Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - Serbia (Ratification: 2000)

Formulation and implementation of education and training policies. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2013 as well as the observations made by the Union of Employers of Serbia, the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia (CATUS) and the Labour Union Confederation “Nezavisnost”. The Government indicates that active employment policy measures are implemented by the National Employment Service (NES) pursuant to the National Employment Strategy 2011–20, the National Employment Action Plan adopted annually and the NES Work Plan. The Committee notes that in 2010 the Government adopted a Career Guidance and Counselling Strategy and Action Plan 2009–14. This Strategy and its Action Plan set goals for the establishment of a National Career Guidance and Counselling Programme in education and employment. The Committee also notes that major efforts are under way to further develop three Information and Professional Counselling Centres open to all NES beneficiaries and to establish new ones, including mobile centres in rural areas. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report further information on the results of the measures taken to develop comprehensive and coordinated policies and programmes of vocational guidance and vocational training closely linked with employment and public employment services (Article 1(1)–(2) of the Convention). The Government is invited to include information on the bodies competent in the field of vocational guidance and vocational training, with an indication of the cooperation procedures that have been established between them (Article 1(1)–(4)). Please also provide further information on the National Career Guidance and Counselling Programme in education and employment.

Openness, flexibility and complementarity of systems. The Government provides details of its training programmes and highlights that the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Policy provides substantial support to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development in its efforts to develop vocational education. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing up-to-date information on the ways in which open, flexible, and complementary systems of general, technical and vocational education, educational and vocational guidance and vocational training have been developed (Article 2).

Youth employment and training. The Government indicates that the National Employment Strategy 2011–20 and the National Employment Action Plan 2013 define programmes and measures to promote youth employment, including through counselling, internships and support to young entrepreneurs. The Committee takes note that in 2013 the NES implemented the “Work Placement Programme” aimed exclusively at young unemployed people, enabling them to gain practical knowledge and skills for self-employment in a chosen vocation or to take a licensing or professional examination. The Committee invites the Government to provide detailed information on the results achieved with regard to vocational training and vocational guidance through the programmes and measures to promote youth employment included in the National Employment Strategy 2011–20, the Action Plan 2013 and in the “Work Placement Programme”.

Vulnerable groups. The Committee notes that in 2012 persons with disabilities were involved in various active employment policy measures, including training to more than 1,200 persons, career counselling to more than 700 persons, and subsidies granted to employers to create new jobs for more than 150 persons. The Committee also notes that the NES is to establish cooperation with the Forum of Young People with Disabilities, the Beli Stap Association, primary and secondary schools and other partners. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide in its next report information on the policies and programmes intended to promote access to education, training and lifelong learning for people with special needs (Paragraph 5(h) of the Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195).

Cooperation with the social partners. The Government indicates that it cooperates with its social partners and other relevant institutions when drafting strategic and operational documents, such as the National Career Guidance and Counselling Programme in education and employment. It also indicates that the NES continues to cooperate with schools and other partners as part of the Professional Orientation Programme in Serbia. The Committee notes the concern expressed by the Union of Employers of Serbia at the lack of their involvement in the development of strategic documents on the development and promotion of the education system. The Union of Employers highlights the need to reform the education system and stresses that all social partners have a significant role to play. The CATUS reiterates its concern previously expressed as to the necessity to adjust the Serbian education system to the new trends emerging in the contemporary economic and social context. The “Nezavisnost” points out that, although present policies and programmes have been designed with the involvement of the social partners, they fail to give satisfactory results in practice because these policies do not take into account the employment needs and government institutions that implement them without consulting other stakeholders. The Committee reiterates its previous comments and invites the Government to indicate, in its next report, the specific measures adopted to ensure the collaboration of the employers and workers and other interested bodies in the formulation and implementation of vocational guidance and vocational training policies and programmes, so as to fully take into account their experiences and views (Article 5).