INTERVIEWS
Development of vocational education in Azerbaijan is the requirement of the present time
Q: Consistent reforms are being carried out in Azerbaijan in the field of education. We would like to know your opinion of the state of vocational education?
A: The Azerbaijani state takes care of the development of education and science at the highest level. Progress in these fields, for its part, contributes to the rapid development of our country. One of the priorities of the policy pursued by the Azerbaijani state is the development of human capital. Investment in education is of great importance from this point of view.
The Heydar Aliyev Foundation has exceptional services in the fact that education has entered a new stage of development, strengthened its material and technical infrastructure. The Foundation’s “New school for a renewing Azerbaijan,” “Support for Education”, “Development of Orphanages and Boarding Schools” and other projects have played an important part in the development of this sphere. One of the factors stipulating the success of these programs and projects is that President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva pays constant attention to these issues. Hundreds of schools and additional buildings have been built and thousands of schools reconstructed in the country in recent years.
Goal of primary vocational education is to prepare competitive and modern mind specialists who understand their responsibility before Azerbaijan, respect to national traditions of nation, democratic principles, human rights, freedoms, who are loyal to patriotism, Azerbaijanism ideas, protect and develop independent, national-moral, universal values, who have wide background, the initiatives, is able to assess the novelties as well as possess theoretical knowledge.
Q: What about the work to develop vocational education?
A: Preparation of competence-based primary vocational education standards and curriculums, creation of modern income vocational centers and complexes according to the requirements of community on the sphere of primary vocational education, are envisaged in “State Strategy on development of education in Azerbaijan Republic” approved by Order dated October 24, 2013 of The President of Azerbaijan Republic. In accordance with need of secondary education community and labor market, it ensures preparation of secondary education specialist under different specialties for separate action spheres on basis of general secondary and complete secondary education.
Secondary education is organized under relevant education programs. Graduates who completed secondary education, are given exemplary document-diploma. Document about secondary education creates right of admission in the university and it’s considered as ground in order to get higher education in subsequent education phase.
Q: How can the Milli Majlis contribute to this? Do you plan making any proposals?
A: Yes I plan to make some proposals on this issue. As you know there are provisions related to vocational education in the law on education. We are ready to try our best to ensure the execution of these provisions and support all efforts on this front because this is an important social issue which needs to be addressed and which is associated with the fate of young people.
Q: Do you learn the international experience in this field?
A: Yes, of course. It is very important. As far as I know the best practice on this front is that carried out by Germany. They have a two-layer vocational education system, which involves both theory and practice, which is of great importance. So I think that this system can be a model to Azerbaijan. I`ve recently read in a Russian newspaper that a vocational school in Chelyabinsk purchased cutting-edge equipment from Switzerland. As a result the number of students at the school grew 5 or 6 times. So using the international experience is of particular importance, and there is a need to apply the best international practice to ensure the development of vocational education in Azerbaijan.