A/HRC/35/24/Add.1 accreditation. The centres, which will gradually come into operation, will also enable access to continuing education for skills development along with civic education. 49. During his visit, the Special Rapporteur was briefed about a national qualifications framework for technical and vocational training that is being developed by the Ministries of Education and Labour and Social Security to enable the organization of learning processes as a continuum. The framework aims at standardizing the qualifications of students in the education system, promoting lifelong learning through the certification of skills and the recognition of prior learning, with a focus on skills for occupational needs. It highlights the relevance of education and training to match people’s needs in a socio-productive environment. 50. The Special Rapporteur also learned about efforts by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to increase training in cooperation with the private sector to create opportunities to certify skills and to link training to job programmes within the education system. Such innovative approaches are useful for creating opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and the emerging needs for lifelong learning. E. Equity-based measures for minimizing disparities in education 51. The historic reforms being pushed forward by the current Government are an unprecedented attempt to strengthen equity by improving educational opportunities. The Special Rapporteur welcomes schemes for introducing an equity-based education system in Chile. Already in 2008, Act No. 20.248 on preferential school subsidies provided additional subsidies to public and private schools receiving State subsidies for all students from the lowest-income quintile. The Inclusive Education Act goes further by replacing the shared funding system with additional State subsidies in order to relieve families of the burden posed by the shared funding payments. 52. The Special Rapporteur visited Hermana María Goretti municipal primary school in Santiago. The quality of the services it provides earned it additional public resources, which are being invested in personalized education for vulnerable children, including those from low-income families. 53. Another important measure provided for under the Inclusive Education Act is the introduction of a quota system in education. In 2005, Decree No. 196 established that all subsidized schools must have at least 15 per cent of students from the lowest-income families in order to continue receiving the subsidy. In 2016, claims made by some Congress members against the Inclusive Education Act before the Constitutional Court reopened quota-related discussions. The Court concluded that quotas were constitutional, especially if the State financed them. Thus, subsidized private schools have to accept, under the quota system, 15 per cent of their students from low-income families. According to information provided by the Ministry of Education, more than 5,000 non-profit educational establishments currently receive subsidies to support free education. From March 2016, a 20 per cent increase in the preferential school subsidy will benefit more students. 54. The Special Rapporteur visited the Liceo Mariano Latorre, a technical high school in Santiago in which the majority of children are from low-income families, which has developed programmes to complement technical education with humanistic approaches, including programmes to improve school relations and school life. That has had a positive impact on the quality of life of children who experience family violence and has helped to improve the dropout rate in recent years. 55. The Special Rapporteur was encouraged to learn about other programmes and measures, including the assistance and effective access programme, which targets discrimination by providing assistance for students and guaranteeing university places for the top 15 per cent of students at the school, in terms of performance. 10

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