1. Introduction
1. On 11 May 2010, Mr Luca Volontè and others tabled
a motion for a recommendation on “Young Europeans: an urgent educational
challenge”, which was referred to the committee for report on 21
June 2010. The committee appointed Ms Elvira Kovács rapporteur on
this subject at its meeting on 22 June 2010.
I replaced
her on 2 October 2012. I would like to thank Ms Kovács for her contribution
to the preparation of the preliminary draft report. A hearing was
held on 27 June 2012 in the framework of the celebration of the
40th anniversary of the Council of Europe Youth Sector, with the
participation of Mr Jean-Claude Mignon, President of the Parliamentary
Assembly, Ms Snežana Samardžić-Marković, Director General for Democracy
of the Council of Europe, Ms Maria Paschou, Chairperson of the Advisory
Council on Youth, Ms Hranush Shahnazaryan, President of Loesje,
and Mr Alberto Cottica, Moderator of the “Edgeryders” project, contributing to
the preparation of this report.
2. The Parliamentary Assembly has acknowledged on numerous occasions
that young people in today’s Europe are growing up facing an increasingly
uncertain future. Unsolved questions about the necessary evolutions
in Europe’s democratic, demographic and economic make-up, and ever
more austere approaches to public spending, are directly affecting
the educational and professional opportunities available to European youth.
The transition from formal education to employment is proving increasingly
difficult and the high rates of youth unemployment across Europe
naturally cast a shadow over formal education, posing the question
of whether the current system is good enough. Even if many countries
have sought to address these challenges by introducing organisational
and structural reforms, current formal education systems struggle
to meet the new demands.
3. This report identifies policy responses that can allow young
people to get – through formal, non-formal and informal education,
and other forms of learning – all the necessary competences and
skills for them to face the challenges of 21st-century Europe and
to enjoy active citizenship and full participation in society. The
report seeks to outline proposals of possible ways forward for education
policies across Europe.
However, education, even though very important,
is still only one of the aspects of policies across Europe aimed
at lowering unemployment rates. These are not necessarily directly
linked to the quality of the school systems.
2. Young
people’s expectations of education
4. Young people are in a phase of their lives which
is characterised by the transition from childhood to adulthood.
This is a challenging period during which, in a relatively short
time, they have to take a lot of important decisions which may determine
their future life. Education is expected to help young people take
the right decisions.
5. Over recent decades, conditions on the labour market have
changed radically, undermining job stability or security, while
the availability of support mechanisms has decreased. These changes
have not only increased the challenges that young people are now
facing, but they are also contributing to their marginalisation
and to feelings of insecurity in relation to the future. I am deeply
alarmed by the fact that youth unemployment has reached an historic
average of 22.4% in the European Union countries. Among the youth at
work, nearly half (42%) are employed on temporary contracts in comparison
to 11% for 25 to 59-year-olds.
6. It is to be noted that the youth situation across Europe is
very uneven and significant differences between European countries
have to be taken into account. Thus, whereas youth unemployment
has risen sharply since 2007, it remains below 10% in Germany, the
Netherlands, Austria and Norway. However, most European countries,
especially in the south, report youth unemployment rates which are
much higher: youth unemployment levels are particularly worrying
in Spain and in the Balkan States, where they are above 50%.
Taking this into consideration,
it is obvious that differences in the employment rates throughout
Europe are also a consequence of past economic orientation in certain
States (namely the focus on labour intensive branches).
7. I am also deeply concerned by the increase in the rates of
teenage suicides and deliberate self-harm amongst young people.
At least 100 000 young people kill themselves every year worldwide
and in most European countries, youth suicide rates have been increasing.
Many adolescent suicides are related
to a fear of failure. In adolescents, substance abuse plays a role
in up to 70% of suicides. Young people threatened with peer violence
and bullying are 3.3 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts,
and a previous history of depression increases by five the risk
of a youth suicide attempt. Every year, an average of 16 children
in the United Kingdom commit suicide as a result of being bullied
in school.
8. All of this is challenging the notion of
education as a guarantee for a decent life,
and challenging long-held ideas and
truths about what constitutes quality education. Recent years have
seen a new emphasis on the role of education in fostering lifelong
learning, active citizenship and entrepreneurship, and the recognition that
learning happens throughout the life of an individual, within and
outside formal education. These concepts rely to a large extent
on people taking responsibility for their own learning, which in
turn demands an effective formal education of high quality that
“provides people with the critical knowledge, abilities and skills
that are needed to conceptualise, question and solve problems that
occur both locally and globally”.
For
many young people, these are competences that so far they have acquired
and developed through non-formal education and youth work, phenomena
that have played an important role in compensating for the shortcomings
of formal education.
2.1. Learning opportunities:
why traditional formal educational offers are losing attractiveness
9. Being able to influence one's education and daily
life leads to a greater sense of ownership, which in turn leads
to a greater interest and engagement, a deeper motivation for and,
in the end, more effective learning. Yet it is still difficult for
students in Europe to influence their own education. Schools have
to recognise the expertise and the active role of students by considering
them as partners in decision-making and allowing them to influence
the methods and materials used in the classroom, as well as other
matters concerning daily life in school.
10. OBESSU
identifies
the failure of formal education to cater for the needs of different
learners as one of the system's most crucial shortcomings. In many
schools, the pedagogical methods applied are old-fashioned and outdated.
Tuition centres on the written word, despite the fact that many
students would need a greater mixture of theoretical, creative and
practical subjects, allowing and encouraging them to explore different
skills and to employ different ways of learning during the school
day. Moreover, when the focus is on giving students correct answers
to remember, rather than problems to solve, students are being reduced
to passive recipients of information. They should rather take an
active role in the classroom and in their own learning processes.
11. There may also be a gap between the expectations of students
and the reality of formal education, especially higher education,
which might lead to students dropping out. The individual financial
cost of tertiary study and of completion of secondary education,
and the uncertainty about their benefit to future employment, must
be considered as possible factors in young peoples’ decisions about
formal education. Hence, guidance is an important tool to use to
inform school students about their possibilities within both formal
and non-formal education. Easily accessible and objective counselling
from professionals, providing neutral information and guidance in
an educational context, is a way of motivating and fostering learning
in a lifelong perspective and reducing early school leaving.
2.2. Learning environment:
why the social climate in schools is deteriorating
12. The educational environment is paramount to the students’
experience of education and, for many, determines their level of
schooling far more than academic curricula.
A positive learning environment includes
safe and well-functioning school buildings, allowing for a variety
of classes and pedagogical methods, reasonable group sizes and schedules,
good teacher-student and peer relationships, and active prevention
of bullying, violence and discrimination.
13. Of the factors jeopardising this environment, much attention
has been devoted to violence in schools over recent decades, in
part due to high-profile instances of extreme violence (for example
the school shootings in Finland in 2007 and 2008). However, practitioners,
policy makers and academics are increasingly concerned about the
violence that takes place in schools on a daily basis, notably bullying
in all its forms.
While
levels of physical violence have remained largely stable, there
has been an increase in non-physical violence, such as verbal harassment.
These minor forms of violence are often considered to be manifestations of
a “lack of discipline” rather than expressions of violence, but
can, as research shows, escalate and develop into serious acts of
violence.
The “need for significance in the
face of non-recognition can lead to bullying, violence being the
fast track to significance”.
It
seems that “isolation and despair and lack of encouragement toward
personal communication lead to empathic shut down and suicide in
worst case scenarios, lack of connection to welcoming and mutually
involved communities leads to drug abuse (false sense of union)
and youth pregnancy”.
14. Violence and bullying tend to mirror and reproduce the hierarchies
and norms of society at large.
Schools have to
combat actively these structures by developing anti-violence and
anti-discrimination policies and strategies, aiming at a culture
of mutual respect. In addition to discrimination, research highlights
the lack of participation in decision-making at school, the number
of students in a school, and the level of adult supervision and
support, as well as the neighbourhood of the school, as determinants
of violence manifesting itself in the school setting.
15. A recent PISA study on learning outcomes included a few questions
centred around the learning environment. The study is in fact identifying
improvements in the social climate in schools, with less disorder and
better teacher-student relationships. This includes results showing
that a larger percentage of students feel that their teachers listen
to them, treat them fairly and support them when needed.
Good relations
with teachers generally have a positive effect on learning outcomes,
but research shows that particularly socio-economically disadvantaged
students learn more and have fewer disciplinary problems when they
feel that their teachers take them seriously,
which
supports the importance of working to secure a culture of mutual respect
in the school and among all members of the school community.
2.3. Learning outcomes:
why young people feel they do not get what they need to prepare
for life
16. The question of whether young people acquire the
right competences in formal education has become ever more topical
as figures for youth unemployment in Europe are growing. What is
challenging in this regard is that learning outcomes tend to be
evaluated only once a formal education qualification has been obtained, and
usually with reference to employment prospects or opportunities
that are, to a large extent, determined by external factors, such
as labour market policy and the economic situation.
17. According to Business Europe, “four million jobs are vacant
in the European Union due to a mismatch between the skills of the
unemployed and the skills required for the available jobs”, and
this is mainly due to shortcomings in education and training systems
across Europe failing to provide companies with the necessary skills
in ICT, science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Jobs in Europe are becoming
more skills-intensive. According to CEDEFOP (European Centre for
the Development of Vocational Training), almost 90% of the jobs
that are expected to be created or become vacant by 2020 will require
medium or high qualifications.
Approximately 40% of young people
in Europe are expected to have a university degree or equivalent
by 2020.
18. However, education is not only about teaching students to
become part of a highly skilled workforce, but has a value in itself;
“quality education nurtures human talent and creativity, thereby
contributing to the personal and professional development of the
individual person, as well as to social, cultural, economic, political
and environmental development of society at large”.
Our
committee underscored this in its report on “Culture and education
through national parliaments: European policies”,
referring
also to the importance of teaching humanities, “humanities being
the basis of democracy”.
19. Furthermore, formal education fails to recognise that some
young people do not necessarily want to follow the path of previous
generations, but are considering new ways and, in fact, new goals.
Some of them are freedom, self-actualisation and satisfaction in
work and personal lives.
Education
is also essential for teaching healthy habits (eating, exercise,
etc.), discipline, reflection, introspection, solidarity, etc. This
is precisely the kind of education that nowadays is hardly taught
anywhere, and that enables the individual to seek and enjoy “doing
activities which help centre him/her”.
2.4. Equality in education:
why everyone does not have the same opportunities
20. While certain groups are still excluded from education
because of discrimination and negative stereotyping, “free [provision
of] schooling may be the single most important policy measure that
has had a dramatic, transforming impact on school enrolment so far”.
Many children and young people are
currently excluded from education because their families cannot
afford the tuition fees or the hidden costs of so-called “free”
education, such as pencils, handbooks, books and other materials,
uniforms or services such as public transport to and from school.
Other aspects regarding access to learning include access to cultural
institutions and to media, as well as new information and communication
technologies. The latter, in particular, should be seen as a fundamental
learning resource and should be better used as a tool for a proactive
learning process. In this respect, member States’ educational policies
should help bridge the “digital divide” if they want to succeed
in ensuring equal opportunities in education.
21. Education policy is crucial to fostering intergenerational
social mobility
and
reducing the effect of social inequalities upon educational success.
However, the socio-economic background of a student often has a direct
impact on their learning outcomes. Schools with students from more
advantaged backgrounds generally have more full-time teachers with
university degrees. Despite several countries aiming to support disadvantaged
schools by ensuring that they have a higher teacher–student ratio,
these teachers are often less qualified than those working in advantaged
schools.
22. Formal education systems are also, to a large extent, still
designed for rather homogeneous groups of students, and are hence
often unprepared for their diversity. While the European Union considers communication
in the mother tongue as one of the eight key competences for lifelong
learning, current systems are unable to deal with the broad range
of mother tongues spoken in schools across Europe. Where a student's mother
tongue differs from the main language of instruction in their school,
there are obvious barriers to successful learning. As one's mother
tongue forms the basis for all other learning, it would thus be
important to offer these students language courses in their mother
tongue.
23. In order to overcome the obvious challenge of resources, creative
solutions could be found, for example through partnering with local
communities to support this language provision. On average, students
with a migrant background (including second generation immigrants),
and especially those who speak another language at home, perform
considerably worse at school than their non-migrant peers.
These
results did not change between 2000 and 2009
and
hence underline the importance of formal education systems across Europe
doing their utmost to bridge this gap. Another gap can be identified
between urban and rural areas; students in cities perform better
than those living in rural areas and this is particularly the case
in Hungary and Bulgaria.
24. Even if the PISA study highlights some positive developments,
Europe suffers from an educational divide and the “potential of
schools to reduce inequalities during the youth period is underused”.
It is not only a consequence of a lack
of supportive policy measures to facilitate social inclusion and
access to education, but a matter of many countries having formal
education systems which structurally and systematically marginalise
young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is particularly
the case in countries where students have to choose between academic
and vocational educational pathways at an early age, resulting in already
disadvantaged students ending up in disadvantaged segments of the
education system.
25. Moreover, a great number of young people from disadvantaged
backgrounds are part of the so-called “Not in Education, Employment
or Training” – NEET – group.
Some young people are at greater
risk of becoming NEET, for example those with few or no qualifications
and those with a health problem, disability or low aspirations.
Immediate policy responses are therefore required to support this
group of young people.
26. All students should have access to high-quality schools, without
discrimination, fostering equality, tolerance and respect for diversity.
Also, contrary to what might be expected, grouping students according
to ability in different subjects does not seem to have a positive
impact on performance.
3. The rise of new
education and learning settings
3.1. Lifelong learning
27. The prevailing discourse on education policy in Europe
takes the transformation from an industrial economy to a knowledge-based
and globalised economy as its starting point. Lifelong learning
constitutes one of the pillars contributing to this aim, and is
the tool with which both States and individuals are supposed to
be able to adapt to a rapidly changing world and labour market.
The economic focus of the Lisbon Strategy (for the European Union
to become the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world)
– and the current economic crisis – has meant that lifelong learning
has been largely approached in terms of its contribution to economic
growth, and hence that its role in relation to social cohesion and
democracy has been downplayed.
28. While the emphasis is currently on providing the labour market
with a highly skilled pool of possible workers, it is also through
lifelong learning that citizens find their place in society and
exercise active citizenship. These aspects of lifelong learning
require more policy attention and measures than they have received
so far, and are crucial for equality, democracy and social cohesion.
Lifelong learning should therefore be recognised as a way of preventing
marginalisation and social exclusion, which means that measures
have to be taken to provide young people with a broad range of learning
strategies and opportunities, recognising that young people from
disadvantaged backgrounds have more difficulties in accessing lifelong
learning.
29. ”Learning to learn” is one of the key competences for lifelong
learning and is considered a prerequisite for both employment and
social inclusion;
it
could be described as an awareness of how one learns, knowledge
about available learning opportunities, and an ability to organise
and control one's own learning. It includes the ability to search
for and select information, to critically analyse it and its sources,
and to apply and present it in new contexts. This requires a shift
in both the curriculum and the classroom, where the focus on facts
is replaced by process-oriented and skills-focused tuition and assessments,
and where the students take greater responsibility and engage in
continuous reflection on their own learning, including self-evaluation, throughout
the learning process.
30. The actual implementation of lifelong learning strategies
has, however, remained a challenge,
which means that
it is currently the responsibility of the individual to manage and
update their learning continuously. This requires a broad understanding
not only of one's own learning needs and methods, but also of the
learning opportunities and sources of information available in society
at large.
31. The current framework for lifelong learning lacks a coherent
and sustainable funding model, which hinders implementation and
the possibilities to reach out to more disadvantaged groups of learners.
In order to encourage further education and make lifelong learning
a reality, measures have to be taken to facilitate and encourage
the transition between different levels and forms of education,
notably the transitions from vocational training to higher education,
from formal education to employment, and from the labour market
back to education and training.
3.2. Non-formal and
informal learning
32. In accordance with the concept of lifelong learning,
there are calls to have a more holistic approach to education in
Europe, and that recognition be given not only to learning that
takes place in formal institutions but also non-formal and informal
learning.
However,
both non-formal and informal learning still suffer from a lack of
understanding of both their nature and their impact, for individuals
and for society as a whole.
33. “Non-formal education means any planned programme of education
designed to improve a range of skills and competences, outside the
formal education setting”,
and the European Youth Forum
highlights the importance of skills and competences such as problem
solving and conflict management, planning, organising and leadership,
teamwork and interpersonal as well as intercultural competences.
Its methodology places the
learner at the centre, which fosters an increased self-awareness
of learning strategies and processes. Hence, the methodology of
non-formal learning can be used and integrated into formal education,
provided that teachers have the appropriate training.
34. There is a clear need for a better validation and recognition
of skills acquired by young people through non-formal education,
considering it a complement to formal education. This was stressed
at the symposium on the “Recognition of Youth work and non-formal
learning/education in the Youth field”, which was organised jointly
by the Council of Europe and the European Commission in Strasbourg
on 14-16 November 2011, and led to the adoption of a Statement accompanied
by a Plan of Action.
This process is now referred to
as “The Strasbourg Process” – a European level political process
comparable to those that influence and steer strategies in education
and training, such as the Bologna Process in higher education or
the Bruges/Copenhagen Process in vocational education and training.
35. OBESSU
proposes that
higher education institutions recognise non-formal education alongside academic
achievements, both in their recruitment and as an integrated part
of the education they offer, which could be an important tool in
enabling people to access further education opportunities, particularly disadvantaged
groups that might not have formal qualifications.
36. Youth organisations have long demanded a Europe-wide system
for the promotion and recognition of non-formal learning, and so
far there have been many different initiatives at both national
and European level, such as the Council of Europe’s Portfolio for
Youth Leaders and Youth Workers
(which helps to identify, assess
and describe competences based on European quality standards) and
the Youthpass of the European Union’s Youth in Action Programme.
However, while playing an important role in relation to lifelong
learning strategies. These initiatives are yet to be formally recognised
and to find their place in the recruitment policies of formal education
institutions and employers.
37. Informal education, on the other hand, is understood as “the
lifelong process where every individual acquires attitudes, values,
skills and knowledge from the educational influences and resources
in his or her own environment and from daily experience (family,
peer group, neighbours, encounters, library, mass media, work, play,
etc.)”,
which means that it does not
necessarily require or benefit from formal recognition to the same
extent as non-formal education.
38. Education, cultivating relationships and developing a sense
of purpose do not happen overnight, however. They need a space to
be seeded and to grow. There should be specific spaces for young
people to start learning new skills and to develop meaningful and
lasting relationships, those that enable them to transcend themselves
and become involved in something bigger than them, something that
gives purpose to their life, hope and joy, and therefore a reason
to be attached to it. This is why policies supporting the creation of
such spaces must be promoted, like, for example, the proposal to
establish a network of facilities
–
urban or rural houses (in order to establish different types of
contexts) – where young people (particularly those at risk) can
go for a while to learn new skills and participate in volunteer
activities (for example the “UnMonastery” projects
).
3.3. Education for democratic
citizenship and human rights
39. Education for democratic citizenship and human rights
aims to give people the knowledge, understanding,
skills and attitudes that will help them to play an effective role
in their community – be it at local, national or international level.
It shows people how to become informed about their rights, responsibilities
and duties and helps them realise
that they can have influence and make a difference. This new emphasis
from the side of policy makers should therefore also be seen as
a reaction to the democratic deficit and growing sentiments of racism
and intolerance across Europe; it is through education that citizens
become full and active members of society.
40. Within the Council of Europe framework, education is recognised
as playing a crucial role in promoting democracy and human rights,
and a Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human
Rights Education was adopted,
stating that
teaching and learning practices should be based on these fundamental values,
and recommending that member States promote democratic governance
in all formal education institutions, encouraging and facilitating
the active participation of the whole school community. The charter also
underlines the importance of non-formal education, and especially
the role of youth organisations and civil society in human rights
education. Member States should intensify their efforts regarding
the implementation of the charter, notably the recommendation to
member States to integrate education for democratic citizenship and
human rights in national curricula at pre-, primary and secondary
school level as well as in vocational and higher education. They
should also strive to promote democratic governance in schools allowing
young people to acquire the skills and competences necessary for
engaging in democratic processes. This will enhance young people’s
capacity to solve societal conflicts through dialogue with public
authorities and through other democratic means.
41. The implementation of the charter was reviewed at the international
conference held on 29 and 30 November 2012 in Strasbourg in the
framework of the Andorran Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers.
Participants called for a new review
in five years’ time to assess the impact of the charter and to define
future action. Finally, the recently adopted United Nations Resolution
on “Education for Democracy”
will bring a new momentum to the
reform processes aimed at implementing education for democratic
citizenship and human rights in our member States.
3.4. Peer-to-peer learning
42. Traditionally, students work independently and often
even compete with each other to get high grades and recognition
from the teacher. Peer-to-peer learning is about students listening
to each other, recognising different views and perspectives, and
working together to get a better understanding of a topic or an
issue. Hence, students are encouraged to engage with each other
in a meaningful way, share their knowledge with each other and agree
on how to organise their common exchange and learning process. Peer-to-peer
learning as a method can be used to prevent bullying, including
cyber-bullying, and violence as well as early school leaving, and
to support lessons in particular subjects. Mentoring and tutoring
of different kinds are common examples.
3.5. Entrepreneurship
and self-employment prospects
43. Entrepreneurship education is receiving ever more
policy attention, as “the current complex and insecure economic
environment requires individuals with capabilities for solving new
problems through independent and responsible action”,
and a “sense of initiative and entrepreneurship”
is one of the eight key competences for lifelong learning.
44. Entrepreneurship refers to an individual's ability to turn
ideas into action. It includes creativity, innovation, showing initiative
and risk taking, as well as the ability to plan and manage projects
in order to achieve objectives.
The aim is not for all young
Europeans to become entrepreneurs, but to foster a more entrepreneurial
spirit.
Hence,
entrepreneurship education is not about transmitting education but
rather about fostering a culture of entrepreneurship, which in turn
requires changes in the teaching and learning practices of formal
education.
A
major challenge in this regard is that teachers feel that they themselves
lack the competences and the support of the school to apply more
“creative and innovative approaches to learning”.
45. The European Youth Forum underlines that “young people should
be in a position to consider self-employment or entrepreneurship”
and proposes that entrepreneurship skills are integrated into formal education,
but also identifies this as an issue where youth organisations could
play a role.
It
is indeed the case that many entrepreneurship skills can be acquired
through non-formal education, by taking an active part in youth
organisations and civil society. Partnership opportunities between
civil society and formal education institutions thus need to be
supported by policy measures, allowing for provision of entrepreneurship
education to students, but also to facilitate the transmission of
necessary skills to education professionals.
4. Policy responses
4.1. Enhancing the traditional
formal education setting
46. Governments should develop their policies in youth
mobility,
out-of-school
education/learning, voluntary service and youth information and
participation. They have to support young people on their way to becoming
adults who are in a position to take responsibility for their own
decisions and choices.
47. Stakeholders in the field of education have long advocated
the direct investment of no less than 6% of a country's gross domestic
product (GDP) in education and training, guaranteeing that all levels
and types of education and training have sufficient funding to provide
all students with high-quality education.
Measures have to be taken to
enhance the status and quality of vocational education, ensuring
that it is equivalent to its academic counterparts.
48. There are as many ways of learning as there are students in
a classroom. Measures have to be taken for there to be a paradigm
shift from the transmission of facts to a process- and skills-oriented
education that places the learner at the centre and encourages active
involvement, critical reflection and a broad range of learning strategies.
Teachers have to be trained to deal with this diversity and encouraged
to use a broad range of teaching methods and materials, allowing
and encouraging students to employ and explore new ways of learning.
Teachers should also be encouraged to actively discuss learning
methods and strategies with their students, and involve them in
decisions on what methods to use.
49. Measures should be taken to ensure that all schools are provided
with anti-violence and anti-discrimination policies, clearly defining
how to prevent and deal with different forms of violence, bullying
and discrimination, and outlining a strategy for building a school
culture of mutual respect. This should be a central element of teacher
education and teachers should be offered continuous training in
these matters.
50. To ensure that formal education allows young people to pursue
their interests and fulfil their personal potential, investment
is needed in effective guidance and counselling for all students,
helping them to get an overview of different learning and career
opportunities and supporting them in finding an educational and/or career
path suitable for them. These services are especially important
for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who might need additional
information and encouragement to even consider further studies,
or indeed complete current studies. Another important group to consider
are the young people who are currently outside education and training,
and might be hard to reach with current policies and measures.
51. Urgent measures must also be taken to stop teenage suicide
and self-harm. Awareness raising, education and counselling
can play a major role. The most
important thing is to give youth a sense of purpose. The social
structure to which a person belongs is a key determinant in their
attachment to life and the meaning they give to it. A lack of stable
and valuable relationships with others makes it almost impossible
to embark them on projects that transcend their own individuality,
thus feeding the feeling of purposelessness.
One of the best ways to create lasting
relationships with positive emotional values is through service
to others, namely “helping others”. Young people could benefit greatly
from embarking on projects that transcend individuality, a key step
to getting an enduring and satisfactory sense of purpose, where
the person feels that “he/she is not alone anymore”. Finally, media
guidelines which restrict sensationalistic reporting of youth suicides
or celebrity suicides helps reduce the risk of “copycat” or cluster
suicides for young people.
52. Many countries are expecting a shortage of qualified teachers
in the near future, with many teachers retiring at the first opportunity,
and a decreasing number of young people aspiring to become teachers themselves.
This
requires urgent policy attention and public authorities must ensure
attractive conditions as well as explore ways of enhancing the status
of the teaching profession. Investment in the salaries of teachers has
a direct impact on the results of students.
When allocating extra funding
to formal education, public authorities tend to favour either teachers’
salaries or reductions in class sizes, but class size does not impact on
students’ performance to the same extent. However, research indicates
that overcrowded schools are among the causes of school violence,
and it is therefore
recommended that regulations be introduced establishing a maximum
number of students per class for primary and secondary education.
4.2. Recognition of
and support to new learning settings
53. It is important to make a distinction between different
forms of recognition of the non-formal and informal learning of
that takes place in youth work, depending on who recognises learning
and for what purpose. The forms of recognition are formal, social
and political recognition, as well as self-recognition.
54. Formal recognition means the “validation” of learning outcomes
and the “certification” of a learning process and/or these outcomes
by issuing certificates or diplomas which formally recognise the
achievements of an individual. Political recognition means the recognition
of non-formal education in legislation and/or the inclusion of non-formal
learning/education in political strategies; Social recognition means
that social players acknowledge the value of competences acquired
in non-formal settings and the work done within these activities.
Self-recognition means the assessment by the individual of learning
outcomes and of the ability to use these learning outcomes in other
fields. All of these aspects must be taken into account when validating non-formal
and informal learning.
55. Efforts to recognise non-formal and informal learning must
therefore be intensified. This requires a more holistic approach
to education and learning outcomes. The “Strasbourg Process”,
a joint effort of all the
main stakeholders in the field, symbolises the start of a common
European effort to move forward on the issue of recognition and
validation of non-formal and informal learning, and should be recognised
and supported by all member States. Efforts should be intensified
to implement the Recognition of Prior Learning of the Bologna Process.
Co-operation with employers also has to be intensified in order
to raise their awareness of the benefits and added value of non-formal
learning.
56. Support should be put in place to enable formal education
facilities to be used by civil society organisations to assist with
providing both students and teachers with additional opportunities
for non-formal and lifelong learning. Different forms of practical
occupational experiences should also be further encouraged, as they
allow students to apply what they have learned and to familiarise
themselves with different career paths and opportunities.
4.3. Ensuring inclusion
57. Educational programmes should be structured so as
to maximize the inclusion of vulnerable groups, including young
people with disabilities, pregnant women, young people from ethnic
groups, young parents and young workers. Special measures have to
be taken to guarantee access to education and inclusion of children of
refugees, internally displaced people and illegal migrants. This
includes, in particular, measures to reach out to young people of
non-sedentary groups, including undocumented Roma families. The
education of children and young people in care has to be given special
attention.
58. Inequality in access to education and educational opportunities
should be considered a violation of the right to education. Policy
measures have to be introduced to facilitate access to education
for all children and young people, especially those living in disadvantaged
circumstances, as well as to guarantee the quality of education
provided. Access to education has to be understood within as broad
a context as possible, recognising not only access to a particular
educational pathway, but also access to those elements necessary to
a successful education experience, such as relevant teaching materials
and the Internet.
59. Access to culture and to creative activities should also be
enhanced. Arts are “especially important for young people, in particular
those aged between 15 and 25 years who are at a critical time in
their lives when they are building a future for themselves as adult
citizens. Introducing them to cultural resources is a process that
draws on their subjective sensitivity and creative imagination,
and gives them considerable freedom of initiative (of a kind not
sufficiently accorded to members of this age group)”.
60. The concept of equal opportunities requires all families to
have knowledge about the educational system and its different pathways;
measures should therefore be taken to educate parents and help them
support adolescents in their educational choices. This is particularly
important for the families of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Extra-curricular classes should also be offered to overcome differences
in prior knowledge and support from the family.
61. Multicultural societies require measures to guarantee that
schools have the tools to deal with ethnic, cultural and religious
diversity. Teacher training has to equip teachers with intercultural
competences and a readiness to work in a diverse environment.
4.4. Prevention of early
school leaving
62. While the decision to leave school early can be a
conscious choice of the individual, the high numbers of early school
leavers have to be analysed in terms of social and economic factors.
Many countries have decided to prolong compulsory education, either
by beginning schooling a year earlier, or by prolonging it by a year
or two, in order to reduce and prevent early school leaving.
However, prolonging
compulsory education requires the necessary financial means to provide
all students with high quality free education.
63. Measures have to be taken to prevent early school leaving
and help disadvantaged groups of young people to stay in education,
especially after its compulsory stage, including the possible introduction
of a maintenance allowance for secondary students to enable them
to stay in full-time education.
64. The failure to cater for the needs of different learners risks
marginalising the students that would require different methods
or extra support. Teachers need to be trained for the diversity
of learners and encourage different ways of learning and working.
The democratic participation of students is crucial also in this
regard, as being able to influence their education and daily school
life leads to a greater ownership. Different forms of peer-to-peer
learning and mentoring should also be considered as measures to
prevent early school leaving. Finally, efforts have to be intensified
to reduce and prevent different forms of violence and discrimination
in schools, ensuring the well-being of all school students.
5. Conclusions
65. Europe needs a renewed commitment to education, recognising
education as a prerequisite for personal fulfilment, social inclusion,
active citizenship and employment, as well as its crucial role in
equipping young people with the competences they need for lives
in autonomy and dignity. Formal education must continue to represent
the backbone of the education system; however, it is true that models
for the recognition of formal, non-formal and informal education
will need to be developed more intensively in the future. A renewed commitment
encompasses the following:
66. Continuous development and appropriate
funding – Being responsible for the provision and regulation of
formal education, public authorities should aim to constantly improve
its quality, recognising that it is the most powerful tool that
Europe has to overcome the ongoing economic crisis, and that appropriate
resources and funding need to be allocated to the education sector.
This includes appropriate and sustained investment in the continuing
professional development of teachers and school staff.
67. Intensified efforts for social
inclusion – The formal education system plays a crucial
role in supporting and fostering social mobility and social cohesion
for young people with different starting points in life, but currently
it is failing to do this adequately. Measures have to be taken to
reach out to disadvantaged groups of young people and to support
and facilitate their educational attainment. Access to primary and
secondary education has to be guaranteed for all young people, and
further studies should be encouraged and facilitated. These measures
include the abolition of tuition fees as well as the reduction of
all hidden costs of education.
68. Prevention of youth suicide and
deliberate self-harm – Adequate prevention and treatment
of depression, psychological disorders, and substance abuse helps
reduce the risk of suicide and self-harm. School-based programmes
against bullying, and related to coping skills and problem solving,
as well as the existence of in-school counselling services have
all proven more effective than direct suicidal awareness programmes.
Media guidelines for suicide coverage need to be developed in order
to prevent “copycat” cases. Post-care treatment in which young people
receive counselling and mental health care immediately after a suicide
attempt, is shown to reduce the likelihood of another attempt.
69. Participatory learning in a democratic
school environment – A paradigm shift has to take place
in formal education, moving from solely the transmission of facts
to a more process- and skills-oriented education that places the
learner in the centre. It has to encourage students to reflect on
and shape their own learning, in order for them to develop a broad
range of learning strategies and the competence of learning to learn.
Moreover, schools play a crucial role in fostering active citizenship
and human rights, and should integrate these elements into their
curricula accordingly. All of this requires changes in curricula
and teaching methods, as well as in the training of teachers.
70. A rights-based approach to lifelong
learning – Efforts have to be intensified to make lifelong
learning a reality for all, recognising its role in relation to
active citizenship, democracy and social cohesion. Lifelong learning
strategies have to be developed at both national and European level,
including a comprehensive and sustainable funding model. Special
measures have to be introduced to guarantee access to lifelong learning opportunities
for disadvantaged groups. These measures should be developed in
partnership with stakeholders and representatives of the groups
concerned. The European institutions play an important role in encouraging
and providing opportunities for peer learning.
71. A holistic approach to education
– In accordance with the concept of lifelong learning,
member States have to adopt a more holistic approach to education,
recognising that learning takes place all the time and that all
learning experiences in life contribute to personal growth and a
better understanding of the surrounding society. Measures have to
be taken to further the validation and recognition of non-formal
learning. Active participation of young people in all stages of
youth work is an important element that contributes substantially to
the promotion of young people’s autonomy.
72. Continuous dialogue with stakeholders
– The broader question of quality in formal education
can only be addressed through continuous dialogue with and intensified
co-operation amongst all stakeholders in the field, namely the students,
the teachers, the parents and the employers. The stakeholders should
be consulted in the development of new policy, throughout its implementation
and at the stage of evaluation, thus encouraging a comprehensive
and integrated approach to the different processes.
73. Better employment prospects for
young people – We should urge our member States to increase
the availability of career counselling through the educational system,
counselling offices and an online counselling platform to reach
out to young people, by improving its quality and the quality of
education in general. We should recommend that member States increase
the number of training programmes for the unemployed, according
to the needs of the current labour market.