Brussels, 12/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - People who have a low level of education have four times more chance of falling into poverty. Education and training can help break the vicious circle of poverty by better adapting education to children from poor backgrounds. This was the theme of the conference on social inclusion and education organised in Ghent by the Belgian presidency. The conference sent out an important message: education and training are often considered as the best way of promoting social mobility but education systems themselves contribute to inequality by way of their inappropriate structures. A vicious circle that does not exist at the same level in the different countries. Strong European collaboration can help break this vicious circle. It is necessary, for example, to exchange best practice and identify common challenges, underlined the participants at the end of the conference. The Belgian presidency took note of the results of this meeting in view of preparations for a ministerial debate on equal opportunities during the Education Council in Brussels on 19 November next. (I.L./transl.fl)