3823
Approved by 2487 decree
of the President of Turkmenistan
on October 22, 2021
REGULATION
on vocational educational institutions
1. The Regulation on Vocational Educational Institutions (hereinafter – the Regulation) regulates the work of state vocational educational institutions (hereinafter – vocational schools).
2. Vocational schools are guided by the Constitution of Turkmenistan, the Law of Turkmenistan “On Education”, decrees of the President of Turkmenistan, decisions of the Chambers of the National Council of Turkmenistan, resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, other normative legal acts of Turkmenistan, international treaties of Turkmenistan, this Regulation and its own charter.
3. The main tasks of vocational schools are:
1) to practically ensure the implementation of the state policy in the education system of Turkmenistan;
2) to satisfy the individual’s desire to receive and deepen professional education, to develop intellectually and culturally;
3) to prepare qualified employees (in terms of specialists and worker positions) for the relevant sectors of the economy of Turkmenistan;
4) to gather, save and enrich the spiritual, moral, cultural and scientific values of society;
5) to educate highly cultured students in terms of national history, culture, traditions and priority universal values, as well as deep loyalty to the principles of Independence and Neutrality of the state, to the Turkmen people, Motherland and to the President of Turkmenistan.
4. To implement the assigned tasks vocational schools should:
1) prepare qualified employees (specialists and worker positions) in all major areas of activities useful to the society;
2) organize trainings for a period of up to six months term (training on their specialty) to teach trainees the skills necessary to perform their duties, a set of tasks in a fast manner;
3) carry out the relevant work for students with secondary education to get a speciality within the scope of vocational education in the period of up to six academic months (training on their speciality);
4) carry out the programme of professional competence improving and retraining of employees;
5) organize career guidance activities together with the relevant ministries, branch administrative bodies, khyakims of provinces, districts and cities (hereinafter referred to as “Administration”) among school pupils, young and adult people who are interested in a profession;
6) ensure practical work preparation of students during their studies at vocational schools and supervise the employment of graduates who have been trained according to the order;
7) make suggestions for improving the quality of educational programmes and curriculum in accordance with the priorities of the socio-economic development of the country;
8) implement national youth education programmes, sports, cultural events and other activities aimed at improving the standards of education, recreation, and life of the students;
9) use advanced methods and means of high-quality organization and teaching, improve the professional level of pedagogical staff, retrain them;
10) produce consumer goods, developing self-sustained accounting, ensure that students conduct their studies in harmony with production, and create conditions for their further employment;
11) organize group or individual trainings under the condition of inseparable from work process, taking into consideration the needs of workers at industrial establishments and enterprises;
12) organize work to ensure safety of employees and students at work;
13) carry out other activities within the scope of their powers.
5. Vocational education is carried out in accordance with the Law of Turkmenistan “On Education” and the legislation of Turkmenistan on authorization of certain types of work, in educational institutions of enterprises, institutions and organizations that do not have educational activities, general education institutions, vocational schools (primary specialized schools, lyceum and other types), secondary and higher specialized educational institutions, as well as private training by specialists with the appropriate professional qualification and license.
6. Training in the educational programme of primary specialized education is carried out on a basis not inferior to general secondary education.
7. Education of citizens of foreign states and stateless citizens permanently residing in Turkmenistan in vocational schools is carried out in accordance with the Law of Turkmenistan “On Education”, other normative legal acts of Turkmenistan and international agreements.
8. The deadlines for accepting the documents of the applicants to the vocational school, the procedure for the entrance exams, selection and admission to the vocational school and other conditions are determined in accordance with the relevant regulations approved by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.
9. The selection committee group is set by the relevant Department, during the period of entrance exams and admission to vocational schools.
10. Admission to vocational schools is carried out on a competitive basis, according to the results of the entrance exams based on the applicants’ application. The conditions of the competition should ensure the observance of state guarantees of the human right to education and the acceptance of those who are more capable and prepared to adopt the relevant professional education programme.
11. In the case of successful passing of the entrance exams, following groups of people are admitted to vocational schools out of the competition:
1) orphans and children left under the guardianship of their parents or their guardians;
2) children with disabilities, people with I and II group of disabilities who are allowed to study in the relevant educational institutions according to the report of the committee that determines the need for support;
3) children of military servicemen (employees) who died on duty of military and law enforcement agencies;
4) children from big families (not less than eight children).
12. In the case of successful passing of the entrance exams, following groups of people have privileges when admitted to vocational schools:
1) winners of the state competition on academic subjects among school pupils, members of the national team of Turkmenistan who participated in the international competitions;
2) champions of Turkmenistan and winners of international sports competitions who are enrolled in educational institutions in the areas of training related to physical education and sports;
3) winners of national and international creative contests entering educational institutions in the creative fields of training;
4) people with III group of disabilities;
5) people who have passed military service on call;
6) people with a work experience in term of not less than two years in the chosen profession.
13. The document on primary specialized technical training entitles their holders to be engaged into work.
14. Students’ clothing and other appearance indicators in vocational schools are determined by the Charter of vocational school.
15. In accordance with the legislation of Turkmenistan and the Charter of the vocational schools, the relevant officials of the specialized school are responsible for organizing all the necessary training, work and recreation conditions for the students of the vocational school.
16. The organization of educational activities in vocational schools is regulated by the curricula of specialities based on the state educational standards for vocational education, the annual calendar curriculum and the schedule of training classes approved by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, in agreement with the relevant Department.
17. Up to the period of six academic months (specialized training) preparing worker positions and specialists, as well as the duration of professional development of employees and retraining them, is determined by the amount of academic hours and the periodicity of the academic schedule.
18. Training and industrial experience of vocational schools is held in the relevant enterprises, institutions and organizations.
19. Vocational schools use educational technologies, including technologies based on the interaction of students and teaching staff, e-learning, and distance learning technologies in their educational activities.
20. The implementation of the educational programme through e-learning is based on the following:
1) information stored in the database and used in the implementation of educational programmes;
2) information technologies and technical means that ensure data processing;
3) information and telecommunication systems that provide the necessary (required) interaction between students and pedagogical staff.
When implementing educational programmes through e-learning, the educational institution provides students, teaching staff, teaching assistants and administrative staff with an access to a set of e-learning methods, including:
1) curriculum of the educational programme;
2) student’s individual study plan;
3) curriculum of courses (tasks, modules, courses);
4) a set of educational information that is available in electronic form and provides all types of activities in accordance with the curriculum of the course (theme, module, course);
5) means to control the quality of information processing;
6) methodological advice to students on learning the curriculum of a subject (task, module, study).
21. Distance education technologies are tools for implementing educational programmes and organizing educational work through the use of information and telecommunication networks that provide interaction between students and teaching staff at a distance.
To implement an educational process which is organized in terms of using distance education technologies or educational programmes the vocational schools provide access to the following:
1) electronic training-methodological set;
2) a set of information and communication technologies and information and telecommunication networks;
3) relevant technological equipment.
22. In order to start teaching using e-learning and distance learning technologies in a vocational school, it is mandatory to have the following:
1) electronic educational-methodological sets of courses (tasks, modules, courses) in the curriculum of each educational programme;
2) electronic library;
3) information and communication technologies;
4) information and telecommunication networks;
5) technological equipment.
23. Vocational schools use full-time (full-time, not being involved into production process) and part-time (being involved into production process apart from the study) education.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan defines the lists of labour professions, areas of training and professions for which the full-time form of education is not considered.
24. The list of labour professions and worker positions for which training is carried out under the term of education programmes in the period of one academic year to one and a half academic years is determined by the State Classifier of Labour Professions and worker positions in primary specialized technical education of Turkmenistan or by the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan.
The list of labour professions and worker positions, for which training is carried out according to the education programmes in the period of up to six academic months, is determined by the classification of labour professions and worker positions on vocational training of Turkmenistan approved by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.
The list of vocational training programmes is agreed with the relevant municipalities where the educational institutions are located.
25. Vocational schools have the right to provide other paid educational services to the public, enterprises, institutions and organizations in case of the relevant license.
26. Vocational schools use their income for Charter purposes.
Paid educational services are not provided in exchange for educational activities financed from the resources of the State budget of Turkmenistan.
Funds obtained in violation of this rule are transferred to the account of the State budget of Turkmenistan.
27. The academic year in vocational schools begins on September 1. The academic year consists of two semesters, each of which ends with an exam period according to the curriculum of the speciality.
Up to six months of training (vocational training) for worker skills and worker positions, training programmes for professional improvement and retraining of employees can be started individually or at different times of the year depending on the gathering of groups. Curricula of such short-term courses are approved by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan throughout the year.
28. The duration of vocational education programmes ranges from one academic year to one and a half academic years (initial specialized technical education) and up to six academic months (specialized technical training), depending on the relevant labour professions and worker positions’ level of complexity and the frequency of the training sessions.
29. During the academic year students have 14 days of winter vacation and one additional month of summer vacation if the speciality study stands for one year and a half.
The exact period and duration of the vacation are determined according to the curriculum, depending on the specifics of the relevant field of professional training.
30. The languages of instruction in vocational schools are defined in the Law of Turkmenistan “On Education” and other normative legal acts of Turkmenistan.
31. Being the State language, Turkmen is used as the main language of teaching and education in vocational schools. Foreign language(s) may be used as the main language of instruction in vocational schools based on the purpose of the educational programmes and the specifics of the educational process.
32. The study of foreign languages is included as a compulsory subject in vocational education programmes.
33. The schedule of training sessions of a vocational school should include breaks of sufficient duration for students to eat. The fixed duration of periods and breaks is determined by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.
It is the responsibility of the vocational school to create conditions for catering in the vocational school. Provision should be made for catering facilities for vocational school’s students.
34. Medical care for students of vocational schools is provided by health care institutions. Vocational school is obliged to provide health care workers with a room with appropriate conditions for their work.
35. Mentoring activities in vocational schools are carried out in accordance with the plan of activities provided in this regard.
36. The main goal of educating students in vocational schools is to form and develop in the young generation the most important human qualities and the abilities to reveal them in creative work for the interests of a person, society and the state.
37. The following are the main areas of educating students:
1) moral education;
2) civil-patriotic education;
3) military-patriotic training;
4) life education;
5) cultural-historical education;
6) education of a healthy lifestyle.
38. When educating the students pedagogical staff has to:
1) carry out educational work at the professional level;
2) carry out preventive actions to warn the violations of law among students;
3) notify their parents or their substitutes occasionally about violations committed by students;
4) respect the reputation and dignity of students, parents or their substitutes;
5) be a role model for students in spiritual, moral and aesthetic behaviour and appearance.
39. Pedagogical staff has the following rights when carrying out educational activities of students:
1) to protect their rights, legal interests, reputation and dignity;
2) to choose pedagogically based forms and methods of education, for creative initiatives.
40. Vocational schools determine the quality of educational programmes by evaluating students' academic progress, winter and summer assessments, and final state examinations.
41. During the educational process vocational school use the assessment system and the types of students' tests regulated by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.
42. Final state exams are mandatory in vocational school and are held after the curriculum has been fully implemented. In accordance with the regulation approved by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan on the final state examination in vocational schools of Turkmenistan, the results of the State Examination Commission are used as the final assessment of the education of graduates of vocational school.
43. Vocational schools issue the following state-style documents certifying that they have received professional education to the graduates who have successfully completed the relevant professional education programmes:
1) diploma on primary specialized education (the term of study from one academic year to one and a half academic year);
2) certificate of professional training (up to six academic months).
44. There is no fee for issuing educational documents.
45. Documents on education are written in the state language of Turkmenistan or in the state language of Turkmenistan and a foreign language in accordance with the procedure regulated by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.
46. Those who did not complete a certain level of education or showed unsatisfactory results in the final state exam or those who did not take the final state exam are issued a certificate of having studied at a vocational school in the form regulated by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.
Those who did not take the final state exams or showed unsatisfactory results in the final state exams have the right to retake the final state exams after a period of not less than one year.
47. Vocational school graduates and those who have not completed vocational school will be given back their education document from their personal portfolio. A certified copy of the document and other documents (a copy of the orders of admission, graduation or expulsion from the study, report card, student certificate, etc.) are left to be kept in a personal folder.
48. Vocational school management is carried out in accordance with the legislation of Turkmenistan, on the basis of this Regulation and the Charter of the vocational school.
49. When a vocational school accepts a citizen, he and (or) his parents or their guardians, the Charter of the educational institution, documents authorizing them to carry out educational work and issue a state-style document about the relevant education, he is obliged to introduce the educational programmes implemented by this educational institution and other documents regulating the organization of educational work, including through the official website of the educational institution.
50. The management of vocational schools is carried out on the basis of the legislation of Turkmenistan, in accordance with their Charters, on the basis of the principles of single leadership and collective management.
Direct management of the vocational school is carried out by its principal.
51. The principal of the vocational school is proposed by the competent and honored staff and is appointed and dismissed by the heads of the relevant department in agreement with the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan.
In accordance with the legislation of Turkmenistan, the principal determines the duties and responsibilities of the employees of the vocational school.
52. The principal of the vocational school is responsible for the quality of education, the education of young people in the spirit of deep respect and loyalty to the principles of state Independence and Neutrality, the Turkmen people, the Motherland and the President of Turkmenistan.
53. Heads of structural units of vocational schools are appointed and dismissed by principals of vocational schools in agreement with the relevant Department. Heads of structural units of vocational schools of military and law enforcement agencies are appointed and dismissed by the heads of those agencies.
54. Vocational school students include students and trainees.
55. A person admitted to study the primary specialized education programmes by the order of the principal of a vocational school is considered to be a student, and a person admitted to training in educational programmes of professional development and retraining of employees is considered to be a trainee.
The student is given a student certificate and a student’s credits’ record book.
56. In accordance with the educational programme of the vocational school, the student and trainee receive primary specialized education and professional training in the chosen speciality.
The rights, duties and social support of the student, trainee are determined by the Law of Turkmenistan "On Education", this Regulation and the Charter of the vocational school.
57. Education and training of orphans studying in vocational schools and children left under the guardianship of their parents or their guardians is carried out on the basis of full state funding.
58. Vocational schools students are provided with accommodation in dormitories in accordance with the procedure regulated by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.
Registration of citizens studying at educational institutions who have gone temporarily to study at educational institutions for more than 45 (forty-five) calendar days without leaving their place of residence, within 5 (five) working days from the date of issuance of the relevant order on their admission to the educational institution is carried out by applying to the authority of the authorized representative of the institutions. Students are enrolled until the end of the term.
59. Pedagogical staff are obliged to undergo periodic and extra-ordinary medical examinations at the expense of the employer during their employment.
60. The following minimum professional level of teaching staff is prescribed for the implementation of vocational education programmes:
Speciality subject teacher - a diploma of secondary specialized education in the relevant profession, with the condition of passing additional pedagogical training at a pedagogical higher education institution (faculty).
61. Vocational schools carry out educational and methodological activities aimed at improving the quality of staff training, improving the skills of teachers, and scientifically organizing education.
62. Training of specialists in vocational schools, improvement of their professional level and retraining can be carried out on a contractual basis at the expense of the Agency or its affiliated institutions, enterprises, as well as citizens' own funds.
63. Vocational schools create the necessary conditions for educating students in fundamental moral principles and general culture, as well as healthy life skills based on the foundations of national history, culture and traditions.
64. Labour relations between vocational schools and employees are regulated on the basis of the labour legislation of Turkmenistan.
65. The sources of financing the work of the vocational schools implementing the educational programmes of vocational education are the following:
1) resources of ministries, departmental management bodies, state enterprises and organizations acting on the basis of economic accounting;
2) resources of enterprises and organizations of the non-state part of the economy;
3) private resources of citizens who want to complete training independently in the relevant educational programme of vocational education;
4) funds from the State budget of Turkmenistan for the training of students of general education institutions in the educational programmes of professional training.
66. In order to carry out their work, vocational schools will provide paid additional education and other services stipulated in the Charter of the educational institution in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Turkmenistan, by accepting training in educational programmes on a paid basis, as well as by providing training in Turkmenistan and (or ) have the right to attract funds at the expense of voluntary donations and targeted contributions of individuals and (or) legal entities of foreign states.
The attraction of additional funds by a vocational school does not reduce the standard criteria for funding by the founder.
67. The material basis of a vocational school consists of land, buildings, facilities, equipment, vehicles, as well as consumer, living, cultural and other purpose assets used to solve other problems in the field of teaching, training and education.
Depending on the type of property, the financial base of the vocational school can be owned or leased or used under other conditions.
68. Vocational schools can provide students in need with life support within the limits of available extra-budgetary funds independently.
69. Citizens attending vocational school receive state support through educational loans in Turkmenistan.
70. The state property attached to the vocational school may be leased in accordance with the legislation of Turkmenistan.
Funds received as rent are used to support and develop the educational activities of the vocational school.
71. Educational, production, living and cultural-purpose buildings and residential infrastructures and common residences, including residences, under the design management or control of the vocational school are not subject to privatization (expropriation of state ownership).
72. Authorities of regions and Ashgabat city provide organizational and productive conditions for students to get education in professional training education programmes.
73. The acquisition and (or) withdrawal of the property assigned to the ownership of the vocational school is allowed only in accordance with the legislation of Turkmenistan.
74. The founders of the vocational school, in accordance with their authority, taking into account the increasing requirements for the level and quality of education, ensure the renewal and development of their material base, living conditions of teaching and upbringing. For these purposes, necessary financial resources and investments are allocated to vocational education institutions.
75. Vocational school is responsible to the owner of the property for the maintenance and efficient use of the property.
76. Deliberate actions leading to a decrease in the financial base of a vocational school or deterioration of its condition lead to the responsibility regulated by the legislation of Turkmenistan.
77. Vocational school keeps statistical and accounting reports in a prescribed manner.
78. Vocational schools have the right to conduct international cooperation in vocational, pedagogical and other educational activities in accordance with the legislation of Turkmenistan and international agreements of Turkmenistan.
79. Vocational schools are created, restructured and cancelled in accordance with the legislation of Turkmenistan.
Vocational schools of all types implementing educational programmes for training personnel for military and law enforcement agencies are created, reorganized and cancelled by the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan.
80. Vocational school is a legal entity, it has separate property, a stamp with the State flag of Turkmenistan and its name written on it, stamps, official forms, as well as settlement accounts in the banks of Turkmenistan.