The enlarged debate of the Assembly on the activities of OECD in 1995 in the field of education

 

Doc. 7640

13 September 1996

 

CONTRIBUTION (1)

Rapporteur : Mr ELO, Finland, Socialist Group

A. Introduction

There are three reasons for the Committee on Culture and Education to return its attention to the activities of OECD in the field of education.

First is the possibility of discovering the interests of the new Secretary General of OECD in this field. It will be very interesting to hear what he has to say in presenting his report and the weight he gives to the educational dimension.

A second reason is that we are now at the start of another 5-year mandate for OECD in the field of education. We can therefore ask what new strategies are envisaged in this period and what new results can be expected.

Thirdly we should like to take the opportunity to compare OECD education activity with that of the Council of Europe. There is an evident concern that the work of the two organisations (as that of Unesco and the European Union) should be complementary rather than overlapping. This is especially relevant now that the United States are beginning to be involved alongside Canada in the educational activity of the Council of Europe. Both organisations are moreover experiencing the uncertain challenges of enlargement.

B. The activities of OECD

The activities of OECD in 1995 in the field of education included preparation of the meeting of the OECD Education Committee at ministerial level on 16-17 January 1996. The overall theme of this meeting of OECD Education Ministers was making lifelong learning a reality for all. Strategies, to be adapted to the culture and circumstances of each country, were identified in four main areas:

1.    strengthening the foundations of lifelong learning (access to early education, greater flexibility in formal and non-formal learning, including the new information technologies, improving teaching techniques, rethinking the "school of tomorrow");

2.    promoting better links between learning and work (pathways through learning and work with interconnecting bridges, more fluid and flexible relationships between learning and work);

3.    rethinking the roles of partners (parents, social partners, public authorities at local, regional and national levels);

4.    creating incentives for mobilising investment (looking for new balances between the contributions of individuals, employers and workers, and of society).

OECD was invited to assist in developing these strategies and to carry out further analyses on how best to implement lifelong learning, including:

In conclusion: "Future economic prosperity, social and political cohesion and the achievement of genuinely democratic societies with full participation - all depend on a well-educated population".

Comments

The OECD programme is most specifically directed at the interaction of education and learning and economic activity. The learning process has a clear economic and social end. Monitoring, evaluation and considerations of cost-effectiveness have therefore a natural place in this context.

Unlike earlier OECD work in the 1970s on recurrent education (alternating work and study), the present emphasis of "making lifelong learning a reality for all" is on implementation (in a situation of government spending restraints) and on universality (employed as well as unemployed, disadvantaged groups of all kinds etc).

In the light of the Assembly debate on the situation of young people, we might wish to press in particular for action on the practical problems of youth unemployment.

It will also be interesting to see how the model of lifelong learning for all is effectively applied to those who have established a successful place in society and are

perhaps less than willing to give this up or share its profits. If studies can be expected on such subjects as limiting working life, work-sharing, maximum as opposed to minimum wages, or retraining for the employed, it will be a real challenge for OECD to bring governments to implement corresponding policies.

C. The work of the Council of Europe

The Education Committee of the Council for Cultural Cooperation has recently adopted a succinct document setting out its priorities for the years 1997-2000 [CC-ED(96)7 def].

The aims and objectives are both political and cultural: on the one hand the promotion of human rights, fundamental freedoms and pluralistic democracy, but also enabling all Europeans to realise their potential to the full throughout their lives and bringing the peoples of Europe closer together.

The Council of Europe is concerned to avoid overlap and promote cooperation with other governmental and non-governmental bodies. The Standing Conference of European Ministers of Education has a double role of providing a forum for the review of all activities in Europe and also for giving political guidance to the Council of Europe's own work.

One priority area is the reform of education in countries of central and eastern Europe. 18 of these are already full members and the number could soon rise to 21.

Other priority areas are:

D. Conclusion

The education programmes of OECD and the Council of Europe are very different from each other. They are relatively complementary. Interaction could perhaps be more dynamic and contacts and collaboration improved. This is an additional burden on already overloaded secretariats, but could be given more attention.

Certain aspects of the present OECD education programme carry significant social and political implications of interest to the Assembly. We might for example usefully pursue directly with OECD such areas as educational standards, modern languages and in particular the problem of youth unemployment.

Paragraphs for inclusion in the draft resolution:

"While noting the complementarity of the education programmes of OECD and the Council of Europe, the enlarged Assembly would call for closer and more dynamic collaboration between the two organisations in this field, taking account also of the related activities of Unesco and the European Union.

The enlarged Assembly welcomes the challenging approach of OECD to the implementation of strategies of lifelong learning for all. It would like to pursue with OECD as a priority area the problem of youth unemployment."

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Reporting committee: Committee on Economic Affairs and Development (Doc. 7615).

This contribution was approved by the Committee on Culture and Education on 5 September 1996.

Secretaries to the committee: MM Grayson and Ary.

Footnote: 1by the Committee on Culture and Education.