90104 China: Xinjiang Province SABER Country Report WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 2014 Dimensions Status 1. Strategic Framework Xinjiang has identified WfD as a priority and established a high degree of coherence between WfD strategy and concomitant policies. Coordination in setting and implementing WfD policy is aided by clearly defined roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders, but the role of employers and other non- government stakeholders often does not extend beyond implementing government decisions. Policymakers have enough information on labor market conditions to make informed decisions, but assessments of economic development prospects and future skill needs are not systematic. 2. System Oversight Xinjiang enforces strict accreditation of public and private training institutions and rigorously implements skills testing and certification. However, the lack of articulation agreements to facilitate transfer between education programs means that students sometimes find that their current qualifications will not allow them to progress to further education or change fields of study. Funding for TVET is increasing, but reviews of the impact of the procedures for allocating funds on efficiency are not undertaken on a regular basis, and efforts to leverage businesses as a source of resources are limited 3. Service Delivery The public training sector, which comprises the vast majority of providers, is well managed. The major system strengths are the existence of institutionalized procedures for combining provider-level and labor market data to manage overall service provision and the use of industry inputs in the design of training programs. However, there is only limited use of incentives for providers to improve the quality and relevance of training programs and little diversity in pathways for skills acquisition. CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Table of Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................................3 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................5 2. Country Context .....................................................................................................................................................7 3. Summary | Benchmarking Results ...................................................................................................................... 14 4. Detailed Results | Strategic Framework .............................................................................................................. 16 Policy Goal 1 | Articulating a Strategic Direction for WfD .............................................................................. 16 Policy Goal 2 | Prioritizing a Demand-led Approach....................................................................................... 18 Policy Goal 3 | Strengthening Critical Coordination........................................................................................ 19 5. Detailed Results | System Oversight ................................................................................................................... 20 Policy Goal 4 | Diversifying Pathways for Skills Acquisition .......................................................................... 20 Policy Goal 5 | Ensuring Efficiency and Equity in Funding ............................................................................. 21 Policy Goal 6 | Assuring Relevant and Reliable Standards ............................................................................. 22 6. Detailed Results | Service Delivery...................................................................................................................... 23 Policy Goal 7 | Fostering Relevance in Training Programs............................................................................. 23 Policy Goal 8 | Incentivizing Excellence in Training Provision ...................................................................... 24 Policy Goal 9 | Enhancing Accountability for Results ..................................................................................... 25 7. Results Analysis and Policy Recommendations ................................................................................................... 26 Annex 1 | Acronyms ................................................................................................................................................ 30 Annex 2 | The SABER-WfD Analytical Framework .................................................................................................. 31 Annex 3 | Rubrics for Scoring the SABER-WfD Data ............................................................................................... 32 Annex 4 | References and Informants .................................................................................................................... 41 Annex 5 | SABER-WfD Scores .................................................................................................................................. 43 Annex 6 | List of Figures and Tables........................................................................................................................ 44 Annex 7 | Authorship and Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................ 45 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 procedures take institutional performance into Executive Summary account, but methods for assessing performance are This report presents the findings of the assessment not always reliable. There remains weakness with of the workforce development (WfD) system of respect to fostering partnerships for encouraging Xinjiang Province, China, conducted based on the employers and other stakeholders to contribute World Bank’s Systems Approach for Better Education resources to the system. Results (SABER) WfD analytical framework and tool. The findings indicate that Xinjiang has a WfD system The focus is on policies, institutions, and practices in that facilitates lifelong three important functional dimensions of learning and recognizes policymaking and implementation—strategic prior learning. However, framework, system oversight and service delivery. “The rating for students completing initial TVET have to navigate a Service Delivery Benchmarking Results relatively rigid system that reflects strength The Strategic Framework dimension is scored at the creates educational “dead- with respect to Established level (2.9 out of 4.0). The government’s ends” due to a lack of government efforts priorities for human resource development are procedures for transfer to promote the closely linked to plans for growing prioritized across TVET and general market-relevance economic sectors. Some effort is made to project education, and, to a lesser of the formal TVET probable future demand for skills in key industries, degree, for progression to system balanced but capacity is relatively weak and the practice is ad more advanced levels of by weakness in the hoc. Xinjiang has established a technical and instruction. Nonetheless, diversity of vocational education and training (TVET) Leading the system is strong with Group to coordinate government efforts to respond respect to quality training to employers’ demand for skills. However, this assurance: All vocational providers.” Group’s collaboration with training providers and schools are accredited employers in the implementation of strategic according to regularly measures has been modest. The government offers updated standards and financial incentives to subject to periodic accreditation renewal, while the firms, especially SMEs, to occupational coverage of skills testing is extensive train workers, and it and the certifications issued are respected and “Xinjiang has a valued by employers. regularly consults with WfD system that employers for the purposes The rating for Service Delivery (2.7), also at the facilitates lifelong of gathering labor market Established level, reflects strength with respect to learning and information. However, government efforts to promote the market- recognizes prior when it comes to relevance of the formal TVET system, balanced by learning. exercising leadership in weakness in the diversity of training providers. However, students setting WfD priorities Industry experts have played an essential role in completing initial employers’ advocacy lacks establishing curricula, determining training TVET have to visibility. equipment needs, and setting technical standards navigate a The score for System for training. Information about labor market relatively rigid Oversight (2.7) places demand for skills, gleaned from annual enterprise system that Xinjiang at the Established surveys conducted by the government, is also an level. The government has essential input into the process of updating curricula creates put in place formal and creating new courses of study. These activities educational ‘dead- are prioritized for key strategic sectors, reflecting procedures for allocating ends.’” coordination among government departments funding for TVET that are based on requests from concerned with WfD and those concerned with training providers. These broader economic development strategy. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 3 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 The performance of schools and their personnel are strengthening coordination of stakeholder activities assessed against outcome indicators such as and clarifying the governance arrangements; (b) graduation rate, employment rate and student improving the efficiency of public school satisfaction. No hard targets are set, however, and management; (c) expansion of training provision there are issues with the reliability of some of these through greater participation by private providers data. A weakness of the system is the lack of operating under close supervision to assure quality diversity in training provision. Non-government standards; and (d) fostering closer linkages between providers are allowed to operate, but few do and TVET institutions and industry and research they are managed in much the same way as public institutes. providers. While such regulations can help ensure In the medium- to long-term, the reforms could minimum standards of quality, this may compete further strengthen Xinjiang’s WfD system by focusing with benefits such as increased access to training, on the following: (a) enhancing governance of the competitive pressure to perform, and innovations in system through mechanisms for quality assurance, training delivery fostered by diversity in training and monitoring and evaluation; and (b) ensuring that provision. all students entering TVET programs have a solid Policy Recommendations foundation for learning, acquired through a high quality basic education. The goal is to create a The SABER-WfD assessment indicates that, in many modern and flexible WfD system with diversified respects, Xinjiang has an established system for pathways for skills acquisition. Under the reforms, workforce development. However, it also reveals efforts could be made to enable some TVET schools unevenness in system development and identifies and programs in the province to gain nationwide several institutional weaknesses that impede system recognition as top-level schools and programs. Such performance. Addressing these challenges would a system would be an asset for realizing the help tighten the system’s alignment with Xinjiang’s economic goals of Xinjiang’s Medium- and Long-term current 12th Five Year Plan as well as its Medium- to Education and Talent Development Plans. Long-term Education and Talent Development Plans. In the short run, reforms in the provision of TVET in Xinjiang could focus on the following priorities: (a) SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 4 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 1. Introduction governing funding, quality assurance and learning pathways that shape the incentives and information signals The Department of Education of the Xinjiang Uygur affecting the choices of individuals, employers, training Autonomous Region (Xinjiang), together with the Xinjiang providers and other stakeholders; and Department of Finance and the Ministry of Finance of the (3) Service Delivery which refers to the diversity, People’s Republic of China, requested support from the organization and management of training provision, both World Bank (WB) in December 2011 to assess the status of state and non-state, that deliver results on the ground by the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) enabling individuals to acquire market- and job-relevant sector in the province. A WB team visited Xinjiang in skills (see Figure 1). February 2012 and an agreement was reached to use a new diagnostic tool developed by the WB, known as From the perspective of the line ministries, typically SABER-WfD, as the principal analytical tool to do the education and labor, strategy is about sensing, influencing, assessment. This report, based on the findings generated and responding to the external environment for WfD; by the use of this tool, analyzes the strengths and oversight is about governing the activities of all weaknesses of the Xinjiang workforce development (WfD) stakeholders with a direct interest in WfD activities; and system and proposes recommendations that can be used delivery is about managing the activities of those to enrich policy dialogue and open opportunities for future responsible for training provision. cooperation between Xinjiang and the World Bank. Figure 2: Analytical Framework of SABER-WfD A New Diagnostic Tool The SABER-WfD tool is a product of the World Bank’s initiative on Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER), which focuses on several policy domains, 1 including WfD. SABER-WfD aims to document and assess a country’s policies and institutions in light of global good practice. It focuses on three broad functional dimensions of WfD policies and institutions: (1) Strategic framework which refers to the praxis of advocacy, partnership, and coordination in relation to the objective of aligning WfD in critical areas to priorities for national development; (2) System Oversight which refers to the arrangements Figure 1: Functional Dimensions of WfD Policies Source: Tan et al. 2012. See Annex 1 for more details. These three dimensions constitute a closed policy-making loop and, when taken together, allow for systematic analysis of the functioning of a WfD system as a whole. Source: Tan et al. 2012. Each functional dimension is composed of Policy Goals (see Figure 2) spanning the three broad areas of governance, finance and information. Each of the Policy Goals is, in turn, further defined by three tangible Policy Actions, 1For details on SABER see making a total of 9 Policy Goals and 27 Policy Actions. http://www.worldbank.org/education/saber SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 5 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 The SABER-WfD tool uses the foregoing analytical The scores on the Policy Actions form the basis for scoring framework to create a structured data collection the nine Policy Goals. The approach involves the instrument for gathering information on a country’s application of simple weights to aggregate the scores on policies and institutions for WfD. For each of the 27 Policy the Policy Actions that relate to each Policy Goal, typically Actions, the Data Collection Instrument (DCI) poses a set of 1/3 for information relating to policy concepts and design questions relating to the corresponding aspect of the WfD and 2/3 to information relating to policy implementation. system. Each question is answered by choosing from a list In the interest of parsimony in data collection, the SABER- of closed options corresponding to stages of development. WfD study accepts reviews and evaluations of policies and The choice is substantiated either by documentary related follow-up actions as evidence of implementation. evidence or by information supplied and corroborated by Finally, to obtain the scores for the three functional knowledgeable and credible informants. As in the other dimensions considered in the SABER-WfD framework, the countries selected for this pilot phase, the collection of scores for the Policy Goals that relate to each dimension data using the SABER-WfD instrument was led by a are aggregated with equal weights. This algorithm yields 2 composite scores on a 1-4 scale for every level of Principal Investigator (PI) who relied on documentary evidence as well as interviews with knowledgeable aggregation in the data; naturally, the composite scores informants. are rarely whole numbers. Data Processing and Scoring For each of the 27 Policy Actions, the information gathered by the PI is scored according to standard rubrics. These rubrics correspond to four stages of maturity in policy and institutional development for WfD, as follows: (1) latent, (2) emerging, (3) established and (4) advanced. A summary description of the rubrics is given in Figure 3, while the details are explained in Annex 6. Note that, in order to conform to the standardized presentation of reports under the overall SABER initiative, the dimension-level SABER-WfD categorical ratings shown on the cover of this report are based on the corresponding composite scores which have been converted to the 3 relevant categories. In the rest of the report, the composite scores are presented in the form of a dial, as shown below, in order to retain the detail they reflect. Figure 3: Rubric for Benchmarking WfD Emerging Established Some instances of Systemic good good practice practice Advanced Latent Systemic good Limited practice meeting Engagement global standards Source: Tan et al. 2012 2 For Xinjiang, the PI was Ms. Lei Shen (Associate Professor at Xinjiang Urumqi Vocational University and PhD student of Urumqi University) 3 For a given composite score, X, the conversion to the categorical rating •Š‘™‘–Š‡…‘˜‡”‹•„ƒ•‡†‘–Š‡ˆ‘ŽŽ‘™‹‰”—Ž‡ǣͳǤͲͲζζ ͳǤ͹ͷ…‘˜‡”–•–‘Dzƒ–‡–dzǢͳǤ͹ͷδζʹǤͷͲǡ–‘Dz‡”‰‹‰ǢdzʹǤͷͲδζ ͵Ǥʹͷǡ–‘Dz•–ƒ„Ž‹•Š‡†Ǣdzƒ†͵ǤʹͷδζͶǤͲͲǡ–‘Dz†˜ƒ…‡†Ǥdz SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 6 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 2. Country Context sector in Xinjiang’s GDP has been growing every year, from 42.4 percent in 2001 to 47.7 percent in 2012, which is at Xinjiang has enjoyed rapid economic growth over the past the same level of growth as the national average (see decade but continues to lag behind other provinces in Figure 5). The share of the tertiary sector’s contribution is China in important indicators of economic and social lagging behind the national average. It decreased from development. The government has identified an 38.2 percent of GDP in 2001 to 32.5 percent in 2012, which inadequate skills base as a binding constraint on further was 10.6 percentage points lower than that of the national development and has pointed to WfD as a crucial tool for average. This is in sharp contrast to the national trend of leveraging Xinjiang’s abundant natural resources and steady growth of the tertiary sector during the same young population to promote the expansion of economic period. activity into more sophisticated economic sectors. This chapter presents the econonmic and social context that Figure 4: GDP Per Capita Growth Rate, Xinjiang and 8 form the background for Xinjiang’s ambitious WfD agenda. National Average (% per annum) Economic Trends The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is a large, sparsely populated region with abundant natural resources. It is an important province in China’s Northwest region. In the past 10 years, Xinjiang has achieved rapid economic development. In 2010, Xinjiang’s GDP reached 543.75 billion Yuan (US$ 80.4 billion), and per capita GDP reached 25,034 Yuan (US$ 3,700). However, these figures are still below the national average. Xinjiang’s economy makes up only 1.36 percent of the national GDP, and its per capita GDP is about 5,000 Yuan (US$ 740) below the 4 national average. In addition, its pace of economic growth has been slower than the national average; from 2001 to 2010, the average per capita GDP growth rate in Source: Chinese Statistical Yearbook 2002 to 2011 Xinjiang was only 8.6 percent, whereas the national average was 9.8 percent (see Figure 4). This economic feature is related to the existing sectoral structure of Xinjiang’s economy, and also to the current workforce status in Xinjiang. Compared with the national economy, the ratio of the primary sector’s contribution to GDP in Xinjiang is greater than that of the national average, while the ratio of the secondary sector is almost the same as the national 5 average, and the share of the tertiary sector is comparatively smaller. Production of cash crops makes up 61 percent of the total production of major agro products 6 in Xinjiang. The share of agriculture has always remained at 20 percent of Xinjiang’s total GDP, which is far above the 7 national average of 10 percent. The size of the secondary ranking fourth for the whole country, following Heilongjiang, Inner 4 Mongolia and Jilin. National per capita GDP in 2010 was 29,992 Yuan. 8 The slower per capita GDP growth in 2009 in China was a result of 5The secondary sector is composed of industry (which includes the global economic crisis. The impact on Xinjiang’s industry and mining, manufacturing, production and supply of electricity, gas and foreign trade was even greater, as the global economic crisis had a water) and construction. direct impact on the price of international petroleum, yet the petro 6 Cash crops include cotton, oil crops, hemp, sugar cane, sugar beet, industry made up about 61 percent of the incremental value of all tobacco, silkworm cocoon, tea, and fruits. Xinjiang’s industry. In addition, the “Seven Five” event brought 7 In 2010, per capita production value of primary industry in Xinjiang seriously adverse effects to Xinjiang’s economic development. (The was 24,700 Yuan, whereas the national average was only 14,500 Yuan; “Seven Five” event is a series of violent riots over several days that per capita production of major agro products was 796.99kilograms, broke out on 5 July 2009 in Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang.) SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 7 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Figure 5: Composition of GDP by Sectors (%), 2010 Labor Supply 9 100% Compared with the national average, Xinjiang’s workforce is younger and growing faster, and the decrease in the 80% school-age population is slower. Therefore Xinjiang has a comparative advantage in terms of the size of its 60% workforce. In 2010, Xinjiang’s population reached 21.85 40% million, of which 59.9 percent were ethnic minorities. As a result of the preferential flexible family planning policy 10 20% offered to ethnic minorities, population growth in Xinjiang has always been at the top for the whole country. 0% In 2010, the natural population growth rate in Xinjiang Xinjiang National reached 1.06 percent, far higher than the national average Tertiary Sector Secondary Sector Primary Sector of 0.48 percent. Meanwhile, the workforce increased steadily, from 13.85 million in 2002 to 15.93 million in 2010, Source: China’s Statistical Yearbook, 2011 averaging 1.8 percent annual growth, whereas the national Industries that contribute most to total GDP in Xinjiang growth of the working population during the same period include construction; public administration and social was only 1.3 percent (see Figure 7). The population of 0–14 organizations; wholesale and retail trades; finance; year olds decreased from 4.97 million in 2002 to 4.53 transportation, storage and post; education; and real million in 2010, an annual reduction of 1.1 percent, estate (see Figure 6). Adding them together, they account whereas the national average reduction during the same for 32.5 percent of the total GDP in Xinjiang. Most of these period was 3.2 percent. In this sense, Xinjiang is expected industries are labor and capital intensive, rather than to enjoy a longer period of demographic dividend. technology intensive industries. Consequently Xinjiang faces greater pressure in providing better public education services. Figure 6: GDP by Industry in Xinjiang, 2010 (billion Yuan) Construction 43.1 Public Management and Social Organizations 28.8 Wholesale and Retail Trades 27.6 Financial Intermediation 22.5 Transport, storage and Post 22.2 Education 18.3 Real Estate 14.3 9 Information Transmission, Computer The statistics about the workforce population and resident 8.6 Service and Software population include migrants from other provinces. According to Health, Social Security and Social Welfare 8.3 Census 2010, migrants from other provinces account for 8.2 percent of the total Xinjiang population. Compared to local residents, these Hotels and Catering Services 6.8 migrants have a comparatively higher education level. For migrants, the share of the population with senior secondary and higher Scientific Research, Technology Service and Geological Prospecting 4.9 education is 44.8 percent. Compared to this, for local residents, the share is only 21.6 percent. Leasing and Business Service 4.7 10 According to the One-Child Policy in China, each couple is allowed to Community Service and Other Services 4.4 have only one child. However, in some special cases, a couple may apply to have a second child. Policies are defined by provincial Water Conservancy, Environment and 3.0 governments. The ethnic minorities are also encouraged to use birth Public Facility Management control. But the policies applied to them are looser than for Han Culture, Sports and Entertainment 2.1 residents. In Xinjiang, the Population and Family Planning Regulations announced that a couple of Han Urban residents are entitled to have 0 10 20 30 40 only one child and their minority counterparts are entitled to have two; while a couple of Han rural residents are entitled to have two children, Source: Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook, 2011. their minority counterparts are entitled to have three. The Xinjiang policy is comparatively looser than other provinces. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 8 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Figure 7: Distribution of Population by Age, Xinjiang, the increase in enrollment and to meet Xinjiang’s WfD 2002-2010 goals. 18 Labor Demand 16 The tertiary sector has provided more new jobs in 14 Xinjiang in the past ten years, despite its shrinking share Population (millions) 12 of overall economic activity. The total employed 10 8 population in Xinjiang increased from 6.85 million in 2001 6 to 8.95 million in 2010, representing a 30.5 percent 4 increase. The share of workers in primary sector jobs 2 decreased from 56.6 percent to 49.0 percent, while 0 employment in the secondary and tertiary sectors went up from 13.5 percent to 14.8 percent and from 29.9 percent Aged 0-14 Aged 15-64 Aged 65 and over to 36.2 percent, respectively (see Figure 8). Figure 8: Xinjiang Employment Scale and Structure by Source: China Statistical Yearbook 2003-2011 Strata of Industry Educational attainment has improved gradually in recent 60.0 10.0 years, but remains lower than the national average. In 9.0 50.0 2009, the average educational attainment of Xinjiang’s 8.0 7.0 workforce was 9 years of schooling, whereas the national (Percentage, %) 40.0 6.0 average was 9.5 years. New entrants to the labor market 30.0 5.0 (million) had received an average of 10 years of schooling, whereas 20.0 4.0 3.0 the national average was 12.4 years; and about 30 percent 2.0 10.0 of the new entrants had received education at the senior 1.0 secondary level and above, which was far behind the 0.0 0.0 national average of 67 percent. The Xinjiang government aims to reduce these gaps by 2020, especially for the group Total Employment with senior secondary education and above, according to Share of Employment in Primary Industry Share of Employment in Secondary Industry the Xinjiang Medium- and Long-term Education Reform Share of Employment in Tertiary Industry and Development Plan (see Table 1). Hence, Xinjiang’s capacity to provide education, and TVET in particular, has Source: Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook, 2001-2011 to increase faster than in other provinces to accommodate Table 1: Major Goals of Education Development during 2010-2020 2009 2015 2020 Indicators Xinjiang National Xinjiang National Xinjiang National Average years of education received by major workforce(year) 9.0 9.5 10.0 10.5 11.0 11.2 Average years of education received by new entrant labor (year) 10.0 12.4 12.0 13.3 13.0 13.5 Among which, people receiving education at senior middle 30.0 67.0 50.0 87.0 78.0 90.0 school level and above˄%˅ Source: Outline of National Medium- and Long-term Education Reform and Development Plan (2010-2020); Outline of Medium- and Long-term Education Reform and Development Plan of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (2010-2020) SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 9 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 th In terms of the occupational structure of the workforce, and the quality of its workforce. Xinjiang’s 12 Five Year the proportion employed in public services is up while Development Plan has set the goal of “catching up with the proportion in traditional services is down. In the past the national average level in terms of per capita regional five years in the tertiary sector, household services, health, total production value, and reaching the Western region’s social security and welfare have added jobs rapidly, with average level in terms of urban and rural residents’ an average annual increase in total employment of over 3 income and public services”. Accomplishing this will percent (see Table 2). Meanwhile, traditional service require an increase in the sophistication of economic occupations, like hotel and catering, as well as wholesale activity through nurturing new industries, agricultural and retail industries, have been shrinking. Looking modernization and urbanization. Agriculture needs to forward, the coal industry is projected to provide 300,000 transfer surplus labor through the use of innovative new jobs by 2015, most of which will be for technicians technology, the secondary sector needs to establish 11 and managers. technology-intensive pillar industries, and the tertiary sector needs to foster a modern service industry. A high Table 2: Changes in Employment by Sector in the quality workforce is a fundamental step to achieve these 12 Tertiary Sector in Xinjiang, 2006-2010 transformations. Only through providing highly skilled workers can the comparative advantage of the size of the Sectors With Most Rapid Growth in Annual workforce be brought into play and natural resources be Employment Change (%) fully utilized. 13 Services to Households and Other Services 14.36 The mismatch between labor supply and demand in key Health, Social Security and Social Welfare 5.02 economic sectors has constrained Xinjiang’s economic Financial Intermediation 4.29 development. Skills development and TVET policies are at Leasing and Business Services 3.72 the center of the response required to promote Water Resource Management, Environment 3.64 continuing development. There is a shortage of skilled workers. A labor market survey in Xinjiang in 2011 showed Sectors With Most Rapid Decrease in Annual that 71.8 percent of enterprises considered it hard to find Employment Change (%) appropriately skilled workers; 69.0 percent of the Hotels and Catering Services -3.58 enterprises experienced difficulties in recruitment; and Wholesale and Retail Trades -3.32 30.1 percent of enterprises encountered difficulties in 14 IT, Computer Services and Software -3.19 recruiting professional technicians. Taking the coal Traffic, Transport, Storage & Postal Services -0.95 industry as an example, the current ratio of professional Real Estate -0.32 technicians and managers is far below the national average in the larger coal mines. This is the main Source: Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook, 2007-2011 constraint to the further development of the coal industry 15 th in the province. The Xinjiang 12 Five Year Education Challenges to Workforce Development Development Plan identified improved TVET provision as Xinjiang is rich in land, energy and mineral resources, and integral to economic development, and set the goals of also has a comparative advantage in terms of the size of promoting secondary vocational education, making TVET its workforce. However, it faces some constraints more attractive, and narrowing the gap between TVET regarding its economic development, industrial structure provision and industrial demand. 11 TVET System The incremental workforce includes: 80,000 for major industries, 120,000 for support staff related to the coal industry, 20,000 for coal The formal educational system in Xinjiang is the same as power installation, and 50,000 for the coal chemical industry. Details for other parts of the country (see Figure 9): after up to are provided in the Talent Development Plan for Coal Mines, Coal three years of pre-school education (for children aged 3-6 Power and Coal Chemical Industry during the Period of 2006-2010 in years), students have 9 years of compulsory education (6 Xinjiang. 12 years of primary school and 3 years of junior secondary Other sectors include public administration and social school). Compulsory education is followed by 3 years of organizations, with an average annual increase of 3.15 percent; scientific research, technical services and geological survey industries (average annual increase of 1.73 percent); culture sports and 14 recreational industries (1.61 percent); and education (1.15 percent). Research on workforce demand and supply of enterprises in 13 Services to Households and Other Services include resident Xinjiang conducted in 2011 by Wang Guirong, JiangYueheng, Pang services (such as daycare services), motor vehicles, electronic Yan and Huang Tao. products and commodity repair services (such as bicycle repair), and 15 See Talent Development Plan for Coal Mines, Coal Power and Coal other services (such as building-cleaning services). Chemical Industry During the Period of 2006-2010 in Xinjiang. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 10 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 senior secondary and 3 to 4 years of higher education Figure 9: Xinjiang’s TVET System (college or university level). The technical or vocational track includes secondary vocational education (vocational high schools, technical schools, or skilled worker schools) and 3 years at vocational colleges and professional institutions (polytechnics). All technical and vocational schools are administered by the Department of Education or Department of Human Resources and Social Security (HRSS). Table 3 provides details on enrolments, quality and funding levels for general and vocational education in Xinjiang in 2010. Vocational schools and colleges also offer short-term training programs. Most short-term training programs are Source: Author’s construction provided by training institutes outside the formal education system. There are limited data for these Comments on Implementation of the State Council training institutes beyond the number of institutes and Decision on Forcefully Promoting Reform and trainees. Development of Vocational Education (2003); and Notice on Developing Vocational Education and Skill Training The current TVET system in Xinjiang was created during (2005). TVET reform and development has also been the 1980s in the context of political reform and economic included in the Xinjiang Medium- and Long-term Talent liberalization in China. In the 1990s, two important acts Development Plan (2010-2020); the Xinjiang Medium- and defined the legal framework for workforce development Long-term Educational Reform and Development Plan in China and in Xinjiang. They are the Vocational th (2010-2020); and in the Xinjiang 12 Five Year Education Education Law (1996), and the Higher Education Law Development Plan. (1998). Guided by the national policies, a series of policy documents have been promulgated by Xinjiang’s Given this consistent high-level attention to TVET, government, giving TVET a priority in education and enrollments have expanded rapidly in the past 10 years. workforce development. Key documents describing the Total enrollment in secondary vocational schools definition and implementation of the policies at this level increased from 160,000 in 2001 to 261,600 in 2010. of education include: Decisions on Accelerating Vocational Enrollment in tertiary vocational schools stood at 111,800 Training to Enhance Workforce Qualification (2001); in 2010. However, TVET remains a weak segment in terms of both size and quality when compared with general Table 3: Key Statistics on Xinjiang’s Education System, 2010 Share of Public Government Teacher with Financial Number Pupil- Education New Total Qualified Budget for of Graduates Teacher Appropriation Education Level Enrollment Enrollment Education Educational Schools Ratio to Total Background Expenditure Educational Per Student Fund (1,000) (1,000) (1,000) (%) (teacher=1) (%) (Yuan) Primary Schools 3598 311.9 1935.8 334.4 99.8 14.5 98.5 6084.4 Junior Secondary Schools 1160 336.1 1003.3 337.5 99.5 12.0 97.7 8457.8 Senior Secondary Schools 385 153.2 419.1 135.7 90.7 13.9 79.1 7907.2 Vocational Secondary Education 227 108.3 261.6 74.1 17.9 75.1 8488.7 Specialized Secondary Schools 81 60.4 152.2 44.5 17.6 74.1 8808.2 Vocational High Schools 83 28.8 59.6 14.4 22.7 88.8 6129.3 Technical Schools 63 19.1 49.8 15.2 8.7 63.0 10891.0 Undergraduates and College Students 32 73.1 247.0 62.0 15.0 70.5 14112.6 Universities and Colleges 34.3 139.4 28.9 56.6 16.2 74.1 16263.6 Vocational Colleges and Polytechnics 39.3 111.8 34.6 21.8 17.4 61.6 10722.8 Source: Chinese Statistical Yearbook, 2011; Chinese Educational Funds Statistical Yearbook, 2011 SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 11 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 education. In 2010, the number of TVET schools, However, the capacity of senior secondary schools, admissions, students, and graduates were all less than for colleges and universities is far from able to satisfy the general education. In terms of enrollment, students in demand for places. The progression rate – enrollment at vocational education made up 38 percent and 45 percent the next level of education divided by number of of total students at secondary and tertiary levels, graduates at the current education level – gives the story. respectively. In terms of school administration, TVET teachers have lower qualifications than general education Figure 10: Share of TVET Graduates among Total Labor teachers; however, TVET teachers have heavier teaching Market Entrants in Urban Areas (%) loads because the student/teacher ratio is a little higher 20.0 19.7 than for general education. Total educational investment 19.6 in vocational education is much lower than that in general 18.0 17.4 education. As a result, both vocational high schools and 16.0 16.4 16.2 vocational colleges have lower expenditures per student 14.0 14.8 14.2 than general senior schools and universities. 12.0 Mismatch between Skills Supply and 10.0 10.8 Demand 8.0 8.9 7.6 Many students are not adequately prepared when they 6.0 enter the labor market. Xinjiang has achieved almost universal enrollment in compulsory education. The net National Xinjiang enrollment rates of primary and junior secondary school are 99.73 percent and 97.26 percent, respectively. Source: Chinese Labor Statistical Yearbook, 2011 Table 4: Progression Rate and Destination of Students In 2010, the progression rate of junior secondary by Education Levels – Xinjiang vs. National, 2010 graduates in Xinjiang was 84.5 percent, which was lower Progression Rate than the national average of 90.9 percent; the progression Education Level rate of senior secondary graduates was 54.2 percent, (%) Xinjiang National which was far below the national average of 83.3 percent (Table 4). This means that 15.5 percent of junior Primary Schools 100.5 98.6 secondary graduates and 46.1 percent of senior secondary Junior Secondary Schools 84.5 90.9 graduates enter into the labor market without further Senior Secondary Schools 54.2 83.3 formal education. General education in China focuses on Destination of those completing junior preparing students for the next level of education (Yang, (%) 16 secondary school 2007), so vocational education and training can serve as a bridge in equipping graduates with work-oriented Senior Secondary Schools (general) 52.4 47.8 training, something that has obvious benefits in terms of Vocational Secondary Schools, of which 32.1 43.1 productivity enhancement. Many of these students Specialized Secondary Schools 17.9 18.1 leaving the general education track could benefit from Vocational High Schools 8.5 15.9 vocational education before making the transition to the Technical Schools 5.7 9.1 labor market. However, in Xinjiang the rate of student progression to vocational education is lower than the Do not progress beyond junior secondary 15.5 9.1 national average. One major reason is the insufficient Destination of those completing senior number of places in vocational schools. However TVET is (%) secondary school also still perceived by many as a second-tier track and Universities/ Colleges 25.3 44.2 thus it also does not attract the strongest students. Vocational Colleges/ Polytechnics 28.9 39.1 Do not progress beyond senior secondary 45.8 16.7 Source: Chinese Statistical Yearbook, 2011; The progression is calculated by taking enrollment at the next level of education divided by number of graduates at the current education level. 16 Yang Aling, The Reflection on Reasons for the Imperfection in the Curriculum Reform of Basic Education, Journal Of Educational Studies, Vol 3. No.1, Feb 2007 SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 12 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 The supply of a skilled workforce by the TVET system has not yet played an important role in Xinjiang compared to the national average. The National Bureau of Statistics and HRSS divide the sources of total new labor market entrants in urban areas for each province each year into “recruited from the countryside”, “recruited from cities and towns”, “recruited demobilized and transferred soldiers”, “recruited TVET graduates”, “transferred into” 17 and “others”. Figure 10 shows the percentage of TVET graduates among new entrants. The percentage of employed TVET graduates against total urban incremental employment in Xinjiang increased rapidly from 7.6 percent in 2006 to 14.2 percent in 2011. However, it is still lagging behind the national average, which shows that, compared with other provinces, TVET in Xinjiang does not serve as a strong contributor in providing qualified workers. Xinjiang’s TVET system, especially vocational colleges, have expanded rapidly in the past 10 years, but additional improvements in quality and capacity will be necessary to support the government’s goal of creating a more skilled workforce to support Xinjiang’s economic and social development. The Xinjiang government has thus defined TVET development objectives in various plans. It intends to reach a 50:50 balance between student enrolled in general and vocational tracks by 2015, and catch up with the national average level and the advanced level in the western region in 2020 in terms of quality. To achieve such objectives, it is necessary to systematically examine the Xinjiang TVET system, to identify its strengths and weaknesses in the context of global best practices, and then determine relevant and effective measures. 17 Recruitment from the countryside or cities and towns mainly comprises general education graduates. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 13 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 3. Summary | Benchmarking Results SABER-WfD Ratings of the Strategic Framework This chapter highlights findings from the assessment of In the SABER-WfD framework, the role of WfD in realizing Xinjiang’s WfD system based on the SABER-WfD analytical Xinjiang’s socio-economic aspirations materializes through framework and tool. The focus is on policies, institutions actions to advance the following three Policy Goals: (i) and practices in three important functional dimensions of Setting a Direction for WfD (3.1); (ii) Fostering a Demand- policymaking and implementation—strategic framework, led Approach to WfD (2.7); and (iii) Strengthening Critical system oversight and service delivery. Because these Coordination for WfD (3.0) (see Figure 12). aspects collectively create the operational environment in The scores for these policy goals reflect the level of which individuals, firms and training providers, both state development for different aspects of the WfD system and non-state, make decisions with regard to training, related to strategy. They indicate that Xinjiang has they exert an important influence on observed outcomes identified WfD as a strategic priority for achieving in skills development. Strong systems of WfD have economic development goals. There is a high degree of institutionalized processes and practices for reaching coherence between strategy and policy at the provincial agreement on priorities, for collaboration and level, and legislation establishes clear roles for all coordination, and for generating routine feedback that stakeholder groups involved. However, clearly defined sustain continuous innovation and improvement. By legal roles do not always translate into productive contrast, weak systems are characterized by coordination among government agencies. Employers, fragmentation, duplication of effort and limited learning crucial partners in demand-led systems, have been given a from experience. say in WfD policy, but when engaging with government The SABER-WfD assessment results summarized below policy makers they are clearly the junior partner and are provide a baseline for understanding the current status of rarely given decision-making authority. While the the WfD system in Xinjiang Province as well as a basis for government conducts studies on present and projected discussing ideas on how best to strengthen it in the labor market conditions to inform policymaking, such coming years. assessments are not routine. There is no institutionalized monitoring of policy implementation to provide feedback Overview of Results on the efficacy of strategic WfD measures. Figure 11 shows the overall results for the three functional SABER-WfD Ratings on Oversight of the WfD System 18 dimensions in the SABER-WfD framework. The results The SABER-WfD framework identifies three pertinent reveal that the Strategic Framework dimension is scored Policy Goals corresponding to the oversight mechanisms at the Established level (2.9) while System Oversight (2.7) for influencing the choices of individuals, training and Service Delivery (2.7) are rated lower, but remain providers and employers: (i) diversifying pathways for 19 within the Established band. skills acquisition; (ii) ensuring efficiency and equity in Figure 11: Benchmarking Results – Dimension Level funding; and (iii) assuring relevant and reliable standards. Based on data collected by the SABER-WfD questionnaire, Xinjiang receives an overall rating of Established for system oversight. This score is the average of the ratings Strategic for the underlying Policy Goals: Diversifying Pathways for System Oversight Service Delivery Framework Skills Acquisition (2.4); (ii) Ensuring Efficiency and Equity of Note: the above composite scores are the same as the categorical ratings Funding (2.4); and (iii) Assuring Relevant and Reliable shown on the cover of this report. They have been converted using the Standards (3.4). rules indicated in footnote 3 on page 5. 18 See Annex 2 for the full results. 19 See Figure 2 and footnote 3 for a description of the levels of development and conversion rules by which numerical scores are converted to categorical ratings. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 14 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 system in Xinjiang. The availability of labor market and Figure 12: Xinjiang Benchmarking Results, 2012 administrative data from providers, along with consultations with stakeholders, allows the government to Policy Goal align funding to strategic WfD priorities. However, 1. Direction reviews of the impact on efficiency of procedures for Framework Strategic allocating funds are not undertaken on a regular basis. 2. Priorities 3. Coordination SABER WfD Ratings on Service Delivery The Policy Goals for this Dimension in the SABER-WfD 4. Pathways framework focus on the following three aspects of service Oversight System delivery: (i) Enabling Diversity and Excellence in Training 5. Resources Provision (3.0); (ii) Fostering Relevance in Public Training 6. Standards Programs (2.2); and (iii) Enhancing Evidence-Based Accountability for Results (2.9). 7. Content The findings for service delivery indicate that the public Delivery Service 8. Incentives training sector is subject to institutionalized reporting procedures for administrative and some outcome data. 9. Outcomes These results are used by the government to provide 1 2 3 4 Latent: 1.00 - 1.75; Emerging: 1.76 - 2.50; Established: 2.51 - 3.25; Advanced: 3.26 - 4.00 feedback to providers and, in combination with results from special surveys on skills demand and supply and other economic data, to make decisions about the overall These findings reflect the fact that Xinjiang enforces strict supply of education and training. There are, however, accreditation and licensing requirements for public and concerns about the reliability of the data submitted by private training institutions and rigorously implements providers. Collaboration with industry is more common at skills testing and certification. Standards for accreditation the service delivery level. Many institutions have are promulgated at the national level and updated established formal relationships with employers in an periodically. Accreditation according to these standards is effort to improve the quality and relevance of VET carried out by independent panels of experts. While delivery. However, there is little diversity in the types of Xinjiang has put in place procedures for certifying prior providers and pathways for skills acquisition, which learning for adults, students pursuing initial education constrains the system’s ability to provide diverse, tailored, face a rigid system where rules for transferring programs and high quality training services. and gaining admission to higher levels of education can The results for each of the 27 policy actions that form the create educational “dead-ends.” There is increasing basis for the policy goal and dimension scores above are government funding for TVET, but businesses, a crucial presented in the next section. source of monetary and in-kind contributions to the TVET system in some countries, are not partners in funding the SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 15 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 4. Detailed Results | Strategic ‹ Evaluate economic prospects and Framework implications for skills Policy Goal 1 | Articulating a Strategic This action is scored at the Established level. The Xinjiang Direction for WfD government has produced development plans for some The results of the SABER- sectors based on studies and assessments of skills needs. WfD benchmarking exercise Such assessments have provided useful information on indicate that for Policy Goal the design of skills training programs. Such work is not 1 Xinjiang’s score is at the done for the entire economy but, instead, efforts are Established level. Detailed concentrated on key strategic economic sectors. results for the three underlying Policy Actions are shown The government of Xinjiang has conducted official below and highlight the degree to which the country assessments of economic prospects for key industries. For prioritizes WfD, whether its priorities are based on example, it has carried out occasional formal evaluations assessments of future economic prospects, and whether of the skills supply and assessments of future skills needs existing policies take such analyses into account. for coal, coal power and coal chemicals, which are priority industries for future development. These studies were ‹ Advocate for WfD as a priority for mainly carried out by the HR departments of relevant economic development government agencies, public institutions, and large- and medium-sized enterprises. Following the policy, adopted This action is rated at the Advanced level. Xinjiang has set in 2008, of promoting in-demand occupations and skills WfD as a priority for economic and social development needed for key industries, the government has defined through a series of strategy documents and plans issued priority occupations and skills on an annual basis through by the government. The government evaluates and funds enterprise surveys. The government has also made projects for WfD in light of these documents, though special appropriations to the education and training processes for evaluating project proposals and their institutes responsible for training in urgently needed skills. implementation are ad hoc. Performance evaluations have been conducted as well. Government leaders attach great importance to WfD. The strategy of revitalizing Xinjiang through science, education ‹ Develop policies to align skills and talent has been established since the 9th Five Year demand and supply Plan for Xinjiang’s Economic and Social Development and Outline of the 2010 Vision Objectives of the Xinjiang Uygur This action is scored at the Established level. Regular Autonomous Region (1996), which advocated educational studies of the status of workforce skills supply and development as a priority. The 12th Five Year Educational demand are conducted by Xinjiang’s government, and Development Plan of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous some policy measures are determined based on the study Region (2011) stresses the importance of vocational results. However, the content and quality of such studies education and the necessity of TVET to improve social and require improvement in order for the authorities to economic development. A key goal of the Xinjiang understand problems with skills demand and supply on a Medium- to Long-term Education Development Outline is timely basis. to improve the quality and attraction of TVET over the A system to monitor labor market demand and supply was next 10 years. The Xinjiang Medium to Long-term Talent established by Xinjiang’s HRSS in 2002. Such information Development Outline identifies 12 priority projects. While is disclosed publicly on a quarterly basis. Some these strategic documents have not included detailed universities, research institutions and think tanks have implementation plans with clear budgets, projects that used this information to analyze human resource have been initiated with the goal of achieving the strategic conditions in Xinjiang and prepare reports on the demand objectives laid out in these documents are evaluated by for training and on training quality. These studies have the government, and provision for funding and evaluating shown that TVET institutions struggle to attract the best such projects is set accordingly. students and deliver high quality education. Reasons for this include low salaries, a lack of student interest in vocational education, insufficient attention to training quality by vocational schools/colleges, and a lack of instructors with practical experience. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 16 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 To solve these problems, the government has put more investment into infrastructure construction, opened up employment opportunities through public works projects, organized regular employment exchanges and recruitment fairs, and promulgated a series of policy documents on training subsidies, promoting access to training, and improving the environment for investment in TVET, among others. Meanwhile, a series of targeted training programs have been implemented, including re- employment training for redundant urban workers, employment readiness training for rural residents, employment training for rural migrants, on-the-job skills improvement training for enterprise employees, and entrepreneurship training. The Special Subsidy for Employment funding mechanism has also been established, which has subsidized employment intermediation, vocational training, social insurance, public welfare jobs and the development of occupational competencies. At the same time, efforts have been made to speed up basic capacity building for vocational education. Eight practical training bases and four TVET parks have been set up for the key industries and sectors in the province. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 17 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Policy Goal 2 | Prioritizing a Demand-led enterprises. Following the implementation of these Approach policies, the government calculated the total amount of government investment in these training programs and Policy Goal 2 examines the the number of trained staff. Nevertheless, the important role that users of government has made only preliminary assessments of skills play in influencing WfD the impact of these policies on enhancing workforce skills outcomes. The Policy and the productivity of enterprises. The assessment Actions under this Goal results have contributed to the recommendations on skills focus on the following: employers’ engagement at the and productivity improvement. For example, as a result of strategic level; government incentive programs for skills the assessments, requirements for improving practical upgrading; and efforts to address future skills challenges. operational capacity have been proposed. However, the The overall score for this Policy Goal is at the Established government is not adequately monitoring the level. implementation of these recommendations. There is a ‹ Promote a demand-driven need for the government departments to improve the management of these subsidized programs, offer approach incentives and provide more services to strengthen firms’ This action is scored at the Established level. Input from demand for skills. enterprises and industries are sought when formulating ‹ Address critical challenges in relevant policies. Such exchanges are systematic. the future supply of skills While in the process of making decisions on major issues related to TVET, the Xinjiang government has sought This action is scored at the Established level. Some inputs and comments from enterprises in the form of field assessments of challenges in the future supply of skills studies and submission of special research by sector have been made by both the government and enterprises. specialists. However, the role of enterprises in policy However, such assessments are not systematic and they implementation needs to be increased. play a limited role in guiding planning for skills training. Aperiodic assessments of future skills demand are carried ‹ Strengthen firms’ demand for out by the government and stakeholders for key strategic skills to improve productivity industries such as coal mining, coal power and the coal This action is rated at the Emerging level. To encourage chemical industry. However, no regular and system-wide enterprises to strengthen their demand for skills to evaluation system has emerged. Some of the improve productivity, the government has formulated recommendations of these assessments are planned to be some policies, such as providing subsidies for some skills phased in by the HRSS. In addition, a special fund for training programs. As a result, large numbers of talent development at various levels has been established enterprise employees have received vocational training. by the government. However, measures for administering However, improvement is required with respect to policy this fund such as further assessments of skills demand, monitoring and evaluation and the use of such evaluation enumeration of the responsibilities of the implementing in informing policy adjustment. agencies, and a monitoring and evaluation system have yet to be determined. The Xinjiang Departments of Education and Finance have stipulated that the government (i) provide subsidies to encourage firms to offer training programs for newly recruited staff, and (ii) fully finance training for managerial staff and technicians in small- and medium-sized SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 18 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Policy Goal 3 | Strengthening Critical ‹ Institutionalize the structure of Coordination WfD roles and responsibilities Policy Goal 3 examines the This action is scored at the Established level. The roles strength of critical and responsibilities of stakeholders, including workforce coordination among key development administrative agencies, training providers, stakeholders to ensure and employees, are clearly defined. However, the roles of effective WfD. The first employers in policy formulation and implementation need Policy Action associated with this Goal is concerned with further enhancement. the quality of coordination mechanisms among WfD Roles and responsibilities for majority stakeholders in the leaders; the second, with how formally roles and Xinjiang TVET system are clearly defined. The government responsibilities are defined; and the third, with the is responsible for educational development, conducting existence and quality of regular interaction among studies and formulating development plans and financial stakeholders. Xinjiang’s score for this Policy Goal is at the budgets, as well as reviewing education and training established level. results. The training institutions and employers are ‹ Ensure coherence of key responsible for delivering skills training to the workforce strategic WfD priorities and providing the decision-making bodies with information on skills supply and demand. Currently, This action is rated at the Advanced level. WfD strategy is training institutions and employers have no right to vote coordinated and formulated at the provincial level, and on policy-making issues. policies are formulated and implemented by relevant government agencies, following approval by the provincial ‹ Facilitate communication and management. interaction among all WfD stakeholders Xinjiang has established a special WfD agency: the TVET Leading Group. The focus of the WfD strategy has been This action is rated at the Emerging level. Although there determined and is now being implemented in accordance is interaction among the WfD administrative agencies, the with the relevant provincial procedures and standards. training institutes and the employers, no formal and The actions of the Departments of Finance, Education, and effective mechanism for facilitating regular HRSS as well as the Development Reform Committee, are communication and interaction has been formed. all coordinated by the Leading Group. A special working Although the WfD administrative agencies can coordinate conference is called by the Leading Group every year. In well with the leadership of the TVET Leading Group, addition, interim meetings are called as needed. The communication with other shareholders is limited. efforts of the Leading Group have given continuity and Similarly, the government tends to play a central role in coherence to WfD strategy and budgeting; this greatly facilitating interaction, with little interaction occurring promotes the rational allocation and efficient use of TVET between other stakeholders outside of government resources and ultimately improves coordination in TVET channels. Nonetheless, there have been some instances development in Xinjiang. One area where further of productive cooperation between schools and improvement may be needed is coordination of efforts to enterprises, which have helped to raise the effectiveness assess and analyze future skills demand and supply. of TVET delivery. Cooperation between vocational schools and research institutes has been rare. Instances of collaboration have been limited to a few schools and have focused only on a few specialties and programs . SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 19 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 5. Detailed Results | System Oversight financed by public funds do not cover all vulnerable groups. Policy Goal 4 | Diversifying Pathways for Both schools and communities provide employment Skills Acquisition guidance services. Some talent-search websites also Policy Goal 4 examines the provide comprehensive services including skills diversity of programs and assessment and evaluation, and storage of personnel files. ease of movement between Vocational colleges provide both degree certificates and them, whether the system skill certificates to recognize prior training and learning. facilitates skills upgrading The local departments of HRSS release the Qualification by providing information on emerging trends and Directory of New Posts to the public. The government recognition of prior learning, and how well the system is fund has subsidized training programs targeting particular able to adapt to changing skills demand. The score for this sections of the population and employment groups. This Policy Goal is at the Emerging level. government training fund is allocated funds by the Departments of Education and HRSS through systematic ‹ Foster articulation across levels annual budgets. Efficiency in skills training is assured by and programs establishing standards for training institutes and This action is scored at the low Emerging level. This shows monitoring training results. that major efforts need to be made to promote ‹ Set policies and procedures to articulation across levels and programs. renew programs Xinjiang is working to increase both horizontal and vertical This action is scored at the Emerging level. Xinjiang has linkages within the TVET system to provide various and put in place some standards and procedures for setting up multiple TVET opportunities for the workforce. Currently training programs. However, it is less efficient in adjusting it has achieved limited progress in establishing horizontal and closing weak and inadequate programs. movement between general and vocational education tracks. Students at secondary vocational schools cannot With regard to setting up new vocational training transfer to general high schools and fewer than 10 specialties and training programs, the Xinjiang percent of graduates of vocational colleges can continue Department of HRSS has set out the following regulations: to universities. But vertical movement has been improved schools should conduct surveys of sectors, employers and between secondary vocational schools and tertiary employment markets; analyze skills demand and supply; vocational colleges. Graduates from secondary vocational and submit feasibility study reports to the administrative schools with vocational certificates and intermediate agencies. The administrative agencies are required to computer certificates can be admitted by vocational respond within three months. Training institutions are colleges through a program that is currently in the pilot entitled to decide for themselves whether to make stage. However, training received in one school is not adjustments or close training specialties. The relevant recognized by others, and movement between degree and information is submitted to the responsible administrative non-degree programs has not been established. agency only for the record. In a system with a limited number of training providers, this can result in uneven ‹ Promote life-long learning and suboptimal provision of training for certain occupations. Therefore it is essential to improve relevant standards and procedures for adjusting and closing This action is scored at the Established level. The specialties and training programs, to make them government has adopted a series of policies on skills standardized and comprehensive, and to ensure that they testing, accreditation, and training to encourage skills are vetted by formal committees with representation upgrading. However, there is no one-stop online resource from all WfD stakeholders. or standardized arrangement to support life-long learning and recognition of prior learning. The training programs SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 20 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 ‹ Allocate funds to achieve Policy Goal 5 | Ensuring Efficiency and efficient results Equity in Funding This action is scored at the high Emerging level. The Policy Goal 5 focuses on the government determines funding to programs when it sets government’s role in the annual budget based on its study results and funding WfD, ensuring comments from various parties. However, there is a lack efficient and effective use of of clearly defined standards for budgeting, and for available funds, and in procedures for allocation and regular review. fostering partnerships that can multiply the resources available to encourage and support investment in WfD by With regard to distributing public funds for training individuals and employers. This Policy Goal scores at the programs, the government starts to prepare the annual Emerging level. educational budget one year in advance, which is incorporated into the budget of the Department of ‹ Articulate the funding strategy Finance. Requests are submitted by the schools to the Departments of Education and HRSS for review and This action is scored at the Established level. The WfD approval, with funds disbursed within one month after administrative agency in Xinjiang has established a system approval. However, the government has not yet set up a for raising and allocating funds. Nevertheless, mechanism for regular review of the standards for making improvement is required in terms of setting up standards allocation decisions. Regular reviews are conducted only for fund distribution and assessment methods to on fund utilization. The government adjusts priorities determine the efficiency of fund utilization. according to which funding is allocated based on workforce needs for economic development at the time of Funding sources for TVET come mainly from three budgeting. The government maintains a directory of sources: government budgets, donations and tuition fees. urgently needed occupations financed by budgetary Government funds are appropriated and allocated outlays, as well as WfD projects that support special through budgetary allocations, special funds, and grants. employment groups; this directory is updated and Special funds are allocated to vocational institutions in released annually. response to submission of requests, which are reviewed and approved by the Department of Education or ‹ Foster partnerships Department of HRSS, depending on the requesting institution. Institutions in receipt of special funds are This action is rated at the Emerging level. Communication required to submit annual reports on fund utilization, and between government agencies and stakeholders is limited these are reviewed by expert committees. Grant funds are with respect to funding. Not all cooperating parties are renewed based on assessment results. Special funds are entitled to receive public funds and few key stakeholders directed preferentially towards institutions that serve provide funding support to WfD. vulnerable groups (such as rural and ethnic minority The departments collect data from sectors and students), as well as to major industries and urgently enterprises, listen to their comments and release to the needed specialties. The majority of revenue generated by public, on a regular basis, the educational statistics and training institutions is required to be submitted to the various consolidated data. But industry and other key Ministry of Education through the provincial Department stakeholders contribute only a small range of resources of Education, but providers are allowed to keep some toward WfD, often in the form of in-kind services and revenues to use to support school development. personnel time. These connections are organized with the government serving as intermediary. Individual institutions are not empowered for form such partnerships independently. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 21 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 accountants, teachers, tour guides, and hotel clerks), Policy Goal 6 | Assuring Relevant and employers prefer to recruit certified individuals. Reliable Standards Standards for skills certification are defined at the national This Policy Goal examines level, and the testing process is managed by the local how the system can assure government. Certificates are reviewed and issued at the the quality of both the national level. Local governments are entitled to services offered by training formulate some standards for local testing and may issue providers and of the skills local skills certificates. The cost of certification is acquired by individuals through reliable procedures for reviewed and implemented by the government price accreditation and skills certification. The score for this agency. The certificate and training processes are Policy Goal is at the Advanced level. completely independent of each other. Since 2003, vocational qualifications and dual certificate systems have ‹ Specify accreditation been extensively adopted by all training institutes of standards various types in Xinjiang. Students at vocational training This action is scored at the Advanced level. Accreditation institutes are encouraged to participate proactively in standards are formulated at the national level with input skills identification and certificate testing during their from stakeholders. Accreditation is required of all schools. training. Training schools attached to the Department of Education ‹ Assure the credibility of are reviewed and assessed in accordance with national accreditation and skills accreditation standards and the assessment results are certification submitted to the Ministry of Education for the record. This action is scored at the Advanced level. Training Accreditation standards are revised if the national institutes and skills testing must follow government standards are changed. Normally, standards for private regulations. There are also strict rules on accreditation institutes are adjusted once every three or four years. and the skills testing process. However, there is a lack of There is no independent accreditation agency. Instead, accreditation and periodic audits for skills test centers. once the standards are promulgated, assessment of training schools is carried out by independent Accreditation standards for training schools and institutes authentication groups composed of experts selected by are promulgated by the Departments of Education and the Department of Education. Periodic assessments are HRSS. Accreditation is required of all schools. Schools required for public vocational schools and annual must also be licensed in order to operate. Licenses are assessments are required for private vocational schools. issued only when applicants can demonstrate that they Accreditation standards for training institutes attached to meet the requirements to open and operate a training the Department of HRSS are formulated by experts in institute. Once training institutes have been licensed, the accordance with the relevant rules of the national and government carries out regular or periodic assessments to regional governments, and after seeking comments from ensure continued compliance. Should, after accreditation vocational education institutes and relevant sector has been granted, schools or institutes fail an inspection, agencies. These standards are implemented after review they are required to rectify any issues within a set period and approval by the provincial government. In terms of of time and may even face withdrawal of their license. the accreditation process, it is the same as that of the Financial incentives are provided in order to encourage Department of Education. the training institutes to reach the accreditation standards. Awards are given to reward excellent ‹ Strengthen skills testing and performance at both the school and individual level. certification Furthermore, financial support, such as special funding for This action is scored at the Advanced level. Standards for enhancing teachers’ qualifications, is given to these high skills testing and certificates are formulated and performing schools. In addition, the government is implemented by government agencies. They are discussing preferential tax policies. In terms of completely independent from skills training. However, establishing skills standards, the government will take into there is no integrated management system for skills consideration the comments provided by employers, testing, and testing is not conducted by an independent trade unions and training providers. The skills standards agency. are promulgated either by the central or local government. Skills tests follow standardized testing At present, the value that employers attach to skills protocols. testing varies considerably by occupation. For some (e.g., SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 22 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 6. Detailed Results | Service Delivery determining training equipment needs, and setting materials and technical standards. However, enterprises Policy Goal 7 | Fostering Relevance in mainly play a consulting role rather than a decision- Training Programs making role; and not all institutes forge robust partnerships with related enterprises to secure input into Policy Goal 7 focuses on their training programs. strengthening linkages with industry and research ‹ Improve the competence of institutions, integrating administrators and instructors industry inputs into the design This action is scored at the Established level. Educational of training programs, and enhancing the competence of qualifications and skills are required for administrators administrators and instructors in training institutions. and teachers of the training institutes. However, the Xinjiang’s score for this Policy Goal is at the Established mechanisms for in-service training, professional level of development. improvement and performance evaluation are not yet fully established. There are only limited incentives to ‹ Link training, industry, and encourage the administrators and teachers to improve research institutions their managerial and teaching capabilities. This action is scored at the Established level. At the post- Administrators of public training institutes must meet secondary level there is widespread formal cooperation requirements pertaining to teaching experience, academic between training providers and industry for the purpose qualifications and industry experience in order to be of enhancing training relevance and quality. Cooperation hired. They are recruited by the human resource sector of also exists among secondary-level TVET providers and their administering agency in accordance with the industry and between post-secondary providers and organizational procedures. The administering agency research institutions, but these links are less common. periodically arranges for administrators to participate in In Xinjiang, vocational schools have worked with learning programs, academic workshops and study tours. industries in the following ways: businesses and industry Assessments of these in-service training programs are also have provided practical training bases for teacher training conducted, to a certain extent, in terms of training design and for students to practice their skills, and donated and delivery. Such assessments are conducted by the facilities and equipment to schools. Training institutes training institutes and reported to the administering provide tailor-made training or contract-based training to agency. However, the assessment mechanism for the some enterprises. At the post-secondary level, some performance of administrators could be more robust. training institutes jointly conduct some research programs Evaluation is carried out annually by the administering with enterprises. Cooperation is very limited at the agency in areas such as ethics, diligence, and skills. secondary vocational level between schools and research Administrators’ terms are decided by the human resource institutions, but at the post-secondary level, research sector and their salary is fixed in accordance with the institutes play an important role in teacher training for salary matrix, thus removing important incentives for vocational colleges, and they provide recommendations administrators to enhance their qualifications and on program design and curriculum development. managerial skills. Recruitment of teachers is open to the public, but only those with a teacher’s qualification ‹ Design training with industry certificate and an appropriate academic and professional inputs background are entitled to apply. The administering This action is scored at the Advanced level. In the process agency also provides teachers with various learning of designing training projects, experts from enterprises opportunities and funding support. Teachers are given and sectors have played an essential consulting and fixed-term contracts, and their performance is evaluated decision-making role. to determine retention or dismissal from their posts. The salary matrix of the government agency is applied to In the process of setting up public training projects and teachers. defining priorities for development, the government seeks full information from the sectors and takes their International best practices in this area include: comments into account. The government conducts recruitment of administrators and instructors through a annual studies of the enterprises requiring workers, and competitive process based on both academic publishes the directory for urgently needed competencies qualifications and industry experience; and performance- in key sectors. This information is used as guidance for based salary and retention decisions based on routine training. Comments of sector experts are sought in line evaluations. These best practices could be incorporated with the national standards for designing curricula, into Xinjiang’s reform agenda. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 23 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Policy Goal 8 | Incentivizing Excellence in As mentioned above, the government treats private Training Provision providers equally with public institutions in terms of skill authentication, teacher training, government training Policy Goal 8 examines the contracts, financial subsidies, and student grants. diversity in training provision Following the establishment of training institutes, the and the incentives to both government administering agency conducts reviews on a encourage private providers to regular basis. Institutes that fail to meet the standards meet WfD standards, and are closed. As the government conducts only periodic motivate public institutions to respond to the evolving reviews of public institutes but makes annual reviews of demand for skills. Xinjiang’s score for this Goal is at the private institutes, it could be said that stricter monitoring Emerging level. is applied to the private schools. However, the ‹ Promote diversity in training government has not set up an integrated management information system to facilitate timely monitoring of the provision performance of both public and private training providers. This action is scored at the Latent level. The low ranking is Such a move could foster compliance with the required in part due to a government policy that does not standards and facilitate the imposition of penalties for encourage private individuals and organizations to engage non-compliance. in training provision. Vocational and technical training at present is mainly provided by public institutes. The ‹ Motivate public institutions to government should promote the establishment of more respond to the demand for skills independent training institutes. This action is scored at the Emerging level, but comes In terms of vocational and technical training, the close to reaching Established. Assessment of training government permits, apart from public schools, only outcomes achieved by public training institutes is carried domestic private and non-profit institutes to provide pre- out to a certain extent by the administering agencies. 20 However, there has been no evaluation of the impact of employment technical and vocational training. Foreign educational agencies, other organizations or individuals these assessments on motivating training institutes to be are not entitled to set up independent training institutes, more responsive to the demand for skills. but they are permitted to provide training through joint Information on outcomes such as graduation rate, programs. However, under this policy, only a very few employment rate, employer satisfaction, student non-government and non-public training institutes have satisfaction, and satisfaction of society with graduates are been formed. The government provides equal treatment defined as performance indicators against which colleges to private institutes and public institutes, in terms of and universities under the Department of Education are to grants, teacher training, skills identification, employment be evaluated. The graduation rate is a mandatory information services, and government procurement of the indicator, whereas employment rate and satisfaction of training results. However, there is no policy of providing employers are regarded as soft indicators for the extra incentives for developing more vocational technical performance evaluation of schools attached to the training by non-government and non-public institutes. Department of HRSS. High-performing training institutes ‹ Incentivize private providers to are able to publicize their achievement and receive meet WfD standards funding support. By contrast, those institutes and projects that fail to reach the training goals will receive This action is rated at the Established level. The reduced funding support from the government, or they government policies apply to both public and private may even be closed. Nevertheless, there is no evaluation training institutes. But there is a lack of effective of these incentive measures. assessment to incentivize private providers to meet WfD standards. 20 Apart from domestic private and non-profit institutes, the government permits trainings provided by domestic profitable institutes in technical education. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 24 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Policy Goal 9 | Enhancing Accountability Both private and public institutions are required to submit for Results administrative data as well as information on graduation, resettlement and employment rates. The names of Policy Goal 9 is concerned institutes failing to submit reports are shared with with systemic monitoring competing institutions. Statistical data are collected and and evaluation of the maintained by the administering government agencies. demand for skills; Some of the data are disclosed by the government; some procedures for data are made available in response to an application by collection and management; and attention to outcomes, interested parties; and others are only for the purpose of efficiency and innovation in service delivery. This Goal government monitoring and acceptance, and so are not scores at the Established level. accessible to the public. However, some submitted data ‹ Strengthen monitoring and are not totally reliable, such as the rate of employment of the graduates. Little review is carried out in terms of data evaluation quality. This action is scored at the Established level. The ‹ Increase the focus on outcomes, government carries out regular assessments of skills demand. However, WfD data are not available from a efficiency and innovation consolidated website. This action is scored at the Established level. The Information on policies, plans, funding arrangements, the government routinely measures institutional performance management of training institutes and teacher training and conducts special studies to assess important issues. can all obtained from the administering government The results of such analyses are used to provide feedback agencies. Some statistics on the workforce can be to training institutes and inform decisions about funding acquired online, either from websites of the relevant allocation. There is no institutionalized routine M&E of agencies or from websites that compile WfD statistics. training services with feedback of results to institutions to The Xinjiang government carries out investigations and assist them in prioritizing funding allocations and assessments on a regular basis on skills demand in the identifying good practices and options for system-level labor markets. The Department of Education also carries improvements. Online dissemination of the labor market out investigations on WfD, either on a regular or outcomes of graduates is not managed systematically. occasional basis. Since 2002, the Department of HRSS has The administering agencies carry out routine assessment had a system in place for forecasting emerging skills gaps of the training institutes regarding training and another system for regular disclosure of the implementation. Some special programs, like the information. But all these WfD data are not available Demonstrative Secondary Vocational School Program, and from a consolidated website. issues, such as the use of special funds, receive special ‹ Specify reporting requirements attention. The results of the assessment are used as an by training institutions input for providing feedback, rewarding excellence and allocating money to special projects. Exemplary training This action is scored at the Established level. The institutes and schools are praised and receive bonuses. government is responsible for collecting and maintaining Their experiences are shared with other schools and data related to training institutes. The public has access training institutions. However, information on the to most of this information. However, there is no employment rate of graduates is disclosed by only some government system that currently monitors the reliability schools. No unified, cross-ministry M&E system has yet of these data. been established by the administrative agencies. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 25 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 7. Results Analysis and Policy Strength and Weakness of Xinjiang TVET Recommendations System The policy actions with the highest scores include the Before discussing policy implications, a brief overview of following: (i) ensure coherence of key strategic WfD the major factors influencing the results for each priorities; (ii) specify accreditation standards for training dimension is presented. providers; (iii) advocate for WfD as a priority for economic development; (iv) assure the credibility of accreditation Major Factors Affecting Scores and skills certification; and (v) strengthen skills testing and This section presents the key factors under the three certification. The policy actions with the lowest scores dimensions that elevate or hold back the scores. include: (i) promote diversity in training provision; (ii) foster articulation across levels of instruction and types of Strategic Framework programs; (iii) facilitate communication and interaction x Governance and coordination at the provincial among all WfD stakeholders; (iv) foster partnerships level have established and ensured the between WfD authorities and stakeholders; and (v) enforcement of WfD priorities. This has resulted strengthen firms’ demand for skills to improve in the highest score of 4 being accorded to productivity. These are all key areas for future Ensuring Coherence of Key Strategic WfD improvement. Figure 13 summarizes the ranking of all 27 Priorities, thereby placing the overall score for policy actions. Those in green hold the highest rankings, Strategic Direction above the other two those in blue the middle to moderately high rankings, and dimensions. those in red the lowest rankings (for more details see Annex 2). x Inadequate assessment of future skills demand and insufficient involvement of training Policy Recommendations institutions and employers in policy making and implementation hold back the score somewhat. Based on the above findings, we propose the following short-, medium- and long-term policy recommendations System Oversight for improving the environment for WfD in Xinjiang. They have been formulated in the context of Xinjiang’s x Strict accreditation of public and private training development strategies. The short-term institutions and rigorous administration of skills recommendations aim at overcoming the weaknesses of testing and issuance of certificates move the the Xinjiang TVET system by addressing the lowest scoring scores above the Established level in Standards (Policy Goal 6). items. The proposed corrective interventions focus on expanding the quantity and quality of TVET provision x The lack of articulation agreements to facilitate th while achieving the goals of the Xinjiang 12 Five Year student progression across levels and programs Plan. The medium- to long-term recommendations aim at greatly holds back the scores. The paucity of institutional reform. The proposed reforms focus on resources provided by key non-government substantially improving the quality of the Xinjiang TVET stakeholders and the lack of any review of the system while at the same time achieving the goals of the impact on efficiency of criteria for allocating funds Xinjiang Medium- to Long-term Education and Talent also cause lower scores. Development Plans. Service Delivery Short-term Policy Recommendations x Collection and provision of basic data on service In the short run, Xinjiang TVET provision needs to be provision and the integration of industry inputs expanded through (i) strengthened coordination and into the design of training programs are strengths, governance, (ii) improved and more efficient public school resulting in a rating of Established. management, (iii) more engaged and closely supervised private institutes, and (iv) closer linkages with industry x Inadequately diverse pathways for skills and research institutes to enhance the relevance of skills acquisition lead to the lowest score among all supply. The objective is to set up a WfD system that policy actions; inadequate incentives to public and complements Xinjiang’s development objectives and is private providers to provide quality and relevant sensitive to local characteristics in its provision of quality training programs also hold back scores. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 26 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Figure 13: 27 Policy Action Scores for Xinjiang TVET vocational education and training to all. Detailed actions update and adjust their training programs in accordance by dimension are proposed below: with research findings and information. Strategic Framework System Oversight Strengthen the roles of industries, and training and Foster articulation of the TVET system. This will involve research institutions in policy making and scaling up the pilot program that links secondary and implementation. This will involve institutionalizing tertiary vocational education; and promoting a credit further the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders system and articulation agreements for the transferability through legislation; fostering better coordination among and acceptance of credits across levels and programs, all related authorities (including the Department of along with setting up standards for assessing and Education, Department of HRSS, Department of Finance, certifying learning, and exploring articulation Development and Reform Commission, Trade Union) at all arrangements between degree and non-degree programs. levels through the provincial Leading Group; and Formulate rigorous regulations and procedures for promoting extensive interactions with all stakeholders by establishing, improving and shutting down training engaging them in policy making. programs. This will involve updating and standardizing Build a comprehensive assessment of Xinjiang’s current regulations and procedures; and taking into economic prospects and future skills demand and supply. account of the assessment results of skills supply and This will involve expanding the evaluation of skills demand demand in the coming period as well as the assessment to cover more sectors; improving the current research on results of the training institutions’ performance skills supply and demand in order to have timely and Increase investment in TVET and improve the holistic information; opening more channels for releasing effectiveness of fund utilization. This will involve research results; and requiring all training institutes to addressing the financial gap that has resulted from lower SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 27 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 investments in past years by investing more in TVET to It is suggested that all the above recommendations be upgrade school facilities and equipment; working out implemented through international cooperative projects criteria and procedures for funding allocations so as to or domestic programs. Pilot projects could be conducted increase the equity and transparency of public finance; to try out some interventions such as the standardized introducing results-based evaluations to raise efficiency, credit system for courses and programs, transferring especially for earmarked programs and fiscal aid management of certain training services to private programs; and establishing a mechanism for periodic institutes, capacity building for administrators and reviews of the criteria for allocating funds. instructors, monitoring and evaluation, and school– industry linkage. Other interventions, such as skills Improve the credibility of accreditation and skills demand assessment through enterprise surveys, learning certification. This will involve setting up an information standards, fund allocation and management, methods of management system for skills testing; and conducting monitoring and evaluation, and procedures to renew accreditation and periodic audits for skills testing centers. programs, could be research topics. Service Delivery Medium- to Long-term Policy Recommendations Promote diversity in training provision. This will involve In the medium- to long-term, the quality of Xinjiang’s WfD supporting private training institutions through new system needs to be improved through enhanced measures such as the government’s transfer of governance, quality assurance, and monitoring and responsibility for the management of some training evaluation, and through improved connections with high programs to private training institutions. quality basic education. The goal is to set up a flexible and Encourage more financial inputs from other diversified modern WfD system for a skilled workforce stakeholders. This will involve providing incentives to and to achieve the objectives of the Xinjiang Medium- and garner more resources from key stakeholders, for Long-term Education and Talent Development Plans. example, donations from enterprises, both monetary and Efforts also should be made to enable some TVET schools in-kind contributions, such as facilities and equipment for and programs to become recognized among the top level labs or workshops to improve conditions in schools, and in China. The detailed actions are proposed below: bringing in qualified practitioners to the TVET teaching Set up WfD shareholder partnerships and staff (either part-time, adjunct or through other communication mechanisms. This will entail extending arrangements) to promote the professional development the partnerships from key agencies to all stakeholders, of the TVET teaching staff and help in training instructors involving private institutions, enterprises and research and students. institutions in policy making and implementation, and Strengthen monitoring and evaluation to improve institutionalizing the partnership network; and outcomes and efficiency. This will involve establishing an formulating new policies to stimulate stakeholders to integrated management information system that includes provide more resources and involving stakeholders in the outcome indicators for the delivery of training services training process. and to ensure the credibility of data; informing training Improve the quality assurance mechanism. This will institutions on evaluation results and using incentives for involve upgrading management of IT-based skills testing; the delivery of high quality training programs and conducting accreditation and auditing for skills testing penalties for low performance programs; and involving an centers; establishing one-stop on-line resources and independent third party for monitoring and evaluation to standardized arrangements to promote life-long learning ensure credibility. and recognition of previous learning; and reaching all Enhance the capacity of school administrators and vulnerable groups covered by publicly funded training instructors. This will involve setting up incentives and programs. rewards such as performance-based salary and retention Set up a systematic and comprehensive monitoring and measures based on routine evaluations; providing evaluation system. This will improve the assessment of appropriate training for administrators and instructors; future skills demand for all sectors; improve the and giving instructors industry experience. evaluation of the quality of training programs from a focus Strengthen the school–industry linkage. This will entail on inputs to outcomes by introducing results and outcome improving training quality and relevance by involving indicators such as the employment rate of graduates, industry and research institutions in the training process; initial salary, and satisfaction of employers; and enable an and encouraging training institutions to adjust training impact evaluation to be conducted for the programs according to the research results of skills implementation of new policies to promote evidence- demand. based policy making. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 28 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Build high quality pre-school and compulsory education. High quality TVET builds on high quality pre-school and compulsory education as these provide children with a good start and solid foundation for further training and life-long learning; it is therefore critical for Xinjiang to have good pre-school and compulsory education. Based on the above analysis, pilot projects and research, some new regulations and legislation should be initiated to achieve quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation, and multilateral cooperation. Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen life-long learning by ensuring that basic education is fully integrated into the system. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 29 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Annex 1 | Acronyms DCI Data Collection Instrument HRSS Human Resources and Social Security M&E Monitoring and evaluation PI Principal Investigator SABER Systems Approach for Better Education Results SME Small and medium scale enterprise TVET Technical and vocational education and training WB World Bank WfD Workforce Development SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 30 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Annex 2 | The SABER-WfD Analytical Framework Dimension 1: Strategic Framework Aligning WfD to national goals for productivity, growth and poverty reduction Policy Goal 1: Articulating a strategic direction for WfD Policy Action 1: Advocate for WfD as a priority for economic development Policy Action 2: Evaluate economic prospects and its implications for skills Policy Action 3: Develop policies to align skills demand and supply Policy Goal 2: Prioritizing a demand-led approach to WfD Policy Action 4: Promote demand-driven approach Policy Action 5: Strengthen firms’ demand for skills to improve productivity Policy Action 6: Address critical challenges in the future supply of skills Policy Goal 3: Strengthen critical coordination Policy Action 7: Ensure coherence of key strategic WfD priorities Policy Action 8: Institutionalize WfD roles and responsibilities Policy Action 9: Facilitate interaction among all WfD stakeholders Dimension 2: System Oversight Governing the system to achieve desired goals Policy Goal 4: Diversifying pathways for skills acquisition Policy Action 10: Foster articulation across levels and programs Policy Action 11: Promote life-long learning Policy Action 12: Set policies and procedures to renew programs Policy Goal 5: Ensuring efficiency and equity in funding Policy Action 13: Articulate funding strategy Policy Action 14: Allocate funds to achieve efficient results Policy Action 15: Foster partnerships Policy Goal 6: Assuring relevant and reliable standards Policy Action 16: Specify accreditation standards Policy Action 17: Strengthen skills testing and certification Policy Action 18: Assure credibility of accreditation and of skills certification Dimension 3: Service Delivery Ensuring tangible results on the ground Policy Goal 7: Fostering relevance in training programs Policy Action 19: Link training, industry, and research institutions Policy Action 20: Design training with industry inputs Policy Action 21: Improve competence of administrators and instructors Policy Goal 8: Incentivizing excellence in training provision Policy Action 22: Promote diversity in training provision Policy Action 23: Incentivize private providers to meet WfD standards Policy Action 24: Motivate public training institutions to respond to demand for skills Policy Goal 9: Enhancing accountability for results Policy Action 25: Strengthen monitoring and evaluation Policy Action 26: Specify reporting requirements by training institution Policy Action 27: Increase focus on outcomes, efficiency and innovation SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 31 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Annex 3 | Rubrics for Scoring the SABER-WfD Data Functional Dimension 1: Strategic Framework Policy Policy Action Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Advocate for WfD ƒ WfD is not prioritized in ƒ Political and other leaders ƒ Political and other key ƒ WfD is fully integrated into as a priority for national economic recognize the importance leaders in industry provide national policies and strategies, 21 economic development. of WfD for economic sustained support for reflecting a holistic approach development development; economic WfD; economic to WfD; economic development development plans have development plans assess plans formally assess and specify identified a few WfD and specify several WfD a wide range of WfD priorities priorities. priorities that are being that are supported by implemented. implementation plans and budgets, these are subject to continuous evaluation and improvements. Evaluate economic ƒ The concept of a demand- ƒ A demand-driven WfD ƒ A demand-driven WfD ƒ A well-informed demand-driven 22 prospects and its driven approach to WfD strategy is beginning to strategy informed by WfD strategy with continuous implications for has yet to emerge. take shape but policy appropriate analyses is evaluation and improvements skills reforms are often impeded accompanied by some has been internalized as a by various difficulties. policy reforms that have standard practice. been implemented. Develop polices to ƒ Policies are being ƒ A few policies have been ƒ A range of policies based ƒ Policies are formulated on the align skills demand developed but are not developed on the basis of on occasional and routine basis of well-informed analyses, and supply based on formal analyses occasional assessments to assessments by including assessments by of skills demand. address imbalances government and independent organizations, and between skills demand and independent WfD they are routinely reviewed and supply; these policies and stakeholders have been updated with inputs from interventions are subject to implemented to address relevant stakeholders to ensure in-house reviews. skills imbalances; these are program offerings fit the 1. Articulating a Strategic Direction for Workforce Development subject to routine in-house economic climate and demands reviews and independent for new skills. external evaluations. 21 A holistic approach is one that addresses multiple dimensions of skills development, including: (a) aligning skills training to employers’ needs and national goals for productivity, growth and poverty reduction; (b) governing the system to achieved the desired national goals, and (c) ensuring tangible results on the ground. 22 In a demand-driven strategy, the demand for skills drives the supply of training services. Arrangements to achieve this relationship between skills supply and demand include: the involvement of employers in shaping training policies and provision, financing tied to employment outcomes, etc. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 32 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Functional Dimension 1: Strategic Framework Policy Policy Action Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Promote a demand- ƒ There is limited or no ƒ Business and industry play ƒ A demand-driven approach ƒ A demand-driven approach to driven approach attempt to incorporate an advisory role in to WfD is in place with WfD has been fully business and industry establishing and business and industry established with business and inputs in establishing and implementing WfD priorities providing inputs for setting industry playing both advisory implementing WfD based on occasional studies WfD priorities based on and executive roles supported priorities. and assessments. routine assessments by routine assessments from provided by government government agencies, other agencies, employers, trade key WfD stakeholders and associations and labor independent organizations. unions. Strengthen firms' ƒ Few incentives and ƒ Incentives and services are ƒ Incentives and services ƒ Incentives and services demand for skills to services exist to support in place to provide selective enable firms to expand the enabling firms to address skills improve skills development for support for technology- skills sets of workers to constraints impeding their productivity technology upgrading by related skills upgrading; facilitate technology ability to upgrade firms. incentive programs are adaptation and adoption for technologies and productivity subject to occasional greater productivity; these are well established; these are reviews but often without measures are supported by routinely reviewed and adequate follow-up of routine reviews followed by adjusted for impact; all key recommendations. implementation of some review recommendations are review recommendations. implemented. Address critical ƒ There is limited or no ƒ Future supply of skills is ƒ Assessments of future skills ƒ Future skills supply is routinely challenges in the formal assessment of the assessed on an occasional supply are routinely assessed for multiple 2.Prioritizing a Demand-led Approach future supply of future supply of skills. basis; recommendations conducted for key sectors at industries and sectors at the skills from assessments are the regional and national national and international implemented with some levels; recommendations are levels; recommendations are delay, often without implemented with little implemented promptly; adequate funding and delay; responsibilities for responsibilities for assignment of responsibility implementation of implementation are clearly for implementation. recommendations are made spelled out and attention is explicit but without explicit given to the realization of attention to monitorable monitorable goals. goals. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 33 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Functional Dimension 1: Strategic Framework Policy Policy Action Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Ensure coherence ƒ There is no mechanism in ƒ Coherence of key strategic ƒ Coherence of key strategic ƒ Formal mechanisms of key strategic place to ensure coherence WfD priorities at the WfD priorities at the apex overseeing coordination and WfD priorities of key strategic WfD leadership level is achieved leadership level is achieved implementation of WfD priorities among WfD through informal processes through formal and strategies are in place and leaders. that yield limited WfD informal mechanisms that they support strengthening outcomes. yield positive WfD structures of WfD policy outcomes. development, budget allocations, and assessments of future skills demand and supply. Institutionalize the ƒ Roles and responsibilities ƒ Roles and responsibilities of ƒ Roles and responsibilities ƒ Clear WfD roles and structure of WfD for WfD are not formally WfD stakeholders are are well-defined and responsibilities have been roles and defined, leaving the WfD poorly defined, leaving the supported by legislation institutionalized through responsibilities authority without a clear WfD authority with a limited and resources that enable legislation and the WfD mandate. mandate and limited the WfD authority and key authority has the mandate resources to discharge its stakeholders to discharge to formulate and request responsibilities effectively. their respective functions resources that are needed effectively. for the relevant authorities to discharge their responsibilities in a 3. Strengthening Critical Coordination transparent and effective manner. Facilitate ƒ No formal process exists ƒ Informal structures exist ƒ Formal structures exist in ƒ Formal structures fostering communication and for engaging all that facilitate key economic sectors that extensive interactions interaction among stakeholders. communication and support extensive among WfD stakeholders all WfD interaction among key communication and that culminate in stakeholders. interaction among the consensuses on WfD stakeholders relevant stakeholders. priorities and policies are in place in most sectors. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 34 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Functional Dimension 2: System Oversight Policy Policy Action Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Foster articulation ƒ No functioning ƒ Ad hoc articulation ƒ Ad hoc articulation ƒ Standardized articulation across levels and articulation arrangements. arrangements exist within arrangements exist across arrangements exist across programs secondary schools and post- institutions at the secondary secondary and post-secondary secondary institutions; only and post-secondary levels; a programs as well as between ad hoc incentives are in program of incentives is in TVET and higher education; a place to foster articulation place to foster articulation system of incentives is in place across levels of instruction. arrangements. to foster articulation across programs and levels of education and training. Promote life-long ƒ No arrangements or public ƒ Ad hoc private resources ƒ School- and community- ƒ Integrated regional or national learning resources are in place to and arrangements support based resources and system with one-stop online support life-long learning, life-long learning and arrangements support life- resources and standardized recognition of prior recognition of prior long learning and recognition arrangements support life-long learning, and learning; publicly-funded of prior learning; publicly- learning and recognition of disadvantaged groups. training programs exist for funded training programs prior learning; publicly-funded disadvantaged groups with minimal restrictions are training programs provide open subject to some restrictions. available for most access to all disadvantaged disadvantaged groups. groups. Set policies and ƒ There are no set policies to ƒ Introduction, adjustment ƒ Introduction, adjustment ƒ Management of publicly- procedures to manage program offerings; and closure of publicly- and closure of publicly- funded training programs are renew programs training providers may funded programs are made funded programs are based made on the basis of introduce, adjust or close through ad hoc, non- on a few explicit and comprehensive and explicit 4. Diversifying Pathways for Skills Acquisition publicly-funded programs standardized processes; standardized requirements; requirements that include at will. applications for these applications can be made labor market analyses; changes must be done online and they are vetted by applications can be made personally and are vetted by formal committees with online and they are vetted by ad hoc committees. some representation from formal committees with other WfD stakeholders. representation from other WfD stakeholders and they operate with a commitment to act in a timely manner. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 35 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Functional Dimension 2: System Oversight Policy Policy Action Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Articulate funding ƒ Ad hoc funding of WfD by ƒ Systematic funding of WfD ƒ Systematic funding of WfD ƒ Systematic funding of WfD is strategy multiple stakeholders; no is determined by is determined by determined through consensus evaluation of funding government agencies with government agencies with building among government allocation and strategy. annual budget advice from key agencies and key stakeholders; appropriations and line- stakeholders; annual annual budget appropriations item allocations; only budget appropriations are are supported by detailed occasional evaluations of supported by detailed spending plans to foster funding allocation and spending plans; there are improved performance; routine strategy. routine evaluations of evaluations of funding allocation funding allocation and and strategy are accompanied strategy. by appropriate reforms as needed. Allocate funds to ƒ No formal process for ƒ A formal process without ƒ A formal process for ƒ Allocation of WfD funds is based achieve efficient allocating public funds for explicit criteria is in place; allocating public funds on explicit criteria aligned with results WfD. there are no reviews of based on explicit criteria WfD priorities, including allocation criteria. exists; there are periodic efficiency in resource utilization; reviews of the criteria but there are frequent reviews of the recommended changes criteria and recommendations face relatively long are implemented in a timely implemented lags. manner. 5. Ensuring Efficiency and Equity in Funding Foster partnerships ƒ Limited or no partnership ƒ Limited partnership with ƒ Extensive partnership ƒ An institutionalized partnership between WfD authority business and industry is in between WfD authority network with open membership and stakeholders in place; partners have access and key stakeholders in for all WfD stakeholders is in business and industry; key to some public resources; business and industry; place; partners have access to stakeholders provide few, key stakeholders contribute partners have access to wide range of public resources; if any, resources toward a small range of resources some public resources; key key stakeholders contribute an meeting WfD priorities. toward WfD priorities. stakeholders contribute a extensive range of resources to broad range of resources meet WfD priorities. for WfD. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 36 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Functional Dimension 2: System Oversight Policy Policy Action Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Specify ƒ No accreditation ƒ Some accreditation ƒ An accreditation agency has ƒ An accreditation agency with accreditation standards have been standards have been been established with standards reflecting standards established; training established; standards are standards developed jointly international best practices is providers are free to offer infrequently reviewed; with relevant stakeholders; in place; accreditation any program. accreditation applies to standards are reviewed standards are reviewed public institutions only. internally on a regular or as frequently both internally and needed basis; accreditation by independent parties; applies to public institutions accreditation and renewal of and non-state providers accreditation is compulsory receiving public funding; for all public institutions and renewal applies to the latter non-state training providers, only. regardless of their sources of funding. Strengthen skills ƒ Competency-based testing ƒ Competency-based testing ƒ A standardized competency- ƒ A standardized competency- testing and has yet to be introduced; applies to critical based testing system is in based testing system has been certification testing is largely based on occupations in key sectors; place and applies to most established for most theoretical knowledge and testing may focus on a mix occupations; testing may occupations; IT-based testing administered by training of theory and practice and is focus on a mix of theory and focuses on theory and practice providers themselves. administered and certified practice and is administered and is administered and by independent third and certified by independent certified by independent third parties. third parties. parties. ƒ There is limited attention ƒ Accreditation standards are ƒ Accreditation standards ƒ A license to operate is issued 6. Assuring Relevant and Reliable Standards Assure credibility of accreditation and to accreditation standards. established through ad hoc established with inputs from only to institutions and of skills certification arrangements; some WfD stakeholders apply to all providers meeting support is provided to institutions and providers accreditation standards encourage non-state receiving public funding; determined by key WfD providers to seek credibility of skills testing is stakeholders; credibility of accreditation; credibility of ensured through explicit skills testing is ensured skills testing is ensured standardized testing through standardized testing through explicit protocols and accreditation protocols, accreditation of standardized testing of testing centers. testing centers and random protocols. audits. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 37 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Functional Dimension 3: Service Delivery Policy Policy Action Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Link training ƒ Weak or no links between ƒ Informal links exist ƒ Formal links exist between ƒ Formal links exist between industry and training institutions and between some training some training institutions most training institutions research industry and research institutions and industry and industry and research and industry and research institutions institutions. and research institutions to institutions, leading to institutions, leading to improve training relevance significant collaboration in significant collaboration in a and quality. several activities. wide range of activities such as the provision of industry internships and training, and the introduction and redesign of training programs. Design training ƒ Industry has limited or no ƒ Industry has an advisory ƒ Industry has both an ƒ Industry has a widespread with industry role in identifying, role in identifying, advisory and a decision- advisory and decision- inputs prioritizing and designing prioritizing and designing making role in identifying, making role in identifying, publicly-funded programs. publicly-funded programs in prioritizing and designing prioritizing and designing some training institutions, publicly-funded programs publicly-funded programs in usually through informal in some training most training institutions. contacts. institutions. Improve ƒ Few or no measures are in ƒ Recruitment of ƒ Recruitment of ƒ Recruitment of competence of WfD place to enhance the administrators and administrators and administrators and administrators and competence of WfD instructors is based on instructors is based on instructors occurs through a administrators and minimum academic minimum academic competitive process based 7. Fostering Relevance in Training Programs instructors instructors. qualification(s), with qualification(s), with on both academic provisions for some in- provisions for in-service qualification(s) and industry service training and training and performance- experience, with a wide performance-based based recruitment and range of in-service training recruitment and retention retention measures that programs and performance- measures based on are based on routine based recruitment and occasional evaluations. evaluations. retention measures based on routine evaluations. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 38 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Functional Dimension 3: Service Delivery Policy Policy Action Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Promote diversity ƒ Training occurs through ƒ Training policies allow some ƒ Training policies facilitate ƒ A highly-diverse mix of non-state in training state provision only, with private providers to participation of non-state training providers offer training provision no incentives to promote operate; training is provided training providers; training within a comprehensive system non-state provision of mainly by non-profit is offered mainly by NGOs, with a wide range of incentives is training. providers with few with a system of incentives in place to foster non-state incentives in place to foster that are evaluated provision; incentives are subject non-state provision of routinely are in place to to evaluations and the training. foster non-state provision. recommendations are implemented. Incentivize private ƒ No incentives are in place ƒ At least one incentive that ƒ A system of financial and ƒ A comprehensive system of providers to meet to encourage non-state is subject to occasional non-financial incentives incentives that are subject to WfD standards providers to meet WfD evaluation is in place to that are subject to both occasional and routine standards. encourage non-state occasional and routine evaluations and adjustments is in providers to meet WfD evaluations is in place to place to encourage non-state standards, but no review encourage non-state providers to comply with WfD system exists to ensure providers to meet WfD standards; periodic audits with continued adherence to standards; periodic audits penalties for noncompliance are WfD standards. are conducted to ensure conducted and enforced to continued adherence to ensure continued adherence to WfD standards. WfD standards. Motivate public ƒ No mechanism or process ƒ Training institutions are ƒ Training institutions are ƒ Training institutions are expected training institutions is in place to ensure expected to meet target expected to meet a wider to meet a wide range of WfD training institutions are repetition and graduation range of WfD outcomes; outcomes; a robust system of 8. Incentivizing Excellence in Training Provision to respond to demand for skills demand-driven. rates but few incentives are some incentives and incentives and penalties that is in place ensure they are penalties that are subject subject to both occasional and demand-driven. to both occasional and routine evaluations and routine evaluations are in adjustments is in place to ensure place to ensure these that the training institutions are institutions respond to the driven by employers’ demands demand for skills. for skills. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 39 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Functional Dimension 3: Service Delivery Policy Policy Action Level of Development Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Strengthen WfD ƒ Limited attention is placed ƒ Occasional monitoring and ƒ Routine monitoring and ƒ Skills demand and supply are monitoring and on the monitoring and evaluation of skills demand evaluation of skills demand monitored and evaluated evaluation evaluation of skills demand and supply is in place; an and supply is in place; an through routine surveys and and supply; an overview of overview of WfD data is overview of WfD data is specially commissioned studies; WfD data is available available only in available in published reports WfD data are available from a through informal channels government agencies. and websites. consolidated website. only. Specify reporting ƒ No specific data collection ƒ Public institutions and non- ƒ Public institutions and non- ƒ Both public institutions and requirements by and reporting are state training providers are state training providers are non-state training providers are training institutions required; training required to collect and required to collect, maintain required to collect, maintain providers maintain their maintain administrative and and submit a comprehensive and submit a comprehensive own data bases. graduation statistics; data list of data through an list of data, including client- reporting is voluntary for integrated management feedback, to the WfD authority non-state providers but information system to the using an integrated they may be notified of non- WfD authority; timely management information compliance. submission is fostered system; incentives, penalties through incentives for and data quality audits are compliance and penalties for performed to ensure timely non-compliance. reporting of reliable data. Increase focus on ƒ No system of evaluation ƒ Occasional evaluation and ƒ Routine evaluation and ƒ Institutionalized routine outcomes, and monitoring is in place monitoring of limited monitoring of several key evaluation and monitoring of to ensure efficiency in aspects of training services aspects of training services is all key aspects of the delivery 9. Enhancing Accountability for Results efficiency and innovation delivery of training is in place with results used in place with results used to of training services with results services. to provide feedback to the provide feedback to training used to provide feedback to training institutions; institutions, to prioritize institutions, to prioritize information on labor market funding allocations, and funding allocations, identify outcomes of graduates is identify good practices in good practices and options for publicly available for some service delivery; information system-level improvements; institutions only. on labor market outcomes of online dissemination of labor graduates is publicly market outcomes of graduates available for all institutions. is available to all users. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 40 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Annex 4 | References and Informants Legal documents: Notice on Setting up the Leading Group of Vocational Education of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Notice on Adjusting Members of the Leading Group of vocational Education of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Notice on Convening the 2010 Conference of Vocational Education Leading Group Notice on Convening the 2011 Conference of Vocational Education Leading Group Outline of the Medium and Long-Term Talent Development Plan of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (2010—2020) Notice on Preparation of the 12th Five Year Plan for Human Resources and Social Security Affairs of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region The 9th Five Year Plan of National Economic and Social Development and Outline of the 2010 Vision Objectives of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (1996) The 12th Five Year Educational Development Plan of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (2011) Outline of the 12th Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Research Report on Establishing a Per Student Appropriation System in High Vocational Colleges and a Per Student Public Fund Appropriation System in Secondary Vocational Schools in the Autonomous Region Talent Development Plan for the Coal, Coal Power and Coal Chemical Industries (2009-2015) Notice on Launching Surveys of Demand and Supply of Urgently Needed Skills in the Autonomous Region (2010) Comment on the Implementation of the State Council Decision on Forcefully Promoting Reform and Development of Vocational Education Notice on Disbursing Special Fund for Specialties Establishment for Urgently Needed Skills in the Autonomous Region in 2010 Interim Methodology on Management of Special Fund for Specialty Establishment of Urgently Needed Skills for Major Industries in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Notice on Conducting a Survey of Skills as well as Demand and Supply Estimates of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Survey and Estimation of Demand and Supply of Graduates from Colleges, Universities and Secondary Technical Schools and Work Arrangement on the Preparation for Employment Program for Graduates of Colleges, Universities and Secondary Technical Schools Training of Urgently Needed Skills for the Coal Resources Revelopment through School and College Enterprise Partnership in Xinjiang (2011) Strategy of Revitalizing Xinjiang through Science, Education and Talent Annual Report on Social Demand and Training Quality of the Urumqi Vocational University (2011) (Prepared by Mycos Company) Websites: http://www.xinjiang.gov.cn http://www.tianshannet.com http://www.xjedu.gov.cn/index.htm. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 41 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 http://www.kzjsxy.net/Category_51/Index.aspx . http://www.xjrs.gov.cn/ http://www.xjdaily.com.cn/xinjiang/002/712679.shtml http://www.ocn.com.cm/ Informants No Name of informants Affiliation Position Vocational & Adult Education Division of Xinjiang (XJ) 1 Chen Yun Chief staff Department of Education Human Resource Building Division of XJ Department of 2 Deng Guolian Deputy director Human Resources & Social Security Vocational Capacity Building Division of Xinjiang 3 Liu Xinkai Staff Department of Human Resources & Social Security Training Division of XJ Economic &Information 4 Xiang Hong Director Commission 5 Ma Xiaoyun Human Resource Department of Unicom Corporate Manager 6 Bang Hua Human Resource Department of Tianshan Ltd. Staff 7 Jia Yina XJ Small & Medium Enterprises Service Center Training Manager 8 You Wei XJ Small & Medium Enterprises Bureau Division Chief 9 Zhou Xuewei XJ Vocational Education Leading Group Division Chief 10 Wen Jiangfeng XJ Vocational Education Leading Group Staff 11 Wang Changming Teaching Division of Urumqi Vocational University Division Chief Student Affairs Division of Urumqi Vocational 12 Zhao Junhong Chief staff University Higher Education Division of XJ Department of 13 Li Jianrong Deputy Division Chief Education Human Resource Building Division of XJ Department of 14 Gao Xiaoping Division Chief Human Resources & Social Security SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 42 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Annex 5 | SABER-WfD Scores Dimension Policy Goal Policy Action Advocate for WfD as priority for economic development 3.5 Direction 3.1 Evaluate economic prospects and their skills implications 2.8 Develop policies to align skills supply and demand 3.0 Promote a demand-driven approach to WfD 3.0 Strategic Priorities 2.7 2.9 Strengthen firms' demand for skills to improve productivity 2.3 Framework Address critical challenges in the future supply of skills 2.7 Ensure coherence of key strategic WfD priorities 4.0 Coordination 3.0 Institutionalize the structure of WfD roles and responsibilities 3.0 Facilitate communication and interaction among all WfD 2.0 stakeholders Foster articulation across levels of instruction and types of 1.8 Pathways for programs Skills 2.4 Promote life-long learning with recognition of prior learning 3.0 Acquisition Set policies and procedures for introducing, adjusting or closing 2.4 publicly-funded programs Articulate a strategy for funding WfD 2.8 System Oversight 2.7 Resources 2.4 Allocate public funds for WfD to achieve results with efficiency 2.5 Foster partnership between WfD authority(s) and stakeholders 2.0 Specify accreditation standards for training providers 3.5 Standards and Quality 3.4 Strengthen skills testing and certification 3.3 Assurance Assure the credibility of accreditation and of skills certification 3.3 Strengthen linkages among training institutions, industry and 2.9 research institutions Content 3.0 Integrate industry inputs into the design of training programs 3.3 Enhance competence of WfD administrators and instructors 2.8 Promote diversity in training provision 1.3 Incentivize private providers to meet WfD standards 2.7 Service Delivery 2.7 Incentives 2.2 Motivate public training institutions to respond to the demand 2.5 for skills Strengthen the WfD monitoring and evaluation system 3.0 Outcomes 2.9 Specify reporting requirements by training institutions 3.0 Increase focus on outcomes, efficiency and innovation in service 2.8 delivery SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 43 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Annex 6 | List of Figures and Tables Figures Figure 1: Functional Dimensions of WfD Policies ......................................................................................................... 5 Figure 2: Analytical Framework of SABER-WfD ............................................................................................................ 5 Figure 3: Rubric for Benchmarking WfD ....................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 4: GDP Per Capita Growth Rate, Xinjiang and National Average (% per annum) .............................................. 7 Figure 5: Composition of GDP by Sectors (%), 2010 ..................................................................................................... 8 Figure 6: GDP by Industries in Xinjiang, 2010 (billion Yuan) ......................................................................................... 8 Figure 7: Distribution of Population by Age, Xinjiang, 2002-2010 ................................................................................ 9 Figure 8: Xinjiang Employment Scale and Structure by Strata of Industry ................................................................... 9 Figure 9: Xinjiang’s TVET System ................................................................................................................................ 11 Figure 10: Share of TVET Graduates among Total Labor Market Entrants in Urban Areas (%) .................................. 12 Figure 11: Benchmarking Results – Dimension Level ................................................................................................. 14 Figure 12: Xinjiang Benchmarking Results, 2012 ........................................................................................................ 15 Figure 13: 27 Policy Actions Scores of Xinjiang TVET .................................................................................................. 27 Tables Table 1: Major Goals of Education Development during 2010-2020 ........................................................................... 9 Table 2: Changes in Employment by Sector in the Tertiary Sector in Xinjiang, 2006-2010 ........................................ 10 Table 3: Key Statistics on Xinjiang’s Education System, 2010 ..................................................................................... 11 Table 4: Progression Rate and Destination of Students by Education Levels - Xinjiang vs. National, 2010 ............... 12 SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 44 CHINA: XINJIANG PROVINCE ۣ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Annex 7 | Authorship and Acknowledgments This report is the product of staff at the World Bank comprising Liping Xiao and Jin Song (senior education specialist and labour economics consultant, respectively, East Asia and Pacific Region Human Development Sector Department), as well as Jee-Peng Tan and Ryan Flynn (leader and member, respectively, of the SABER- WfD team based in the Education Department of the Human Development Network). Liping Xiao led a research team under the China Programmatic AAA on Xinjiang TVET Study. The research team collected and analysed socio-economic and education data both at national and provincial levels and conducted field visits in Xinjiang to build partnership with local authorities and researchers. Zhihui Jin’s team from the Government of Xinjiang’s Education Department played the coordinating role with government departments, schools, research institutions and enterprises. Lei Shen from Urumqi Vocational University was responsible for data collection using the SABER-WfD instrument under guidance of and with personal involvement of the research team. Liping Xiao and Jin Song wrote the report. All the comments had been incorporated into the final report. The Bank SABER-WfD team scored the data, designed the template for the report and made substantive contributions to the final write up. Broad consultations had been conducted with government officials, school teachers and administrators, and researchers in Xinjiang and Beijing. The research team acknowledges the support of all who have contributed to the report and its findings, including informants, participants at various consultation workshops. The team benefited from valuable discussion with Eduardo Velez Bustillo and Shuchao Ma. The team also benefited from comments from Xiaonan Cao, Rita Costa, and Nalin Jena. The team is grateful to Gaifen Qu from the Xinjiang Education Department for making arrangements for field visits and workshops. Kenneth H. Ashworth thoroughly reviewed and proofread the English version of the report. In preparing the report, the team was ably supported by Tao Su as well as members of the SABER-WfD team at the World Bank: Rita Costa, Viviana Gomez, Lorelei Lacdao, Joy Yoo-Jeung Nam, Brent Parton and Alexandria Valerio. The research team gratefully acknowledges the generous financial support of the Government of the United Kingdom through its Partnership for Education Development (PFED) with the World Bank, which makes it possible for HDNED’s SABER-WfD team to provide technical support in the form of standardized tools for and guidance on data collection, analysis and reporting. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 45 www.worldbank.org/education/saber The Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) initiative produces comparative data and knowledge on education policies and institutions, with the aim of helping countries systematically strengthen their education systems. SABER evaluates the quality of education policies against evidence-based global standards, using new diagnostic tools and detailed policy data. The SABER country reports give all parties with a stake in educational results—from administrators, teachers, and parents to policymakers and business people—an accessible, objective snapshot showing how well the policies of their country's education system are oriented toward ensuring that all children and youth learn. This report focuses specifically on policies in the area of Workforce Development. This work is a product of collaboration between Lei Shen and the staff of The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 46