A management certificate requirement will be introduced for directors of vocational education organizations

**A management certificate will be mandatory for directors of vocational education institutions**

In accordance with the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of August 20, the procedure for training directors of vocational education institutions and their deputies in management training courses and issuing them with a management certificate was approved.

According to this document, starting from the 2026/2027 academic year, the presence of a management certificate will be a prerequisite for appointing candidates to the positions of director of vocational education institutions. Also, current directors and their deputies will receive training in management training courses.

**How are the courses organized?**

Directors and deputy directors register for management training courses through a special portal. Applications are accepted electronically throughout the calendar year. Participants accepted to the course will be provided with detailed information about its duration and procedure before the course begins.

The training course is 144 hours long and includes a week of classroom training and independent learning. Training can be organized in traditional, distance, independent or mixed formats.

At the end of the course, students take a final exam. The exam consists of a test and practical tasks, and the test part has 50 questions. A minimum score of 70 points is required on the test. 30 minutes are allocated for completing practical tasks.

Students who score 70 or more points on the final exam are considered to have successfully passed the exam and are awarded a management certificate. Students who fail the exam will have the opportunity to retake it.

**Certificate validity period and renewal procedure**

The management certificate is provided to its holder electronically through a special portal. The certificate is valid for 5 years. The certificate register is also maintained through a special portal.

Upon expiration of the certificate, directors and deputy directors must retake the training course and pass the final exam to re-receive it.

**Who can take the test without attending the course?**

The resolution also establishes a special procedure for some directors and deputy directors. In particular, persons who have achieved high results in their professional activities over the past three years and meet the relevant criteria may participate in the final exam without attending the training course.

Also, in some cases, trainees may be exempted from the final exam. Such cases will be considered based on the requirements established in the regulations.

**Certificate issuance procedure**

Trainees who successfully pass the final exam are issued a certificate based on the results of the final exam approved by the agency. The certificate is issued electronically through a special portal. It indicates the certificate number, date and serial number of issue, validity period, and other relevant information.

The resolution also stipulates that in 2026, the costs of management training courses for directors and deputy directors will be covered from the republican budget, and from 2027, training costs will be covered on the basis of an appropriate contract.

This new procedure provides for the development of managerial and pedagogical skills of heads of vocational education organizations, their regular improvement of their qualifications, and taking into account managerial competencies when appointing them to the position of director.