‘Attitudes to social inclusion tend to become more negative as students get older, especially in vocational education schools,’ said Lida Kita, head of ETF social inclusion team. ‘So, it’s clear there is a great need to find out more how the vocational education and training sector can better play its role in promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship.’ Read more about new ETF publication ‘Teachers for the Future’.

In a recently published report entitled ‘Teachers for the Future’, the ETF takes an in-depth look into the role of the vocational education and training in contributing to equity, social cohesion and active citizenship.

‘The research indicates that attitudes to social inclusion tend to become more negative as students get older, especially in vocational education schools,’ said Lida Kita, head of ETF social inclusion team. ‘So, it’s clear there is a great need to find out more how the VET sector can play better its role in promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship in communities.’

The report collects and analyses research findings from studies in seven countries—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo*, Montenegro and Serbia.

According to the authors of the report, the preparation of teachers for working in real-life contexts of social and cultural diversity is fundamental to inclusive education. Still, teacher preparation in the Western Balkans has tended to assume that school populations are homogenous, despite the great social and cultural diversity, and troubled history.

While there have been some individual initiatives, or positive changes introduced in legislations and policies, the new report shows that in general little has been done to enhance the role of the vocational education and training (VET) sector in the area of social inclusion.

The report, and the evidence collected in the countries, can inform the development of policies and practices for inclusive education and teacher preparation in the region. It’s one of the outcomes of the ETF’s project ‘Social Inclusion through education and training’, which has been carried out in Western Balkans from 2008 to 2011.

* Under UNSCR 1244/1999

Find out more
Teachers for the Future: Teacher development for inclusive education in the Western Balkans