Closing Ceremony of the EU Twinning light Project “Strengthening the quality assurance and control of the educational system”

On 7 December 2016 in Skopje, after 8 months of implementation, at the premises of the Delegation of the European Union (EU), representatives of Lithuanian and Beneficiary Country (BC) institutions successfully closed the EU Twinning light Project “Strengthening the quality assurance and control of the educational system”.

The event was officially opened by the BC Project leader Ms. Emilija Ugrinovska, Head of Department for External Evaluation of National Examinations Centre. Mr. Nicola Bertolini, Head of Operations of EU Delegation and Ms. Mirushe Ameti, Director of National Examination Centre welcomed the participants of the event with welcoming speeches. Mr. Nicola Bertolini highlighted that activities which were implemented within the project are very important to build a more mature education system in BC and that the project gave the opportunity to share new innovative ideas and methods in the training of school directors. Therefore Ms. Mirushe Ameti emphasised that above all the successfully achieved results it is very important that the project has built and strengthened a long lasting relationship between two countries and this will help to ensure implementing future national and even international projects.

Continuing the event a Member State (MS) project leader Ms. Rasa Šnipienė on behalf of Lithuanian team thanked for the opportunity to work with a very dedicated group of people from the education field, which helped a lot to reach all the mandatory results. Also, it was stressed that the project has built a partnership not only between two countries but between the BC education community itself which participated in the project activities and this will help to ensure the sustainability of the achieved results. Finally, the MS Project leader emphasised that Lithuanian experts are ready to assist the partner in the BC to further develop the activities of the topic of the project.

In this regard a short-term expert Mr. Ričardas Ališauskas in his presentation stressed that big changes within the education system are rather slow thus aiming to rise better achievements of the students, what is the main aim of our work, is continuously do small things together.

Last, the BC Project leader Ms. Emilija Ugrinovska agreed with the main recommendations provided by the Lithuanian experts and informed that further steps will be taken aiming to strengthen the professional development of the directors.

Overall, this Twinning light project aimed at supporting the modernization of the primary and secondary education system by further strengthening of the quality assurance and control towards achieving higher student results and competencies. In addition, the current state of play regarding training and examination of directors was analyzed, the relevant legislative framework was revised and amendments proposed, the Programmes (modules) for the initial and advanced training and examination of directors of primary and secondary schools were revised and updated, Training of Trainers module for conduction of the training and examination was developed and piloted, one study visit to Lithuania conducted, Programme (Training Needs Assessment and Training Action Plan) was prepared and executed, recommendations for future interventions in the area of management of primary and secondary schools were prepared.

The above-mentioned EU Twinning light project of Lithuania in the Beneficiary Country was implemented by the following Lithuanian partner institutions: Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania, National Agency for School Evaluation, Education Supply Centre, and Education Development Centre and European Social Fund Agency.

EU Twinning is an instrument launched by the European Commission with a view to assisting EU Candidate countries and newly accepted EU MS to harmonise national legislation with the acquis of the European Union. Representatives from the public administrations of the EU MS and of beneficiary country work together in order to transfer the know-how and good practices developed within the EU to beneficiary public administrations during the implementation of the Twinning Project.

Short information for participants of the Final event