Official Translation

Official Translation Official Translation REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA LAW ON VOCATIONAL EDUCATION October 14, 1997 No. VIII-450 Vilnius (Last amended on 21 July 2009 – No XI-380) CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 1. Purpose of the Law 1. This Law shall establish: 1) the structure of a system of vocational education; 2) setting, administration and grating of qualifications; 3) organisation and management of vocational education; 4) financing of vocational training. 2. The regulations of this Law shall not apply to higher education. Article 2. Main Definitions of this Law 1. “Institution for assessment of competences” means social partners and other legal persons, accredited in the manner prescribed by the Government, who are granted the right to assess the competences acquired by a person. 2. “Form of organising vocational education at school” means when education is carried out at a vocational educational establishment or in any other school. Practical training may be carried out at an enterprise, establishment, organization, farmer’s farm, with a freelance teacher. 3. “National Qualifications Framework” means a system of the levels of qualifications set in the Republic of Lithuania and based on the competences needed for person’s activities. 4. “Apprenticeship form of organising vocational education” means when training is carried out in the workplace: in an enterprise, establishment, organization, farmer’s farm, with a freelance teacher. Theoretical training may be performed at a vocational educational establishment or in any other school. 5. “Primary vocational education” means vocational education intended for acquisition of an initial qualification. 6. “Practical training” means development of occupational skills at a vocational educational establishment, any other establishment and/or enterprise, farmer’s farm, with a freelance teacher. 7. “Vocational teacher” means a teacher performing theoretical or/and practical vocational training. 8. “Vocational information” means systematic provision of information relating to the matters of vocational education, demand of qualifications in the labour market and occupational choice. 9. “Vocational counselling” means help rendered to a person to take a rational decision on occupational choice, taking into consideration his individual characteristics, demands of the labour market and opportunities for vocational education. 10. “Vocational education” means education according vocational training curricula, which helps a person to acquire a qualification or to improve it. 11. “Vocational educational establishment” means a school or any other establishment the main purpose of which is vocational education. 12. “Vocational education quality assurance” means systems and procedures created and implemented by state institutions and providers of vocational education so that the vocational education quality corresponds to the set indices. 13. “Vocational training curriculum” means an education programme which is formalised variedly and the aim of the content, ways and methods of conveyance of which are to grant the set competences. 14. “Module of a vocational training curriculum” means an independent, predefined part a vocational training curriculum. 15. “Provider of vocational education” means a vocational educational establishment, a freelance teacher and any other provider of vocational education (a school of general education, an establishment, an organisation, an enterprise whose main activity does not comprise vocational education), who, according to the procedure laid down by law, has the right to prepare and/or implement vocational training curricula. 16. “Vocational guidance” means the process comprising vocational information and counselling. 17. “Centre for vocational guidance” means a legal person or its branch, which renders vocational guidance services. 18. “Vocational training standard” means regulations of acquisition of qualifications in the vocational education system. 19. “Vocational standard” means a list of qualifications, competences necessary to acquire these qualifications, assessment criteria and methods. 20. “Social partners” means institutions of employers (the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, the Lithuanian Business Employers’ Confederation), institutions of business self-government (the Lithuanian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, the Chamber of Agriculture of Lithuania) and organisations representing the interests of employees (Lithuanian Confederation of Trade Unions, the Lithuania Trade Union Solidarumas, the Lithuanian Labour Federation) as well as other institutions of employers, business self-government, organisations representing the interests of employees, approved by the Government, which, together with the public administration institutions, perform the functions established by this Law. 21. “Continuing vocational education” means vocational education designed for improvement of the qualification possessed by a person or for acquisition of another qualification. 22. “Human resource development” means the development of labour force, knowledge, skills and competences. Article 3. Purposes of the Vocational Education System The purposes of the vocational education system shall be as follows: 1) to help a person to acquire a qualification and competences which correspond to the current level of science, technology, economics and culture, help him to secure his position and compete in a shifting labour market, guarantee the progress of the national economy, competitiveness in the international market and sustainable development; 2) to create conditions for persons with various needs and abilities for life-long learning, upgrading qualification and requalification; 3) to ensure accessibility and quality of vocational education; 4) to ensure that qualifications meet the needs of the national economy, to guarantee the objectivity of competence assessment, qualification award and recognition; 5) to ensure the effective functioning of a system of vocational guidance. Article 4. Principles of the vocational education system 1. The principles of the vocational education system shall be as follows: 1) equal opportunities – the vocational education system is socially just, it ensures equality of persons without prejudice to their gender, race, nationality, language, origin, social status, belief, convictions or attitudes; it guarantees to every person the acquisition of a primary qualification and creates conditions to improve the acquired qualification or to acquire a new one; 2) contextuality – the vocational education system is closely related with the context of national economic, social, cultural development, it renews together with the said development and meets the ever-changing needs of the labour market; 3) efficiency – the vocational education system seeks good results of vocational education by knowingly and economically using the available resources and invoking effective management – appropriate and timely decisions which are taken together with social partners; 4) continuity – the vocational education system is flexible, open, based on the interaction of various forms and institutions of education; it creates for each person the conditions for life-long learning. CHAPTER II COMPOSITION OF THE Vocational education SYSTEM Article 5. Vocational education system 1. The vocational education system of Lithuania shall comprise: 1) primary vocational education; 2) continuing vocational education; 3) vocational guidance. Article 6. Primary vocational education 1. Primary vocational education shall be provided for persons who are at least 14 years old: 1) who have acquired the basic or secondary education; 2) who have not acquired the basic education; 3) who have studied according to special training curricula. 2. A provider of vocational education shall create conditions for a student who has not acquired the basic education to continue education according to the basic education curriculum. 3. A person who has acquired the basic education may choose education according to a vocational training curriculum or concurrently study according to the secondary curriculum as well. 4. When a student studies according to the vocational training curriculum, modules of general education technologies subjects or vocational training curricula shall be validated according to the procedure laid down by the Minister of Education and Science. 5. A student who has completed a formal vocational training curriculum and/or who has acquired the assessment of the competences he acquired in a prescribed manner shall be awarded the qualification of an appropriate level. 6. A student who has completed the basic education curriculum in parallel with the vocational training curriculum shall acquire the basic education and when such a student completes the secondary curriculum and passes matura examinations in the manner prescribed by the Minister of Education and Science, he shall acquire the secondary education. Article 7. Continuing vocational education 1. Continuing vocational education shall comprise formal and non-formal vocational education. 2. The achievements of the previous studies shall, in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Minister of Education and Science, be validated for a person who upgrades the qualification held or seeks to acquire another qualification. 3. A person who has completed a formal vocational training curriculum and/or has received in a prescribed manner the assessment of the competences he acquired, shall be awarded the qualification of an appropriate level. 4. Upon assessment of the competences acquired in the course of person’s non-formal vocational education, they may be recognised as the qualification of an appropriate level or a part thereof in accordance with the procedure for assessing competences acquired by a person, as laid down by the Minister of Education and Science and coordinated with the Minister of Social Security and Labour. Article. 8 Vocational guidance 1. Vocational guidance services shall be provided for all residents of Lithuania. 2. Vocational guidance shall be carried out in schools of general education, establishments of vocational education, centres for vocational guidance, labour exchanges in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Minister of Education and Science together with the Minister of Social Security and Labour. 3. A municipal executive institution shall plan, organise and administrate vocational guidance in compliance with the procedure laid down by the Minister of Education and Science together with the Minister of Social Security and Labour. CHAPTER III QUALIFICATIONS SYSTEM Article 9. Purpose and composition of the qualifications system 1. The purpose of the qualifications system shall be to ensure the correspondence of the qualifications meet the economic needs, their transparency, comparability, continuity of education, occupational and geographical mobility. 2. The qualifications system shall be based on the cooperation between social partners, the State and educational establishments. 3. The qualifications system shall comprise the formation and management of qualifications, the assessment of the competences acquired by a person and the award of qualifications. 4. The qualifications system shall be managed by an institution authorised by the Minister of Education and Science (hereinafter referred to as the “qualifications management institution”). Article 10. Formation and management of qualifications 1. A qualification shall be based on competences. A vocational standard shall set competences necessary to acquire qualifications. 2. Qualifications shall be managed by the qualifications management institution on the basis of the National Organisation of Qualifications laid down by the Government. 3. In order to coordinate strategic issues of the formation of the qualifications system the qualifications management institution shall set up a central vocational committee made up of representatives of state, municipal institutions, establishments and social partners, and in order to approve vocational standards – sectorial vocational committees. 4. The Minister of Education and Science shall establish the tasks and functions of central and sectorial vocational committees of the qualifications management institution, as well as the procedure for setting up and financing these committees. Article 11. Assessment of competences and award of qualifications 1. The Government shall lay down requirements for institutions for assessment of competences and the procedure for accrediting them. 2. An institution for assessment of competences shall organise the assessment of the competences acquired by a person, on the basis of the procedure for assessing competences acquired by a person, laid down by the Minister of Education and Science and coordinated with the Minister of Social Security and Labour. 3. A qualification shall be awarded to a person who has acquired all the competences set by an appropriate vocational standard or an appropriate vocational training standard and necessary for acquisition of a qualification, and in the absence of the said standards, all the competences set in an appropriate vocational training curriculum which is registered in the Register of Studies, Training Programmes and Qualifications. 4. A person shall be awarded a qualification by a provider of vocational education, upon receipt of the results of the assessment of the competences. 5. The Minister of Education and Science and the county governor shall, in pursuance of the regulations of the state supervision of education, approved by the Government, perform the supervision of award of qualifications. CHAPTER IV ORGANISATION AND QUALITY OF Vocational education Article 12. Preparation and legitimization of vocational training curricula 1. Vocational education shall be carried out in accordance with the curricula of formal and non-formal vocational education. 2. A provider of vocational education may accept persons for studying and start implementing curricula of formal vocational education only after the receipt of the licence issued by the Ministry of Education and Science. 3. A provider of vocational education, any other natural or legal person, branches of the enterprises established in the Republic of Lithuania, the enterprises established in the member states of the European Union and other states of the European Economic Area shall have the right to prepare vocational training curricula. 4. A formal vocational training curriculum shall be intended for acquisition of a qualification recorded in the Register of Studies, Training Programmes and Qualifications, which is established by the Government. 5. The procedure for preparing and legitimizing formal vocational training curricula shall be laid down by the Minister of Education and Science. 6. A formal vocational training curriculum must meet the vocational standard defining the qualification or an appropriate vocational training standard. 7. Formal vocational training curricula may be implemented together with general education curricula or supplemented with other curricula designated for person’s socialisation, self-realisation, securing of his position in the labour market. 8. Formal vocational training curricula, qualifications, vocational standards and vocational training standards shall be registered in the Register of Studies, Training Programmes and Qualifications. 9. A non-formal vocational training curriculum shall be intended for acquisition of competences or development thereof. 10. The requirements for non-formal vocational training curricula and their implementation may be established by an institution commissioning education according to this curriculum or financing it. 11. Non-formal vocational training curricula may be registered in the Register of Qualifications Development Programmes and Events. Article 13. Setting-up, ceasing to exist and restructuring of vocational educational establishments. Development of the network 1. Vocational educational establishments may be set up by legal and natural persons, as well as groups of such persons and branches of the enterprises established in the Republic of Lithuania, the enterprises established in the member states of the European Union and other states of the European Economic Area. 2. Vocational educational establishments shall be reorganised, liquidated and restructured in compliance with the Civil Code. 3. The network of vocational educational establishments shall be developed in compliance with the Law on Education. Article 14. Enrolment 1. Providers of vocational education, with the exception of the providers of vocational education of internal affairs, providers of vocational education who execute applications for the enrolment in state-financed vocational training curricula for acquisition of the primary qualification, filed by the persons to whom the Law on Support for Unemployment and the Law on Social Integration of the Disabled are applied, shall, taking into consideration the needs of the labour market, submit applications for the enrolment in state-financed vocational training curricula for acquisition of the primary qualification to the county governor. 2. The plan of enrolment in state-financed vocational training curricula of the persons wishing to acquire the primary qualification, with the exception of the persons to whom the Law on Support for Unemployment, the Law on Social Integration of the Disabled or the Law on the Approval of the Statute of the Internal Service, shall be approved by the Minister of Education and Science, after the receipt of an application of the county governor, coordinated with the vocational education council of the county, and in the curricula executed by the vocational educational establishments of the internal affairs – by the Minister of the Interior. 3. The procedure of enrolment of persons wishing to acquire the primary qualification in a state or municipal vocational school – a budgetary establishment – shall be laid down by the founder of the school, and in a state or municipal vocational school – a public establishment – by a general meeting of the partners (the owner), in compliance with the general criteria of enrolment, approved by the Minister of Education and Science. 4. The procedure of enrolment of persons in a non-state vocational school shall be laid down by a general meeting of the partners (the owner), on the basis of the requirements established for them in vocational training curricula. 5. A person who wishes to acquire the primary qualification at an enterprise, establishment, farmer’s farm or freelance teacher, to improve the qualification possessed or to acquire another qualification, shall be enrolled in accordance with the requirements laid down in the vocational training curricula or in accordance with the procedure laid down by an enterprise, establishment or a farmer. 6. The enrolment of persons in vocational education establishments of internal affairs shall be regulated by the Law on the Approval of the Statute of the Internal Service. 7. The provider of vocational education shall lay down the procedure of enrolment according to non-formal vocational training curricula. 8. Person’s enrolment according to a vocational training curriculum shall be executed in the form of a vocational education contract. The requirements for vocational education contracts of internal affairs and the procedure of registration thereof shall be laid down by the Minister of the Interior, the requirements for other vocational education contracts and the procedure of registration thereof shall be laid down by the Minister of Education and Science in conjunction with the Minister of Social Security and Labour. Article 15. Forms of organisation of vocational education 1. Vocational education shall be organised in school and apprenticeship forms. 2. The school form of vocational education shall be applied by a vocational educational establishment or any other school in which theoretical education and practical training are carried out. When a vocational education establishment concludes a vocational education contract with an enterprise, establishment, organisation for which vocational education is not the main activity, with a farmer, freelance teacher and a student, practical education may be carried out in the workplace. 3. When applying the apprenticeship form, a provider of vocational education shall conclude employment and vocational education contracts. Practical training of a person shall be organised in his workplace, and theoretical education may be carried out in a vocational educational establishment, following the conclusion by the provider of vocational education of a vocational education contract with the this establishment and a student. Article 16. Vocational education of persons with special needs 1. Persons with special needs shall be provided in compliance with the procedure laid down by legal acts with the conditions to study according to vocational training curricula and to acquire a qualification. 2. Persons who completed special training curricula may get education together with other students according to vocational training curricula adapted to them. 3. Institutions authorised by the Government may order at vocational educational establishments the vocational training curricula for persons with special needs. 17. Vocational education of persons who are deprived of freedom or whose freedom is restricted 1. Persons who are deprived of freedom or whose freedom is restricted shall be provided with the conditions in the manner prescribed by the Government or an institution authorised by it to get education at special reformatory places or places of confinement. 2. Vocational education of these persons shall be combined with social integration measures. Article 18. Ensuring of vocational education quality 1. Ensuring of vocational education quality shall be guaranteed by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Social Security and Labour and the qualifications management institution within the powers granted to them by this Law. 2. In order to ensure vocational education quality the internal and external assessment and monitoring of management and pedagogical activities of providers of vocational education shall be performed: 3. The provider of vocational education shall: 1) together with the founder ensure material provision of organising the vocational education process; 2) organise development of the vocational training curricula, which meet the needs of the economy and ensure the correspondence of the vocational training curricula with the vocational training standards or professional standards; 3) transfer for a person the subjects of technologies of general education, the modules of vocational training curricula; 4) perform the internal assessment of management and pedagogical activities of a vocational educational establishment, 5) upon receipt of the results of the assessment of the competences, award a qualification to a person. 4. The external assessment of management and pedagogical activities of a vocational educational establishment shall be regulated by the Law on Education. 5. The provider of vocational education shall be responsible for vocational education quality. Article 19. Legitimating of qualifications and learning achievements 1. The following documents of qualifications and learning achievements shall be issues: 1) a qualification certificate – to a person who received the assessment of the competences required for that qualification; 2) a vocational education certificate – to a student who has completed the formal vocational training curriculum; 3) a certificate of vocational education achievements – to a student who has not completed the vocational training curriculum; 4) a certificate – to a person who has completed a module of the vocational training curriculum, the non-formal vocational training curriculum and (

1. or)has acquired the competence to perform certain work; 5) a certificate of competence assessment – to a person about the results of assessment of his competences. 2. The content, form and procedure for issuing documents of qualifications and learning achievements, specified in paragraph 1 of this Article, shall be defined by the Minister of Education and Science. 3. A student, who in parallel with the vocational training curriculum completes the basic education curriculum, shall be issued a certificate of basic education, a student who completes a secondary curriculum and passes the matura examinations – a certificate of secondary edcuation, a student who does not complete a secondary curriculum or does not pass the matura examinations – a certificate of learning achievements. 4. The recognition of the qualification acquired abroad for the qualification acquired in Lithuania and the attestation of the qualification acquired in Lithuania for the persons going abroad shall be regulated by the legal acts and international agreements of the European Union and the Republic of Lithuania. CHAPTER V RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PARTICIPANTS Article 20. Rights and duties of a student 1. The student shall be entitled: 1) to choose a form of education; 2) to impartial assessment of the acquired competence; 3) to the transfer of the subjects of technologies of general education, the modules of vocational training curricula, achievements of previous education; 4) to make use of the rights laid down by the Law on Education and other laws. 2. The student must: 1) adhere to the regulations of a vocational educational establishment, rules of student’s conduct, working arrangements of a vocational educational establishment and the provider of education who carries out practical training; 2) implement the conditions of the contract of vocational education; 3) those who are under 16 years of age, while studying under the vocational training curriculum, must continue studying under the basic education curriculum; 4) to perform the duties laid down by the Law on Education and other laws. Article 21. Rights and duties of the provider of vocational education 1. The provider of vocational education shall have the right: 1) to carry out primary and continuing vocational education; 2) to develop formal vocational training curricula and propose to record them in the Register of Studies, Training Programmes and Qualifications; 3) to develop non-formal vocational training curricula and to record them in the Register of Qualifications Development Programmes and Events; 4) in accordance with the procedure laid down by legal acts, to receive funds for implementation of vocational training curricula. 2. The provider of vocational education must: 1) ensure the quality of vocational education; 2) create the conditions of education provided for in vocational training curricula, ensure continuous renewal of the curriculum content and methods; 3) create conditions for teachers and other persons participating in the process of vocational education to improve their qualification. CHAPTER VI MANAGEMENT OF Vocational education. SELF-GOVERNMENT Article 22. Powers of the Ministry of Education and Science 1. The Ministry of Education and Science shall: 1) participate in the shaping of a vocational education policy and implement it; 2) participate in the creation and implementation of a policy of the development of human resources; 3) approve general plans of vocational education; 4) announce information about formal vocational training curricula executed by vocational education establishments, providers of vocational education who execute them and who possess licences to execute them, institutions which are granted the right to assess competences acquired by a person; 5) approve a plan of enrolment in state-financed vocational training curricula of persons wishing to acquire the primary qualification, with the exception of the persons to whom the Law on Support for Employment, the Law on Social Integration of the Disabled or the Law on the Approval of the Statute of the Internal Service apply; 6) approve general criteria of enrolment of persons in state and municipal vocational schools; 7) define the content, form and procedure of issuing documents of qualifications and learning achievements, specified in paragraph 1 of Article 19 of this Law; 8) approve the procedure of transfer of the subjects of technologies of general education and the modules of vocational training curricula; 9) fulfil the functions of founder of vocational educational establishments founded by the Ministry or assigned to it; 10) in the manner prescribed by the Government, issue licences to execute formal vocational training curricula; 11) prepare investment programmes for the development of the systems of vocational education and qualifications; 12) execute the supervision over the award of qualifications; 13) establish and manage the Register of Diplomas, Certificates of Secondary Education and Qualification Certificates and the Register of Qualifications Development Programmes and Events; 14) upon coordination with the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, approve the procedure for assessing competences acquired by a person, and the procedure for distributing the funds appropriated for assessment; 15) lay down the procedure of formal vocational training; 16) lay down the procedure for preparing and legitimizing formal vocational training curricula; 17) on the recommendation of the qualifications management institution, accredit institutions and grant them the right to assess competences acquired by a person; 18) set the tasks, functions of central and sectorial vocational committees of the qualifications management institution, as well as the procedure for setting up and financing such committees; 19) carry out other functions established by this Law and other legal acts. 2. The Ministry of Education and Science together with the Ministry of Social Security and Labour shall: 1) define the structure of vocational standards and vocational training standards, the procedure for preparing, changing and supplementing them, as well as approve them; 2) prepare the methodology for computation of vocational education funds for one student and submit this methodology to the Government for approval; 3) lay down general requirements for the regulations of vocational education councils of the counties; 4) lay down requirements for contracts of vocational education as well as the procedure of their registration; 5) lay down the procedure for performing vocational counselling; 6) execute financing of vocational training curricula from the state budget by applying the principle of appropriation of funds for education for one student. Article 23. Powers of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour 1. The Ministry of Social Security and Labour shall: 1) participate in the shaping of a policy of the development of human resources and implement it; 2) participate in the development and implementation of a vocational education policy; 3) organise predicative research on demand for qualified specialists; 4) fulfil the functions of founder of vocational educational establishments founded by the Ministry or assigned to it; 5) coordinate the qualification improvement of vocational teachers of vocational education establishments founded by the Ministry or assigned to it; 6) organise continuous professional education of employees working in the sphere regulated by the Ministry; 7) perform other functions laid down by this Law and other legal acts. Article 24. Powers of other ministries and Government bodies Other ministries and Government bodies shall: 1) participate in creating vocational standards within the limits of their competence; 2) fulfil the functions of founder of vocational educational establishments founded by them or assigned to them; 3) coordinate the improvement of qualifications of vocational teachers of vocational educational founded by them or assigned to them; 4) participate in the shaping of a policy of the development of human resources and implement it; 5) organise continuing vocational education of the employees from the sphere regulated by them; 6) submit proposals to state, municipal institutions regarding the optimisation of content and network of vocational training curricula, the plan pertaining to ensuring of vocational education quality and enrolment in vocational training curricula financed by the State. Article 25. Powers of the qualifications management institution The qualifications management institution shall: 1) organise the preparation of vocational standards and vocational training standards; 2) organise predicative research on demand for qualifications and work pertaining to shaping of a system of qualifications; 3) assess institutions and recommend them to the Ministry of Education and Science for accreditation and for assessment according to their preparedness the competences of a person; 4) perform other functions laid down by this Law and other legal acts. Article 26. Powers of the county governor The county governor shall: 1) participate in planning the enrolment of persons who wish to acquire the primary qualification in the state-financed vocational training curricula, carried out within the territory of the county; 2) set up a vocational education council of the county, approve its regulations and organise its work; 3) perform the functions of the founder of vocational educational establishments founded by him or assigned to him; 4) carry out the supervision over the activities of providers of vocational education; 5) initiate vocational education of persons with special needs; 6) carry out qualification improvement and performance evaluation of the heads of vocational educational establishments founded by him or assigned to him. Article 27. Powers of municipal institutions 1. A representative institution of the municipality shall: 1) initiate the creation of a network of providers of vocational education, meeting the needs of municipal residents; 2) in compliance with the criteria set by the Government, found, reorganise, liquidate and restructure vocational educational establishments established by it or assigned to it; 3) fulfil the functions of founder of vocational educational establishments founded by it or assigned to it. 2. An executive institution of the municipality shall: 1) participate in the enrolment of persons, who wish to acquire the primary qualification, in the state-financed vocational training curricula; 2) plan the enrolment of students in the vocational educational establishments founded by the municipal council or assigned to it; 3) carry out qualification improvement and performance evaluation of the heads of vocational educational establishments founded by the municipal council or assigned to it. 4) organise the evaluation of achievements in basic education as well as matura examinations of students of vocational educational establishments; 5) plan, organise and administrate vocational counselling. Article 28. Powers of social partners Social partners shall: 1) participate in the shaping of a vocational education policy; 2) initiate the preparation of new qualifications, vocational standards, vocational training curricula, participate in composing their content; 3) participate in the evaluation of vocational training curricula according to their correspondence to the needs of the economy, and coordinate them within the limits of their competence; 4) participate in planning the enrolment of students in state-financed vocational training curricula; 5) participate in carrying-out of vocational counselling; 6) coordinate organisation of assessment of the competences acquired by a person and participate in assessment of the competences acquired by a person; 7) participate in organisation of practical vocational training at an enterprise, establishment, farmer’s farm or with a freelance teacher and in performing of the supervision thereof; 8) participate in carrying-out of external assessment of management and pedagogical activities of vocational educational establishments; 9) participate in activities of vocational education councils of Lithuania and the counties, the central and sectorial vocational committees of the qualifications management institution. Article 29. The Vocational Education Council of Lithuania 1. The Vocational Education Council of Lithuania shall be an advisory institution when resolving strategic issues relating to vocational education. 2. The Vocational Education Council of Lithuania shall be composed in equal parts of representatives of state and municipal institutions, employees’ and business self-government institutions, and organisations representing the interests of employees. 3. The regulations of the Vocational Education Council of Lithuania shall be approved by the Government. CHAPTER VII FUNDING OF Vocational education Article 30. Sources of funding of vocational education 1. Vocational education shall be funded from: 1) the state budget; 2) municipal budgets; 3) the Employment Fund; 4) funds of social partners; 5) other funds received legally. Article 31. Funding of vocational education 1. Funds appropriated for vocational education shall consist of: 1) teaching funds; 2) maintenance funds; 3) funds for assessment of competences; 4) funds for material support; 5) investment funds for the development of systems of vocational education and qualifications; 6) funds for vocational counselling. 2. Teaching funds for formal vocational education shall be appropriated from the state budget and (
2. or)the Employment Fund, by applying the methodology of computation of teaching funds for one student, which is approved by the Government. 3. Non-formal vocational education shall, in the manner prescribed by legal acts, be financed by a natural or legal person who commissions training; it may be supported from the state, municipal budgets and the Employment Fund. 4. Teaching funds for budgetary and public establishments of vocational education as well as for providers of vocational education who implement state-financed vocational training curricula shall be appropriated from the state budget, municipal budgets or the Employment Fund. 5. Continuing vocational education of employees of an enterprise, establishment, farmer’s farm shall be carried out with the funds of the enterprise, establishment, farmer’s farm or the students. State budget funds may also be appropriated in accordance with the procedure laid down by legal acts for training of employees of an enterprise, establishment or farmer’s farm. 6. Vocational education of unemployed persons and persons warned about dismissal shall be financed in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Law on Support for Unemployment. 7. Funds for assessment of the competences of a person shall be appropriated by applying the methodology of computation of funds for one person, which is approved by the Government. Funds shall be allocated in accordance with the procedure of distribution of funds, laid down by the Ministry of Education and Science and coordinated with the Ministry of Social Security and Labour. 8. Funds for vocational counselling of students at schools of general education and vocational education shall be appropriated by applying the principle of distribution of funds for one student. 9. Funds for vocational counselling of persons in vocational counselling centres, labour exchanges shall be appropriated by the Ministry of Social Security and Labour in the manner prescribed by it. 10. Maintenance funds for a vocational educational establishment shall be appropriated by the founder. Maintenance funds may be appropriated for public establishments of vocational education from the state budget, municipal budgets or the Employment Fund. 11. Investment funds from the state budget intended for the development of the systems of vocational education and qualifications (construction, renovation, renewal of the material teaching base, preparation of standards, etc.) shall be appropriated according to investment programmes approved in the National Investments Programme of an appropriate year. Investment funds for vocational educational establishments may be also appropriated by the founder, in accordance with the procedure laid down by him. 12. In order to fulfil the functions laid down in subparagraphs 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of Article 28 of this Law, social partners may be appropriated the funds according to the approved estimates of income and expenditure from the appropriations allocated for that purpose by the ministries for the sphere of regulation of which these functions are provided for. Article 32. Material Support 1. Students who study according to vocational training curricula seeking to acquire the primary qualification, as well as students of vocational educational establishments of internal affairs may be paid a stipend and receive any other material support as prescribed by the Government. 2. Students with special needs seeking to acquire the primary qualification and do not receiving a stipend may be provided with meals and any other material support in accordance with the procedure laid down by legal acts. 3. Students whose education is carried out under the Law on Support for Unemployment or the Law on Social Integration of the Disabled shall be provided with material support in accordance with the procedure laid down by these Laws and the legal acts implementing them. Article 33. Payment for vocational education 1. At a non-state vocational educational establishment an additional payment for vocational education shall be fixed by the general meeting of the partners of the establishment (the owner). 2. The amount of the payment for non-formal vocational education at state and municipal vocational schools – budgetary establishments – shall be fixed by the founder of the school, at other schools – by the meeting of the partners (the owner). 3. Additional, not included in vocational training curricula practical teaching aids and education services (consultation, courses, etc.), rendered by vocational educational establishments, shall be provided for a fee. The amount of the fee for services rendered shall be determined by the head of the vocational educational establishment after consultation with the council of the establishment.