Early Warning System in VET to prevent drop-out

Implementation of the Early Warning System in upper secondary schools, including VET schools to prevent drop-out        

Financed by: UNICEF Albania

Implementation period: 02/2023 – 02/2025       

For the first time in VET schools, the Early Warning System aims to address dropout prevention in a structured and measurable approach. Our objective is twofold – to significantly reduce dropout rates by identifying at-risk students through the EWS and to foster a supportive learning environment that cultivates socio-emotional skills essential for personal and academic success of the youth in Albania.

School staff in 14 piloting schools has been trained and mentored by national and international experts on the implementation of the system by better understanding the difficulties they face with at risk students and challenges related to keeping them in school.

Another main objective of the project is providing grants to schools for the implementation of school-based projects, with ideas given from VET students. Projects from all 14 schools include the involvement of educators, parents, dormitory, local community, local businesses and the municipalities institutions.

Center for Competitive Skills wants to impact VET schools through a targeted and impactful intervention, with the help of UNICEF and NAES.

Anticipated outcomes include improved student retention, enhanced academic performance, and a generation of students equipped to face challenges both within and beyond the classroom walls.

Beneficiaries:

• +200 VET educational workers trained and mentored for the implementation of the EWS (including general & professional subjects teachers, representatives from the Development Unit, psychologists & social workers)
• +150 VET students mentored for sharing ideas on dropout prevention projects and peer to peer activities
• +70 VET students’ individual dropout prevention plans
• 14 VET schools in 6 regions
• 15 educational experts
• 6 NAES employees for EWS and socio-emotional learning

Designed documents:

• Training curricula
• Training Manual for EWS and socio-emotional learning
• Monitoring and QA instruments for implementation of the EWS in VET schools
• Project related templates with focus on EWS and socio emotional learning for dropout prevention
• Providing small grants to VET schools to implement school-based dropout prevention projects (financial mechanism/criteria for the funding disbursement)

Achievements:

• EWS working group is established in 14 VET schools, with the support of NAES
• Integration of the EWS & SEL activities on the school’s annual plans