Kosovo* 2024

As of 2024, initial vocational education and training (VET) in Kosovo has become a more accessible and common choice for upper secondary students than continuing VET. In the 2022/23 school year, 53% of upper secondary students were enrolled in vocational schools—a rate comparable to that of many EU countries. Despite this, VET is still often regarded as a second-choice option, typically pursued by students who do not meet the criteria for gymnasiums. There are no specific admission requirements for vocational tracks, and many students continue to see VET as a simpler route to higher education rather than a first-choice career path.

Beyond initial VET, accessibility to learning remains limited, particularly for adults. Non-formal education opportunities are few and often fail to attract learners. In 2022, just 3.4% of registered jobseekers participated in training provided by Vocational Training Centres (VTCs), and only 2.5% were reached through active labour market measures coordinated by the Employment Agency of Kosovo. These figures, reflected in the 2024 monitoring results, point to limited reach and effectiveness in supporting adult upskilling, especially for those outside the formal education system.

The VET system in Kosovo does offer a degree of flexibility, enabling students to transition from vocational to higher education. However, such transitions are not always clearly defined or easy to navigate. Entry into VET requires completion of compulsory education and can lead to higher-level qualifications, but the lack of reliable data makes it difficult to track how many graduates continue to higher education or other opportunities. While learners can theoretically switch between vocational and general education, the absence of clear guidelines and procedures makes such moves challenging.

Although Kosovo reports relatively high progression and graduation rates in initial VET, gaps in the data hinder a full understanding of how students move through and beyond the system. For example, the dropout rate of 3.3% in 2021/22 raises questions about how well the system supports students in staying on track to complete their studies. Without better data and more transparent tracking, it is difficult to ensure that learners can make the most of their educational pathways.

Kosovo’s 2024 update confirms important progress in making initial VET more accessible, with enrolment levels now on par with many European countries. However, persistent perceptions of VET as a fallback option, limited adult learning opportunities, and unclear transition pathways continue to restrict the system’s effectiveness. Strengthening data collection, clarifying policies on progression and transfer, and improving outreach to adult learners will be essential steps for building a more inclusive and responsive VET system.

In 2024, VET in Kosovo continues to face significant challenges in providing learners with the basic skills and key competences needed for further learning and employment. According to data from the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), fewer than one in four students—including those in VET—reaches the minimum proficiency level in reading, mathematics, or problem-solving. The performance gap between vocational and general education students in Kosovo is one of the widest among OECD and EU countries, equivalent to nearly a full year of schooling. These challenges have deepened since the 2023 monitoring round, largely due to an increase in the share of low-performing students.

The adult population faces similar difficulties. According to World Bank surveys, only 32% of respondents demonstrated basic numeracy skills, just 12% met the threshold in problem-solving, and 14% failed core literacy tests. In parallel, a persistent mismatch between the skills acquired in VET and those demanded by employers continues to undermine the employability of graduates. Many vocational schools still offer programmes with limited relevance to labour market needs, leaving young people ill-prepared for real job opportunities.

Efforts to improve the quality and relevance of VET have gained momentum. Initiatives to promote work-based learning—such as internships and practical placements—are part of the solution, though participation remains low, with only around 7% of VET students engaged in such activities. Career guidance, on the other hand, remains one of Kosovo’s strengths. Guidance services play an important role in helping students plan their educational and career trajectories, especially in an evolving labour market.

In response to these challenges, Kosovo has introduced reforms to better align VET with economic demands. These include curriculum updates, the development of dual profiles in line with employer needs, and the piloting of dual training models. Instruments such as the National Qualifications Framework are also being used to promote excellence and innovation across the system. However, while these steps are promising, progress remains uneven.

Digital skills development, in particular, lags behind. Curricula are outdated, and many schools lack the infrastructure and teaching capacity needed to support digital competence. In contrast, Kosovo has taken steps to embed environmental sustainability into VET, but the integration of green skills across programmes still needs further development. Similarly, attention to excellence in pedagogy, leadership within VET institutions, and equity of access for all learners remains limited.

Kosovo continues to face persistent challenges in collecting internationally comparable data on education and training, and these have become more pronounced in 2024 compared to 2023. Gaps are particularly evident in data related to specific learner groups, which limits the ability of stakeholders to track the progress of policies designed to promote equity. Ongoing collaboration with international partners is helping to address these shortcomings. Efforts include improving data collection on teacher skills, school infrastructure, and work-based learning schemes. Kosovo’s participation in international surveys is also helping to harmonise data reporting and reduce duplication between agencies.

Kosovo’s Employment Agency (EARK) makes use of a well-developed Labour Market Barometer (LMB), which provides valuable insights into key labour market indicators. However, the overall completeness of this data remains a concern—particularly when it comes to monitoring long-term unemployment and identifying regional disparities in employment outcomes.

In the area of governance, one of the key issues in 2024 is the limited involvement of private sector actors in the planning and provision of vocational education. A new concern has also emerged in the field of quality assurance and accountability, which was previously a strength. Between 2023 and 2024, monitoring results show a broad-based decline across all indicators used to assess school accountability and quality assurance. This raises questions about the durability of earlier practices and about whether VET providers have sufficient capacity to monitor quality effectively. Leadership in schools remains a challenge. School directors often have little control over essential aspects such as budgeting and enrolment, and many are politically appointed, which weakens institutional autonomy and efficiency.

Although Kosovo invests a reasonable share of resources in vocational education, the funding model does not reflect the diverse needs of students. Moreover, private sector contributions remain limited. Many vocational schools also lack modern training equipment and digital tools for teaching and learning. While financial resources are broadly in place, converting them into improvements that make a real difference in classrooms remains a key challenge.