy for the development of Vocational Education and Training in FBH (2007–13) together with laws of the RS, cantons and the Brcko District. A document that outlines the Strategic Directions for the Development of Education in FBH and its Implementation Plan 2008–15 is also used in the coordination of policies relating to vocational training. The Committee notes that in December 2011 the FBH adopted an action plan to implement the measures and recommendations contained in an analysis of the situation of secondary education carried out in 2010. The Committee also notes that in May 2013 the FBH carried out an analysis of the possibilities that young people have of gaining work experience in the country. The Committee further notes that the Federal Ministry of Education and Science is expected to complete in the second half of 2013 an “Analysis of the enrolment policy in secondary education in the FBH in terms of the market needs” and that it has recently launched an initiative to develop a Strategy of Career Orientation in the FBH. The Committee notes the data submitted by the Government of the RS and observes that during the first four months of 2013 a total of 4,737 students enrolled in vocational guidance programmes within the Youth Information Counselling and Training Centres of the Employment Institute of the RS. The Committee invites the Government to provide, in its next report, information on the results achieved through the Strategy for the development of Vocational Education and Training in FBH and on the results of other measures taken to develop comprehensive and coordinated policies and programmes of vocational guidance and vocational training closely linked with employment and public employment services (Article 1(1) to (2) of the Convention). Please continue to provide up-to-date information on participation in vocational guidance and vocational training programmes in the RS.

Article 3(1). Coverage by the vocational training system of vulnerable groups. The Committee notes that the FBH adopted a Strategy for the equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities for the period 2011–15 which includes measures and activities related to education and employment. The Committee takes note that in 2012 the Federal Employment Institute participated in the funding of the project “Persons with disabilities in the labour market”, which enabled faster and long-term employment of a number of people with disabilities and increased their competitiveness in the open market. The Committee also notes that in the RS significant attention is paid to vocational rehabilitation and training of persons with disabilities. In the RS the employer provides vocational rehabilitation and training of persons with disabilities and the Employment Institute of the RS provides it for the unemployed persons. The Committee refers to its 2012 direct request on Convention No. 159 and invites the Government to continue to provide in its next report on Convention No. 142 information on the policies and programmes intended to promote access to education, training and lifelong learning for people with special needs (Paragraph 5(h) of the Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195.).

Article 3(2)(3). Information made available for vocational guidance purposes. Information on educational opportunities, professional orientation and employment prospects are available through the Federal Employment Institute’s website, the media and publications. In 2012, the Federal Employment Institute in cooperation with cantonal employment services carried out activities of vocational information in 229 schools and 132 high schools. In the same year, municipal employment offices in the FBH held 1,181 seminars and 194 information workshops on active job search to unemployed people. The Committee notes, however, that according to relevant educational authorities, vocational guidance in Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet taken the place that it deserves in order to include information awareness, counselling and education programmes. The Committee also takes note that publications of the Employment Institute of the RS are available in its website. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide in its next report information on activities undertaken by the Federal Employment Institute of FBH and the Employment Institute of the RS. Please also include specimens of the documentation made available in each of the entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and provide further information on the existing procedures ensuring that educational, occupational, employment market is kept up to date for effective vocational guidance purposes.

Article 4. Vocational training and lifelong learning. The Committee takes note that the Federal Ministry of Education and Science is expected to complete in the second half of 2013 a “Model Law on Adult Education” which will then be offered to the cantonal ministries in charge of education who have not yet developed their own laws in adult education and vocational training for adults. The Committee notes that the RS adopted a Law on Adult Education in 2009 and established the Institute for Adult Education. Adult education programmes, which began to be implemented in the RS in 2011, admitted a total of 2007 participants of which 442 completed programmes by 2012. In its observations, the SSRS highlights the efforts of the RS Government and points out that besides good legislation, it is necessary that employers undertake training activities of workers for their employment needs, which they currently do not do. According to the SSRS, lifelong learning must become a liability both for workers and employers. The Committee invites the Government to provide, in its next report, further information on the Model Law on Adult Education of the FBH. Please also continue to provide information on the implementation of adult education programmes in the RS.

Article 5. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes of vocational guidance and vocational training. The Committee notes that the Framework Law on Secondary Vocational Education and Training in FBH (2008) stipulates that to secure the connection between vocational education and training and the labour market, tripartite advisory councils are to be established at the entity, cantonal and district level. These councils have an advisory role and are composed of the representatives of employers, trade unions and relevant education authorities. The Committee notes that given that in some cantons the establishment councils is still in progress, the tripartite council at the national level has not yet been established. In the FBH, the Federal Ministry of Education and Science includes the representatives of the social partners in all its activities related to secondary education, adult education, vocational guidance and vocational training. The Committee notes that in the RS the representatives of the majority of trade unions and employers’ associations are members of the Board of Employment Institute and have the opportunity to directly influence the design, implementation and monitoring of all policies and programmes of public employment service. The Committee also notes that a tripartite advisory committee has been established in the RS. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report information on the establishment of the tripartite councils at the cantonal and national level so as to ensure that vocational guidance and vocational education and training policies and programmes are formulated and implemented in cooperation with the social partners.