The system of dual education has been operating in Slovakia for the sixth year (since September 1, 2015). Its primary goal is to better prepare vocational education students for working life.
This system is in charge of the State Institute of Vocational Education (abbreviated ŠIOV), which has its regional representative in each region. The Košice region is coordinated in this area by Ms. Ivana Kočanová, who started working on the dual education system in 2017 as the regional coordinator for the Prešov region and later for the Košice region.
ARR: Ms. Kočanová, opening question: In your opinion, what is the most significant benefit of dual education?
From my point of view, the biggest benefit of dual education is the increase in the employment of graduates, i.e. j. smooth transition of highly qualified workforce from education to the labor market.
ARR: How do you perceive the cooperation between schools and employers in the framework of dual education?
The greatest benefit of the cooperation of these entities is the connection of theoretical education at school with
by practical training in real conditions with employers, which also enables involvement
of professional pedagogues to innovative education at the employer in the form of professional internships of pedagogues at the employer.
The employer’s cooperation in updating the school’s educational program ensures professional acceptance of the school by employers, employers’ associations and the professional public.
ARR: How does Slovakia compare to other countries? Do you know examples of good practice from abroad?
Austria is among the leaders in the field of linking study at school and business practice.
In 2015, with the adoption of Act No. 61/2015 Coll. on vocational education and training and on the amendment of some laws, a system of dual education was introduced in Slovakia as well, which took its example from the German and Swiss model of the functioning of dual education.
ARR: Ms. Kočanová, you are in charge of dual education in the Košice region. What is the involvement of schools in the region? Do you perceive regional differences in dual education?
Currently, 34 schools are involved in SDV in the Košice region, in general Eastern Slovakia is known mainly for the involvement of a large number of small businesses or it often involves the involvement of self-employed people in dual education(DE). Due to the fact that students involved in this education have the opportunity to improve the financial status of their families through motivational scholarships, business scholarships, rewards for productive work and other material security from the employer, the interest of students to enter the DE is often greater in less developed districts.
ARR: Statistics show that the application of dualists is 25 percent better than non-dual education students. Do you know other statistics that clearly point in favor of practical education?
No, at the moment I only know this statistic, which was published in December, on the occasion of the final conference on the national project Dual education and increasing the attractiveness and quality of VET.
ARR: The closed facilities had a very negative impact on practical teaching at several schools. How do you perceive the impact of the current pandemic on the field of dual education? Have new flexible solutions emerged in this area?
The pandemic had a very large impact on the Gastronomy sector within the DE, where it was often necessary to redirect part of the practical teaching from the workplace of practical teaching to schools. At the same time, in the pandemic situation, the interest of new employers in entering the DE also decreased. The State Institute of Vocational Education, in cooperation with the Employers’ Council for the Dual Education System, responded very flexibly to the current situation, regularly issuing information for vocational education and training in cooperation with employers.
