The presentation and discussion on the progress of the development of the Manual for the Implementation of the Validation of Non-Formal Education and Informal Learning (VNFIL) was the main topic of the fourth meeting of the Working Group for the Recognition of Prior Learning of the EU project for vocational education and skills recognition in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), held on March 20th and 21st, 2025, in Jahorina..

"Starting from the fact that BiH is striving to establish a system for the validation of non-formal education and informal learning, the Guide being developed by this working group will offer comprehensive guidelines for its establishment in the country. Therefore, it covers everything from the institutional level, through the organizational level of the institutions that will carry out the process, to the level of individuals, or candidates who wish to enter the process, i.e., officially recognize their knowledge gained in a non-formal or informal manner," explains Jasminka Marković, senior international expert for VNFIL.

The Guide was developed under the project’s Component 2 "Validation of Non-Formal Education and Informal Learning", and its development was preceded by the creation of a Situational Analysis on VNFIL in BiH, as well as the development of a Methodological Guide on the principles and standards of VNFIL in BiH.

At the fourth meeting of this working group, there was also a discussion about the possible institutional framework for the validation of non-formal education and informal learning, and an agreement was reached on the timeline and further activities related to improving the Guide.

The Working Group for the Recognition of Prior Learning operates within the project’s Component 2, which is focused on establishing a reliable VNFIL system in BiH, with the aim of developing and testing models for their recognition.

"I must emphasize that all members of this working group are fully engaged in the work, and there is an enthusiasm to produce quality documents that will contribute to the further development of the system for validation of the non-formal education and informal learning in BiH, including this Guide we worked on today. The VNFIL Guide will be a useful roadmap for all institutions that will implement this process and will help them carry it out in the best possible way," stated Olivera Hasković, Head of the Department for Secondary Vocational Education and Adult Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Sarajevo Canton.

Olivera Hasković also added that this entire process will be especially beneficial for individuals who have been unemployed for a long time and wish for their informally acquired knowledge, competencies, and skills to be evaluated in order to obtain a qualification or certificate that would be recognized in the labor market.

Based on the developed methodological guide, a training program will be implemented for a group of 150 potential VNFIL practitioners, and to test the VNFIL model, it is planned to conduct three pilot projects in three locations in BiH.

With the engagement and contribution of various stakeholders, the goal of the project activities is also to improve the efficiency and flexibility of the adult education and training system in BiH to meet the urgent needs of the labor market.

The Working Group for the Validation of Non-Formal Education and Informal Learning / Recognition of Prior Learning (VNFIL/RPL-WG) consists of representatives from the following institutions: Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH (MoCA), the Department for Vocational Education and Training at the APOSO Agency, the Institute for Adult Education of RS, Pedagogical Institutes, Ministries of Education and Science, as well as Ministries of Labor at the entity, canton, and Brčko District levels, and selected employer organizations (which will be determined during the project).