sou · GWB327 · 2008-04-01 00:00:00 — On vocational programmes, students shall be entitled to read an extended programme worth up to 300 points to achieve basic eligibility for higher education. I propose that there shall be 14 vocational programmes with various national branches in the new upper secondary education system. House , Construction, Painting, Sheet- Livestock farming, Crop farming and green environments, and water Electronics and computer technology Vehicle technology, Coach work technology, Freight transportation, Freight handling Trade, Administrative service Hairdressing, Tailoring, Hotel and Tourism Programme Hotel management, Conferencing, management and hosting, and tourism Maintenance technology, Sheet-metal and Pedagogical work with children and young people, Social work, Recreation, Sport, health Restaurant and meal service, Baking and confectionery, Meat and butchery, Delicatessen, Deck technology, technology, Deck and Heating, Water and Sanitation, Ventilation and Heating, water and sanitation technology, heating pump technology, Real estate Health and Social Care Programme In my opinion, the prevailing norm when it comes to basic vocational education is, and will continue for a long time to be, a mainly school-based upper secondary vocational education. This is also the dominant view that has emerged from the Commissions extensive contacts with various receivers. This is not to say, however, that upper secondary apprenticeship education cannot and should not have considerably greater scope than it has today. In my opinion, extensive learning at the workplace, with the right prerequisites and combined with some school-based education, can be a very good alternative to school-based vocational education. This is also true for upper secondary adult education and for vocational segments that are currently female-dominated. For upper secondary apprenticeship education to be realised, close and well-developed regional and local cooperation is required between school governing bodies and the industries/companies that will take on and educate apprentices. I have arrived at the conclusion therefore that the home municipality cannot be under an obligation to offer apprenticeship education. However, all young people shall be entitled to apply to upper secondary apprenticeship programmes and the home municipality shall take sufficient measures to try to satisfy students choices. Apprenticeship education shall lead to a vocational diploma with the same objectives as school-based vocational education. Apprenticeship education, according to my proposal, differs from school-based vocational education in its subject content and courses during the workplace-located components being structured differently in programme blocks and in that more of the learning takes place in the form of workplace learning. Workplace learning shall, regardless of whether it takes place in the form of workplace learning within a vocational programme or within an appren- ticeship programme, be designed in accordance with the prevailing conditions in working life. It is my assessment that a student who undergoes appren- ticeship education probably will have student status to start with. If deemed appropriate, however, an employment relationship shall also be possible. A three-year trial of upper secondary appren- ticeship education will start in 2008, in which it will be possible to combine upper secondary education with employment. The expe- riences gained from this trial will increase our understanding as regards the potential of employment with respect to apprenticeship programmes. In my opinion, there are a number of legal issues that must be satisfactorily resolved as regards employment combined with upper secondary education. My opinion is that a double or shared responsibility (governorship) exists in this case. This may cause delimitation problems when it comes to determining who is responsible for the student/employee in different regards. Appren- ticeship education combined with employment is furthermore a collective agreement issue. In light of this, I propose that it shall be possible to combine upper secondary apprenticeship programmes with employment but that this issue be further examined in connection with the evaluation of the abovementioned trial. I propose that the design of the workplace-located component of an upper secondary apprenticeship programme be regulated with the help of a national education plan for apprenticeship pro- grammes established by the for Education. The content of this plan is to be established on the local level in a local education plan for apprenticeship education. The workplace learning component of upper secondary apprenticeship pro- grammes shall consist of the content of the programme-specific subject courses for the vocational programme in question. I propose that workplace learning within upper secondary appren- ticeship education be structured in the form of programme blocks each comprising 200 to 500 points. My proposal also means that students on upper secondary apprenticeship programmes have the same opportunities as students on school-based vocational programmes to make choices that allow them to gain basic eligibility for higher education. Higher education preparatory programmes I propose five new higher education preparatory programmes. According to the terms of reference given to me, students shall be able to choose an education based on their interests. I believe that the new programmes, with their national branches, amply fulfil these requirements. Higher education preparatory programmes shall provide better preparation for higher-level studies than is currently the case. The programmes shall also encourage and provide opportunities for in-depth studies in subjects that are important for the students further studies. Because of their breadth, all programmes provide good preparation for further studies throughout the higher education sector and fulfil the requirements for a good grounding in all different kinds of higher education. The programmes are: Higher education preparatory programmes , Marketing, Accounting Arts and Humanities Programme Languages, Culture, Art and design, Dance, Social Science and Media Programme Environment and community planning, Social science, Digital media, Information and Mathematics and computer science, Natural science, Community planning Technology and design, IT communication and media technology, Community planning and architecture, Innovation and production Just as there is to be well-developed cooperation between upper secondary schools and working life, there has also to be well- developed cooperation between upper secondary schools and institutes of higher education that reflects the entire higher educa- tion sectors field of knowledge. Cooperation does currently exist but it normally covers teacher education or university departments of education. My proposal for the of will give the higher education sector the chance to influence how the requirements for higher education preparatory programmes will be formulated now and in the future. The new institutional level for cooperation between institutes of higher education and upper secondary schools, together with the introduction of a diploma, will strengthen the cooperation between the higher education sector and upper secondary schools. The number of teachers with PhDs is currently very low in upper secondary education and links to the research community need to be developed. My proposals provide a good basis for closer cooperation between upper secondary schools, upper secondary adult education and the higher education sector on the teacher level as well. It is also important that this cooperation be broadened to include all parts of higher education. The proposals I put forward also provide a platform for strengthening links with the research community in upper secon- dary education. The national programme councils will provide scope for continuous cooperation between subject representatives and the for Education when various policy documents are being formulated and important issues concerning subject development are being discussed. There is no such continuous cooperation at present despite requests from subject representatives. It is also important for institutes of higher education to continue to be able to recruit students from upper secondary schools and combat the ever-present strong social segregation in Swedish higher education. This requires good information and guidance that reaches students when they are still at compulsory school prior to them choosing their preferred upper secondary education. I see the new programme councils playing an important role as regards information about the vocational options open to students if they go on to study in higher education. Diploma to be introduced in upper secondary school I propose the introduction of a Swedish upper secondary school diploma both for vocational and higher education preparatory pro- grammes. There are several grounds for this; with a diploma, the Government can formulate clear national objectives for upper secondary education that not only are comprehensible to receivers in but also provide clarity internationally. The introduction of a diploma also provides opportunities to evaluate upper secon- dary education as a system. My proposal involves the introduction of two types of diploma: a vocational diploma and a higher education preparatory diploma. The student must fulfil the requirements of the diploma to receive one. In other words, students must have grades worth 2 500 points, the equivalent of a complete programme, of which they must receive pass grades worth at least 2 250 points. Students must have pass grades in Swedish/Swedish as a second language, mathematics and English. The level the student must attain in these subjects to gain a pass grade may vary depending on the programme he or she follows. Furthermore, the student shall obtain pass grades in certain programme-specific subjects, to be established by the for Education after consultation with receivers. Furthermore, the student must gain a pass grade for his or her diploma project. Vocational diplomas that can be obtained either via school- based vocational programmes or via apprenticeship programmes shall be designed in close consultation with the relevant industries. A vocational diploma guarantees that the student is well prepared for the occupational sector at which the programme is aimed. The same is true of a higher education preparatory diploma; it shall be designed in close consultation with representatives of institutes of higher education. Each programme shall have diploma objectives. The purpose of these is to describe the aims of the programme. As regards voca- tional programmes, the aim is to educate students for an occupa- tional segment. The aim of higher education preparatory pro- grammes is to prepare students for higher education studies. The diploma objectives shall be used by professionals at upper secondary schools as a policy document from the students entrance into a programme until their graduation. Their steering function shall be much clearer than current programme objectives. Diploma objectives and subject goals shall complement each other. The diploma objectives shall ensure that a holistic perspective is taken at programme level within upper secondary education. The starting-point for the diploma objectives shall firstly be the curriculum and the basic aims applicable to each programme respectively, i.e. to make the students employable in a specific occupational segment or to prepare them for higher education. Even though diploma objectives shall first and foremost be used by professional educationists, they are to be formulated in such a way so that students, parents and receivers can understand them. Diploma objectives for each programme shall be drawn up jointly by central government and receivers. The receivers for vocational programmes are the respective industries and for the higher education preparatory programmes, they are primarily the institutes of higher education. However, representatives of work- ing life may also be on the national councils for higher education preparatory programmes. for Education shall, within the framework of the national programme councils, consult the relevant stakeholders to draw up draft diploma objec- tives for each programme. The proposals are submitted by the for Edu- cation to , which then passes comment on them. Based on discussions in the national pro- gramme councils and comments from , the for Education submits draft diploma objectives for all programmes to the Government. The Councils comments shall be enclosed with the for Educations proposals to the Government, which then estab- lishes the diploma objectives. One of the tasks of the national programme councils is to follow and evaluate diploma issues relating to their specific programme. This task also includes taking initiatives to amend the diploma objectives when deemed appropriate. Such initiatives can also be taken by the for Education or . To gain a diploma, the student must complete a diploma project. Some of the diploma objectives are made up of a section called Diploma project objectives. The diploma project shows that the student has attained these objectives. In turn, this means that the diploma project on a vocational programme verifies whether the student is sufficiently competent to be employed in the relevant occupational segment and on a higher education preparatory pro- gramme whether the student is sufficiently competent to study at university/university college. The diploma project shall be com- pleted during the final stages of the students upper secondary edu- cation. Vocational programme diploma projects shall be clearly focused on the occupational segment at which the programme is aimed. The project shall comprise either one substantial coherent project or several shorter vocational tests. These vocational tests can already be found in certain industries, some on a level that can be described as upper secondary. The diploma projects shall always include some form of documentation. If they are of an explicit practical nature, however, this documentation can be brief. Higher education preparatory programme diploma projects shall, to a large extent, be focused on the educational area at which the upper secondary programme is mainly aimed. Projects shall be specific not just to programmes but also to branches. They should, however, also verify whether the student has the general skills needed to cope successfully with any kind of higher education studies. A diploma project on a higher education preparatory pro- gramme shall consist of a substantial coherent assignment in the form of a survey, analysis or production, documented as a written report. student shall be allocated a diploma project supervisor by the school principal after consultation with a diploma tutor, see below. This supervisor shall be a teacher who is well-skilled in the relevant subject area. diploma project shall be assessed by a co-assessor. This will strengthen the students legal rights. The diploma project is worth 100 out of the total 2 500 points for a completed upper secondary programme. In relation to the total number of weeks upper secondary students have at their dis- posal in three academic years, about 100 weeks, 100 points is the equivalent of about four weeks. Students shall receive a certain amount of supervision when doing their diploma projects. It is very important that students are given enough time to do the project. I propose that they are always guaranteed the equivalent of four full study weeks to complete the project. These four weeks can be allocated in different ways depending on the nature of the project and other factors. I propose that the time may be divided into a maximum of four periods. The project should preferably be done in the final stages of the pro- gramme. A diploma project can be given either a pass or a fail grade. In other words, it is not graded on a scale of more than two marks. To receive a pass mark in their projects, students are required to attain all the diploma project objectives. It shall be possible within the upper secondary adult education system to obtain both higher edu- cation preparatory diplomas and vocational diplomas. The objectives in upper secondary education and in upper secondary adult educa- tion shall be the same but the path towards a diploma may vary. Flexibility and the use of validation are required for adult students. If a student fails the diploma, he or she will receive a study certificate showing which grades he or she has attained during the programme. I propose that the current concept of final grades be abolished. It shall be possible for the student to sit or take the diploma in the upper secondary adult education system. Diploma tutors in upper secondary education I propose that there should be at least one diploma tutor for each programme at a school. He or she shall be responsible for practical diploma issues. This may be a question of approving the design of diploma projects and representing the school in discussions with industries, institutes of higher education and other upper secon- dary schools. The diploma tutor shall be able to assist the principal when appointing supervisors and responsible assessors of diploma projects and administrate implementation of the diploma. A diploma tutor on a higher education preparatory programme shall if possible be a senior subject teacher with a PhD. One aim shall be to have at least one senior subject teacher per programme. Diploma tutors on vocational programmes shall be vocational teachers with good skills in the programme-specific subjects of the programme in question. My proposals as regards diploma tutors mean that I see these teachers as being responsible for a national task to ensure the edu- cation is at the right level and meets the requirements set down in the diploma objectives. I also see them as an important resource in the efforts to attain national equity and to include teachers as a professional group in the national quality system. Eligibility, admission and selection The current system of general eligibility requirements met in three subjects, Swedish, English and mathematics, for all programmes has been shown to have certain disadvantages. One such disadvan- tage is that students admitted to national programmes with very low admission qualifications have very chance of success, according to statistics compiled by the for Edu- cation.TPF7FPT In extreme cases, some students who start a national pro- gramme have only achieved pass grades in English, mathematics and Swedish/Swedish as a second language. Starting a programme with very chance of success is problematic. Students who drop out of upper secondary school have been shown to be a very vulnerable group on the labour market. I therefore consider it important to create a system that ensures students admitted to national programmes have, as far as possible, a good chance of successfully completing the programme, which normally involves passing the diploma. It is on the other hand equally important not to exclude students, who actually have a good chance of taking the diploma, by specifying admission requirements that are too tough. Another disadvantage of the current system is that for some students at the end of their compulsory education, there is too 7TP for Education: Statistics compiled for the Commission, Table 12 in the commission report's annex of tables (3). much concentration on the three essential qualification subjects to the detriment of other subjects. Broadening the qualification requirements to encompass more subjects may help to raise the status of other compulsory school subjects and to emphasise com- pulsory education as a broad education in good citizenship. I propose the following eligibility requirements for vocational programmes, including apprenticeship programmes: Pass grades in at least eight subjects including Swedish/Swedish as a second language, mathematics and English. The school governing body is entitled to admit students who, for special reasons, lack the necessary eligibility in English if their chances of success on the programme are deemed to be good. Students admitted under this dispensation shall be guaranteed special support established in an action programme. The following eligibility requirements are proposed for students on higher education preparatory programmes: Pass grades in at least 12 subjects including Swedish/Swedish as a second language, mathematics and English. Programme-specific eligibility requirements: Pass grades in geography, history, religion and civics to do the Economics Pro- gramme, the Arts and Humanities Programme and the Social Science and Media Programme. Pass grades in biology, physics and chemistry are required to study the Natural Science Programme and the Technology Pro- gramme. Dispensation from the requirement for a pass grade in English can be given as above. Eight and twelve subjects respectively When choosing the minimum number of subjects in which a student shall have attained at least a pass grade, on eight for vocational programmes, which is half the lowest possible number of subjects read by a student at compulsory school. This requirement for a minimum number of eight grades, including grades in some specific subjects, is clearly more stringent than the current eligibility requirements. As regards higher education preparatory programmes, I have decided on a requirement for twelve subject passes. This means that a student can fail four subjects (five if he or she has grades in optional foreign languages) without being excluded from admis- sion to a higher education preparatory programme. I consider this to be reasonable from a legal rights point of view, since students might be skilled at certain subjects of special importance for the programme they have applied to, though having failed in some subjects that are not crucial to success in the same programme. I am of the opinion that higher education preparatory pro- grammes are more of a direct extension of compulsory school subjects than vocational programmes are. Most programme- specific subjects on vocational programmes have no direct link to compulsory school subjects, whilst most programme-specific sub- jects on higher education preparatory programmes do. Compul- sory school grades therefore provide a better forecast of success on higher education preparatory programmes than on vocational programmes. This is why I have decided on a requirement for at least eight subjects for the latter programmes and twelve subjects for the former. The Commission has performed impact analyses of these changes to the eligibility requirements with the help of the for Education. As regards the vocational pro- grammes, the proposed change would probably only cause an increase of about 0.5 percentage unit in the number of ineligible students. The dispensation proposed by the Commission may even give more students the opportunity to start studying a national programme. The impact of the changes on higher education preparatory programmes is more difficult to judge. The proportion of students who in 2006 would have been ineligible under the new rules for admission would have increased from 10.5 to about 12 percent. The commission report presents the results per programme. It is important to stress that a change in the eligibility rules has a signal value and should lead to students with very weak results, who are at present admitted to upper secondary school, becoming ineligible.