The EU has announced a new pilot reform project designed to improve the Portuguese vocational education and training system, as part of its wider education strategy.
The reforms to the Portuguese vocational education and training system will be carried out as part of a pilot phase of the EU’s proposed Reform Delivery Tool, which is set to launch after 2020. The pilot phase will take place from 2018-2020, and allow member states to access funds from the performance reserve of the European Structural and Investment Funds.
The Portuguese project is designed to address an emerging skills gap in the country, which is posing major structural challenges to Portugal’s economy. Efforts to reform the Portuguese vocational education and training system are in line with the EU’s priorities for upskilling to create new opportunities for adults, and with Portugal’s National Strategy to promote economic growth.
The project will involve a co-ordinated series of measures, designed to:
- Increase access to adult education and training;
- Improve the quality and relevance of learning programmes; and
- Emphasise the sustainability of education and training policies, and their governance structures.
Through these measures, the programme aims to enhance the competitiveness of the Portuguese economy and address the skills challenges of a significant share of the Portuguese labour force.
What did the EU say about the project?
In a joint statement, President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, said that there were benefits for both parties under the agreement.
Because the legislation does not yet exist to provide financing through the European Structural and Investment Funds, funding for the new project will be sourced from elsewhere, but this will offer the commission the opportunity to test the specifics of a Reform Delivery Tool, the statement said.
It read: “Ahead of the entry into force of … the Reform Delivery Tool, the Portuguese authorities and the European Commission will mobilise funding available under existing EU instruments. The European Commission will also seek to provide the necessary technical support for the realisation of this pilot reform project. Both sides will also use this pilot reform project to test the merits and functioning of the future Reform Delivery Tool.”
