|
|
Doc. 10019
9 December 2003
Education for gifted children
Written Question No. 433 to the Committee of Ministers
Reply from the Committee of Ministers
I. Written Question No. 433 by Mr Varela i Serra (Doc. 9953)
Having noted the Committee of Ministers’ reply to his written question N° 429 on the measures taken by the governments of the signatory States to the European Cultural Convention in follow-up to Recommendation 1248 (1994) on education for gifted children;
Noting that the Chair of the Committee of Ministers states that the Council of Europe “considers that this is a question to be dealt with by member states themselves”;
Noting that the reply makes no mention of the measures taken by governments of the signatory States to the European Cultural Convention in follow-up to Recommendation 1248 (1994) on education for gifted children,
Mr Varela i Serra
To ask the Committee of Ministers:
What tangible measures have been taken by each of the governments of the signatory states to the European Cultural Convention in follow-up to Recommendation 1248 (1994) on education for gifted children?
II. Reply by the Committee of Ministers
1. The Committee of Ministers has considered Written question No. 433 of Mr Varela i Serra: “Education for gifted children”. It agrees with the Parliamentary Assembly’s position that gifted children form a category of persons with special needs requiring proper provision within an overall approach of integration in the normal school system. Indeed, there is public and private interest in meeting these needs, both from the point of view of the high potential of these children for creativity and that of a risk of alienation, drop-out and antisocial behaviour.
2. In his reply to Written question No. 429 in September 2003, the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers stated that the follow-up to Recommendation 1248 referred to in the question has not been part of the Council of Europe’s intergovernmental programme of activities (see Appendix). The Committee of Ministers does not therefore have available information about follow-up measures taken by member states. The Council of Europe envisages holding one of the four Donaueschingen European teacher-training seminars in 2004 on gifted children, following extensive previous work on children with special needs. The results of this seminar will be made available to the Assembly.
Appendix
Written Question No. 429 to the Chair of the Committee of Ministers by Mr Varela i Serra:
“Education for gifted children”
Reply of the Chair of the Committee of Ministers
(Decision adopted at the 852nd meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (17 September 2003), item 3.4a)
Question:
To ask the Committee of Ministers,
What tangible measures have been taken by each of the governments of signatory States to the European Cultural Convention as in follow-up to Recommendation 1248 (1994) on Education for gifted children.
Reply:
1. The Chairman of the Committee of Ministers welcomes this request for information on the tangible measures taken by the signatory states of the European Cultural Convention concerning Assembly’s Recommendation 1248 on the Education of gifted children.
2. Gifted children may indeed face certain specific problems in the regular education system for ordinary children. But, as is stated in the reply to Recommendation 1248, the Council of Europe considers that this is a question to be dealt with by member states themselves. The matter has not therefore been part of the Council of Europe’s intergovernmental programme of activities.
3. The experience of several Council of Europe projects, particularly those in the field of intercultural education and secondary school education shows that the diversification of pupils, and the corresponding diversification of needs, is an important factor which has been increasingly taken into account in the education reforms under way in the member states. The search for a balance between fulfilling the aims and general objectives of the education systems and meeting specific needs is generally at the core of reform strategies.
4. It is true that the concept of “gifted children” covers a wide range of situations and needs to be clarified. However, in the view of the priorities already agreed upon and of budgetary constraints, the Committee of Ministers has not considered it appropriate to examine these issues in the framework of the intergovernmental programme of activities.