Quality assurance in VET Institutions is carried out using internal and external mechanisms of quality assurance. Internal quality assurance mechanisms are created and performed by the VET Institutions. External quality assurance mechanisms are defined by the Georgian legislation. LEPL-National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement is responsible for its implementation. VET quality assurance department is created to carry out this authority. In order to ensure the quality of vocational education the following mechanisms are used:
- Authorization of VET Institutions;
- Accreditation of vocational educational programs;
- Obtain the right to implement the vocational educational programs by HEI or schools;
- Planned and unscheduled monitoring;
- Obtain the right to implement the vocational educational program by VET Institution;
- Increase student’s quantity according the programs.
To ensure the implementation of quality assurance mechanisms NCEQE has created experts’ corps. The department carries out intensive trainings for them, monitors their performance, makes the evaluation of their activities and carries out the periodic update of corps.
Authorization council of VET institutions discusses experts’ evaluation reports and makes appropriate decisions whether the programs, infrastructure and resources of Institution are in compliance with authorization standards. (In case of HEI and schools, appropriate decisions are made by Authorization councils of HEI and schools).
The members of authorization councils are confirmed by the order of Prime Minister and secretariats of the center support their work.
VET quality assurance department provides VET Institutions with consultations, trainings, manuals and guidebooks. The department also gives the consultations to organizations which are intending to obtain the status of VET Institution.
Ongoing reforms are an important challenge for VET quality assurance system, among them is the implementation of modular programs and introduction of dual teaching principles. These circumstances lead to necessity to update current quality assurance mechanisms.
For this purpose VET quality assurance department is working on updating of current authorization standards and creating of extra quality assurance mechanisms such as piloting the verification system.
The supportive subprogram of implementation of modular/dual programs is approved by the order of the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia. NCEQE is responsible for the administrative support of abovementioned program. The VET institutions receive a significant support within the subprogram, among them is developing of internal quality assurance mechanisms.
NCEQE is responsible for the administrative support of VET quality assurance thematic working group, created by the National Vocational Council. This group is formed on the basis of the social partnership principle. The main purpose of this group is to discuss the important reforms taking part in the sphere of vocational education in Georgia and provide the information to the National Vocational Council for making appropriate decisions.
Donor organizations also play an important role for improving the quality of vocational education by implementation of important projects. These Donors are: Millennium Change account-Georgia (MCA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), GIZ, The supporting program of European Union and European Training Foundation (ETF).