Financing WBL in Kosovo*

The VET education in Kosovo is financed by the public funds only. The financing of VET in Kosovo is done through the Ministry of Education, Science and technology. It mainly covers the costs of financing VET based on students’ per capita rate based on the annual budget approved by the Government, in accordance with the Law on Budget of the Republic of Kosovo.

The total annual amount from the public budget per student is 23 euro. This amount covers goods and services (consumables, running costs and other utilities) necessary for the daily school operation. While the salaries and wages of the school staff paid by the different budget line of the Municipality Education Directorate.

Based on the schools feedback this amount is not sufficient for the minimal operation. But based on the VET law, the VET schools are allowed to generate incomes by selling their products and services developed during the practical work of the students. This activity takes place only in a limited number of schools, mainly operating in the sector of agriculture, construction etc. The VET schools also  generate incomes by offering non formal adult education courses and by renting parts of their premises.

To improve the current situation of WBL in the country, this year, MEST allocated an additional one million euros to the VET schools, and this activity is intended to be replicated in the coming years.

There is no legislation in power that obliges the companies to finance the WBL. However, there are some companies that are volunteering by covering some of the WBL costs, like provision of the consumables, provision of the symbolic salary (from 50 to 150 euros), covering of the students’ health insurance, students’ transport and provision of the food.

By the companies interested in the collaboration, a limited number of the students, benefits the following: a symbolic salary (from 50 to 150 euros), covering of the students’ health insurance, students’ transport and provision of the food.

These activities are regulated through the Memorandum of the Cooperation signed mong all the parties and or educational contracts.

In cases where the schools reached the agreements, the monitoring of the financial obligations done by its management. Besides that, there are some cases where the projects and different partners intermediating this activity, and usually the monitoring done by them.