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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 9 May 1991

Vol. 408 No. 2

Written Answers - EC Education Ministers' Meeting.

Michael Bell

Ceist:

44 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the five objectives for co-operation in education adopted at the meeting of Education Ministers on 6 October 1989; the measures she has put in train to meet these objectives; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

The meeting of EC Education Ministers of 6 October 1989 referred to by the Deputy adopted conclusions on co-operation and Community policy in the field of education in the run-up to 1993 which stated that "Five objectives shared by the Community member states can be identified as a basis for future co-operation activities. They will contribute to drawing the states closer together in the field of education and training and thus to bringing about a Europe of knowledge and cultures".

The five objectives are: 1. A multicultural Europe based on: strengthening young people's sense of belonging to a European community by developing the European dimension in teaching and teacher training; the progressive achievements of genuine multilingualism by promoting foreign-language teaching in school, university and vocational-training section; taking the variety of cultural approaches into account in education and training systems; drawing educational and training establishments closer together in the interest of mutual enrichment and the enhanced integration of children and citizens of the Community member states, in particular within the school environment, with due regard for their linguistic and cultural identity.

2. A mobile Europe ensured by: the free movement of persons and ideas, encouraged in particular by the systems for recognition of diplomas and for the equivalence of professional qualifications; support for the organisation of youth exchanges and for the training periods abroad for teachers, instructors, pupils, students and education administrators; the introduction of procedures providing teachers with the opportunity to teach temporarily in educational establishments of the Community member states.

3. A Europe of training for all based on: the offer of high-quality education and training to all young people in the Community, which should, in the long term, contribute to reducing regional disparities; the development of appropriate teaching and training for disadvantaged children and of measures to combat failure at school; equality of access of high-quality education.

4. A Europe of skills secured by: constantly improving the quality of basic education; providing young people with a better preparation for working life and giving them the opportunity to adapt to economic, technological, social and cultural developments, developing all the educational sectors which are vital for the future of Europe, in particular technical and vocational training and higher education; adapting the content and methods of training to technological change; improving the initial and continuing training of education staff.
5. A Europe open to the world, which seeks to: intensify co-operation with international organisations dealing with education and training; strengthen links with other states and evolve new forms of mutual support with developing countries.
The conclusions go on to instruct the Education Committee which is composed of representatives of all 12 Education Ministries to: examine the proposals that the Commission will submit to the Council. In particular on the basis for communication on medium-term guidelines and in accordance with the principles set out in paragraph 2 above; promote exchanges of information on the activities undertaken in the member states to achieve the objectives adopted, in particular through the organisation of regular meetings among those responsible at the political and administrative levels; examine other ways of improving procedures currently followed and developing future co-operation in the field of education, having regard to the need for effective management of co-operation activities and value for money, and to the need to recognise the limitations on resources.
I stress the context of the objectives in these conclusions of the Ministerial discussion because they are intended as guidelines for the Commission and the Education Committee in furthering work on education co-operation in the Community. They were not intended as a set of prescriptive norms for individual member states which were to be given priority in individual member states. It is true to say that all the aspirations and objectives contained in the five points are part of the ongoing education policy of my Department and are reflected in many concrete initiatives and they will be reflected in the Green Paper on education currently being prepared.
The five objectives to which the Deputy refers were, however, given very serious consideration during the Irish Presidency in the first half of 1990. For example Ireland chaired several EC meetings which were held to progress the Commission's proposal for a second general directive on the mutual recognition of professional and technical qualifications which complements the General Directive on Higher Qualifications.
The Education Committee under the Irish Presidency focussed the Community's attention on a range of the issues contained in the five objectives and the Education Council of 30 May 1990 over which I presided considered the following matters all of which reflect aspects of the five objectives: the integration of children and young people with disabilities into ordinary systems of education; the enhanced treatment of equality of educational opportunity for girls and boys in the initial and in-service training of teachers; distance education and training; education for enterprises; and quite significantly in the context of the five objectives the institution of regular meetings of senior officials of the Education Departments of the Twelve to improve the quality of co-operation in education at Community level and to ensure that educational reforms within member states can be designed in full awareness of the experience of other member states.
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