Luxembourg

Introduction to the VET System in Luxembourg

There is a very strong link in the Luxembourgish education system between education and training, reflected by a single political and administrative structure covering both affairs: The Ministry for Education and Vocational Training. Another important characteristic of the educational and training system in Luxemburg is the openness to the outside world due to large-scale immigration, and the impact of the labour market on the education and training system. Despite its geographical small size, Luxembourgers are trilingual, speaking Luxembourg’s and learning German and French in school. This aspect of multilingualism is one of the most important aspects of the current education and training system of the country.

Although there have been some significant changes over the last decades, as far as Lifelong learning is concerned, the introduction of a modular approach in Luxembourg aimed to facilitate the adoption of training provision to existing needs and at motivating learners, who should be continually guided towards new learning thresholds. The validation of prior learning should enable those, who have interrupted their formal learning process, to return to training and those who have gained experience informally to engage in training without having to go through the full programme. Lifelong learning and guidance will be aimed at helping adults to avail of the new opportunities .

With a centralized structure, the Ministry of Culture, Higher Education and Research (Ministère de la culture, enseignement superior et recherché) is responsible for higher education, while the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (Ministère de l’éducation nationale et de la formation professionnelle) is responsible for all other education types, including VET. In terms of policy, this ministry is responsible for legislation and general policy on education and lifelong learning. This includes nursery, preschool, primary, secondary and technical secondary education, including apprenticeship, and adult education and vocational training, even including continuing training. The Ministry is also responsible for two particular fields, special education and education and training in State prisons and reform centres. It is also responsible for all aspects of socio-occupational integration training, vocational redeployment training and training measures to counter unemployment.

As far as social partners are concerned, the Chambers of Labour and Trade (chambres professionnelles) have the status of public establishments, are legal persons governed by civil law, enjoy financial autonomy and are supervised by the competent minister. Luxembourg has six such chambers: three representing employers (Chamber of commerce (chambre de commerce), Chamber of trades (chambre des métiers) and Chamber of agriculture (chambre d’agriculture)) and until 2008 three representing employees (Chamber of private-sector employees (chambre des employés privés), Chamber of labour (chambre de travail) and Chamber of civil servants and public employees (chambre des fonctionnaires et employés publics)) In 2009 there has been a fusion of Chamber of private-sector employees (chambre des employés privés) and Chamber of labour (chambre de travail) who a now the new chamber of employees ( Chanbre des salariés du Luxembourg).

These chambers act as independent think-tanks and are consulted officially since they are involved directly in Luxembourg’s legislative procedure. They are requested upon consultation on laws regarding labour, social security, environment, IVET and CVET.

They have a representation at national (Economic and Social Council, Tripartite Advisory Committee on Vocational Training,) and European level (Cedefop’s Supervisory Board, Advisory Committee on Vocational Training, etc.).

IVET

The Education Law of 10 August 1912 introduced compulsory education of 11 years, including two years of preschool, six years of primary and three years of post-primary education. State education is free of charge in Luxembourg. The costs of education are met from the State budget. Most schools in Luxembourg are in the public sector.

Primary education is included in Article 23 of the Luxembourg Constitution. It includes the first six years of primary education and special classes. Although the objectives and the teaching curriculum of primary education in Luxembourg do not really differ from those of other Member States, the teaching methods and procedures used are very specific because of Luxembourg’s particular language situation (three official languages all on an equal footing). At primary school, education starts in Luxembourgish and pupils start to learn to read German at the same time; German then becomes the language in which almost all subjects are taught. French starts to be taught towards the end of the second year of education. French is then gradually integrated as a teaching language. Luxembourgish continues to be used in parallel with German and French. This principle continues throughout education, with different weights being given to the various languages depending on the type of education.

Students have various options in post-primary education: general secondary education where teaching is more ‘classical’ and prepares students for university, and technical secondary education which includes various strands, in particular technical education, technician education and vocational education. Post-primary education lasts six to seven years depending on the option chosen. Post-secondary university education is offered by the University of Luxembourg set up by the Law of 12 August 2003. This is a public institution of higher education and research which enjoys teaching, scientific, administrative and financial autonomy. The University is the successor to various higher education institutions (Centre universitaire de Luxembourg, Institut supérieur de technologie, Institut supérieur d'études et de recherches pédagogiques, Institut d'études éducatives et sociales) which it has replaced. It has three faculties, the Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication, the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance and the Faculty of Human Sciences, Arts and Educational Science.

After the sixth year of primary education, all children move up to post-primary education. There are two types of post-primary education: secondary education and technical secondary education. Preparatory education is part of technical secondary education. Children may therefore be directed towards secondary education, technical secondary education or preparatory education. A guidance recommendation issued by a guidance board and based on nationally decided criteria, guides children towards the type of post-primary education best suited to their abilities, interests and needs.

Upon completion of primary school, two types of secondary school are available in the public system:

General secondary education lasts seven years and upon successful completion, a secondary school-leaving certificate prepares students for university;
Technical secondary education is divided into three cycles, with the intermediate and upper cycles of this system, offering a vocational system and a general technical system.
In accordance with the new VET act (December 2008) the technical secondary education presents as follow and it is composed of:
Basic VET - Initial VET - general technical secondary education;
Post secondary vocational education takes the form of a specialist vocational education system leading to an advanced technicians certificate (BTS).

CVET

CVET is governed and defined by two basic laws in Luxembourg (Law of 4 September 1990 and Law of 22 June 1999). The first one reformed technical secondary education and continuing training, while the second aims the support and development of CVET.

These laws aim to help people to achieve and obtain vocational qualification and to adapt their achievements to the changes brought through technological progress and current economic needs. It also aims to offer people qualifications in order to get an easier access to the labour market and to prepare people for the diplomas and certificates covered by the law on technical secondary education.

Continuing vocational training is very important in Luxembourg, as unemployment is mostly a consequence for the mismatch between labour supply and demand. Therefore, as new jobs are created, people need to acquire the necessary skills and competences in order to be able to work with required qualifications, improving the populations’ chances to enter the labour market.

The modes of training leading to formal certification are:

Evening classes leading to the technical and vocational proficiency certificate (certificate d'aptitude technique et professionnelle - CATP);
Adult apprenticeships;
Master craftsmanships.

Quality Assurance

Over the last 10 years, a vast overhaul of the whole of the Luxembourg education and training system has been underway to provide the resources needed to cope with the challenges of an environment in which the pace of change is becoming ever faster. Establishing the administrative structures needed for modern school management has laid the foundations for an overhaul of the system’s missions and provided those working in the field with a degree of autonomy. Various draft laws have been tabled, leading in particular to the Law of 25 June 2004 organizing secondary (lycées) and technical secondary schools (lycées techniques). Under this law, post-primary educational establishments are to be provided with the resources that they need to work as partnership-based school communities and will be able to take teaching initiatives to improve the quality of education . Further information can be found in the VET act or on the website of the Ministry of Education .

EQARF Indicators

The Ministry did not agree with the aim, the method and the content of the table used for other EU member states in this section of the report.