- Funding Programme
- Year
- 2020
Supporting young people to succeed - Building capacities to better integrate non-formal and formal learning
The Commission supported the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research on a reform to better integrate formal education (general school education, vocational education and training) and non-formal learning (non-school activities, including youth work). The main purpose of the reform is to create more flexible learning pathways that are better adapted to individual learners, reduce young people’s workload and stress, and focus on their achievements.
Context
In Estonia, non-formal and formal learning environments and the associated (human) resources are not well integrated. Their respective and joint potential is therefore not maximized for the individual learner.
There is high participation of students in non-school activities that provide learning experiences and skills that are currently not recognised or accredited and at times repeated in regular school lessons.
At the same time, Estonian students are among Europe’s most stressed and most unhappy students. Up to 20% of youth is estimated to struggle from mental health issues, and early school leaving is above EU average. The significant workload from school is likely to be one of the contributing factors.
Importantly, not integrating formal and non-formal learning also causes an underuse of human capital, which in turn leads to skills shortages and mismatches with labour market needs.
Support delivered
The technical support was delivered, inter alia, through an analysis of the current situation in Estonia and good practice from other countries. While no other Member State has so far tackled the issue in a comprehensive manner relevant approaches were found in Malta, Finland, and in New Hampshire in the United States. Examples of good practice were analysed and discussed through online peer exchanges with experts from these education systems, and through a study visit to Finland.
The project further included an ex-ante assessment of the impact of different changes to legislation, policy and funding models. A set of new guidelines for both schools and providers of non-formal learning was jointly developed and validated with a standing working group of Estonian stakeholders from both the formal education system and the non-formal learning sector. As part of the process these guidelines were piloted in several municipalities across the country.
The project developed recommendations for a comprehensive strategy to implement and communicate the reform. An external evaluation provided a formative assessment of progress during the project and of the achievement of project outcomes at its conclusion.
Results achieved
As a result of the technical support the Estonian authorities are now able to pursue the most effective policy options to achieve better integration of non-formal and formal learning, including changes to legislation, funding schemes, curricula, as well as modes of governance and local co-operation.
The project provided Estonia with a set of guidelines for the integration of formal and non-formal learning, which were co-created, validated and piloted together with providers from both formal and non-formal education and local governments.
These practical guidelines were complemented with recommendations to the authorities on devising and implementing the reform, including a concept for a communication strategy.
On the basis of the project outputs the Estonian authorities are planning to set up a system of mentors to support the implementation of the reform by 2025. The authorities intend to produce guidance material for the mentors and those implementing the measures at local government level. They are also planning to adapt the format and content of curricula in non-formal learning, and to financially support co-operation projects set up by groups of local governments.
As a long-term impact this reform is expected to contribute to a more flexible education system which puts the individual learners and their achievements at the centre of its attention. Better adapted learning pathways which recognise young people’s activities in both formal and non-formal learning contexts should reduce their overall study load thus raising their well-being and decrease the risk of early school leaving.
More about the project
You can read the documents related to the project here: