Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2018, published 108th ILC session (2019)

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - Latvia (Ratification: 1993)

Articles 1–5 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of education and training policies and programmes. The Government reports that several amendments have been made, between 2013 and 2018, to the national legislation and necessary changes have been implemented in the vocational training system to reinforce its relevance to the labour market. The Committee notes with interest the comprehensive statistical data submitted by the Government on the number of people receiving career services and participating in vocational training, between 2013 and 2018. It further notes the information provided by the Government on the implementation of educational and training policies and programmes formulated in collaboration with the social partners and other interested bodies to enhance youth and adult education and professional qualifications. The Committee notes, in particular, the amendments to the Vocational Education Law and the Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 31, introducing a quality assurance procedure for regular evaluation and self-evaluation of educational institutions. The Government reports on measures undertaken by the State Education Quality Service, in cooperation with the local governments and state vocational education institutions, to reduce early school leaving among children and young people (aged 18–24). The Committee notes that, according to the statistics provided by the Government, Latvia has exceeded its target of reducing the early school-leaving rate among youth to 10 per cent by 2020, given that the rate of early school-leavers among youth has declined from 10 per cent in 2016 to 8.6 per cent as of 2017. The Government reports, however, that gender disparities still remain as the share of early school-leavers among girls is less (5 per cent in 2017 and 6.2 per cent in 2016) than among boys (12 per cent in 2017 and 13.7 per cent in 2016). The Committee notes that the European Social Fund (ESF) project, “Know and Do”, launched in 2014 by the Agency for International Programs for Youth, focuses on developing the skills of youths at risk of social exclusion and facilitating their engagement in education. The Government reports that the Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 75 of 25 January 2011 introduces a method of training vouchers for all State Employment Agency (SEA) training programmes and active labour market policy measures (ALMPs). The method applies not only to the unemployed and jobseekers, but also to lifelong learning programmes for adults (until December 2014) and short training programmes for gaining basic skills and competencies. The Committee notes that SEA training also targets young persons and disadvantaged groups, such as the long-term unemployed, people with disabilities and persons over the age of 50. The Government reports that the SEA provides career guidance to young people as well as to adults and anticipates labour market trends on the basis of short-term forecasts. It also implements programmes and projects funded by the ESF on lifelong learning for employed persons and adults in formal and non-formal education regardless of age, sex, previous education, and place of residence, income level, ethnic origin, functional disorders, or other factors. The Committee notes that Regulation No. 146 of 22 February 2011 on the “Procedure for the Validation of the Professional Competence Acquired Outside Formal Education System” establishes a procedure for the evaluation of the professional qualifications of people who have acquired their professional competence outside the formal education system. As a result, between 2011 and 2017, more than 5,000 professional qualification certificates (including 1,157 certificates in 2017 alone) have been issued. The Committee also notes the creation of cooperation mechanisms with the social partners and sectoral organizations. In particular, it notes the creation of a collegial advisory institution, in 2016, which includes the tripartite partners. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information, including statistics disaggregated by age and sex on the impact of the education and training policies and programmes implemented in collaboration with the social partners and other interested bodies. It also requests the Government to indicate the manner in which the different ministries, including the Ministry of Welfare, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Environmental and Regional Development and Science, as well as the Ministry of Culture, ensure effective coordination between education and training policies and programmes on the one hand and employment services on the other.