Analysis of context

Legal framework in Czech Republic

VET CURRICULA

VET curricula (framework educational programmes of vocational education and training, RVPs) include eight types of competences:

  1. Communication skills: covering communication (oral as well as written form) in Czech and at least in one foreign language, ability to discuss and justify one’s view point, ability to process administrative paperwork, working documents and longer texts on common as well as specialised topics (shortened). It promotes also reading and informational literacy – ability to work with a text and information.
  2. Learning competences:
    • ability to learn efficiently, evaluate acquired results and progress achieved and set realistic goals and needs for one’s own further educational path;
    • ability to apply various methods of work with a text (esp. study and analytical reading), to be able to search and process information efficiently; to master reading literacy; to use various information sources – including other people’s experiences – when learning;
    • monitor and evaluate one’s own progress while achieving the learning goals, to be able to accept evaluation of one’s own learning outcomes also from other people, to know the possibilities of further education particularly in one’s own field and profession.
  3. Problem solving skills :
    • ability to tackle independently common issues at work as well as in one’s private life,
    • ability to co-operate with other people while looking for a solution to issues and problems (team work)
    • Learning competences and problem solving skills are developed primarily through a choice of appropriate teaching methods for individual subjects
  4. Personal and social skills:
    • to be able to set, on the basis of knowledge of one’s own personality, realistic goals for personal development in the area of leisure as well as work,
    • to take care of one’s health, interact with other people (work in team) and contribute to the formation of good interpersonal relationships,
    • to be able to adapt to changing living and working conditions and influence them in a positive manner according to one’s own capabilities and possibilities,
    • to be ready to address one’s own social and economic affairs, to master financial literacy;
    • to work in team and participate in joint work and other activities;
    • to accept and carry out assigned tasks in a responsible fashion.
    • Competences are developed both in the framework of selected educational areas and subjects, e.g. social sciences, health education, economic education, psychology, practical training, particularly practice in real work environment as well as in other forms (courses, student projects). The emphasis is placed on creating positive environment at school and in the classroom. Development of these competences is promoted also by cross-subject topics, in particular by Citizen in a democratic society.
  5. Mathematical competences :
    • Functional use of mathematical skills in various life situations, to be able to read and create different forms of graphic representation (tables, diagrams, charts, schemes, etc.), to apply effectively mathematical methods while solving practical tasks in common situations.
    • Competences are developed within a separate subject – mathematics and in applied form also in other subjects, particularly the vocational ones.
  6. Civic competences and cultural awareness :
    • ability to act responsibly, independently and actively not only in one’s own but also in public interest;
    • to obey the laws and respect human rights and individuality of other people (or their cultural differences); actively speak out against intolerance, xenophobia and discrimination;
    •  to act in line with moral principles and rules of ethical behaviour, contribute to the implementation of democratic values; to respect traditions and values of one’s own nation, to understand its history (past) and present in European as well as world context;
    • to promote the values of local, national, European as well as world culture and adopt a positive attitude towards this culture; to get to understand the importance of the environment for humans and act in a spirit of sustainable development.
  7. ICT competences and information literacy:
    • ability to work with a PC and other means of information and communication technologies; ability to work with the common basic and application software; ability to learn to use new applications;
    • ability to get information from open sources, in particular from the Internet; to work with information from various sources carried on different types of media (printed, electronic, audio-visual) also with the use of other means of ICT; to be aware of the need to assess credibility of different sources of information and to adopt critical approach to obtained information presented by the mass media, i.e. media literacy.
  8. Employment and entrepreneurial competences: optimal use of one’s own personal and professional assets in order to be successful in the world of work, while building and developing one’s own professional career and the related need for continuing education; to adopt a responsible attitude towards one’s own professional future and thus also education; to be aware of the importance of lifelong learning and to be ready to adapt to changing working conditions; to have an overview of the employment possibilities on the labour market in the given field; purposefully and responsibly decide about one’s own future educational path and professional career; to have a realistic idea about the salaries, working and other conditions in the field and about the requirements of the employers and being able to compare those with one’s own expectations and prerequisites; to be able to acquire and evaluate information on employment as well as educational opportunities, to be able to use advisory and intermediary services from both the world of work and education; to be able to communicate efficiently with potential employers, to present one’s own professional potential and career goals; to have knowledge on general rights and obligations of employers and employees; to understand the nature and principles of entrepreneurship, to be aware of the legal, economic, administrative, personal and ethical aspects of entrepreneurship; to be able to seek and assess business opportunities in line with the reality of the market environment, one’s own prerequisites and other options.