Brussels, 12/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - By adopting the resolution by Mary Honeyball (S&D, United Kingdom) on Tuesday 11 September, the European Parliament has drawn attention to the social and economic consequences of dropping out of school early. In addition to the current crisis, the economic costs of increasing unemployment and difficulties encountered by young people during the job market, MEPs also warned about the long term negative effects of those abandoning education prematurely. The text calls on member states to put in place and fund specific lifelong learning programmes that are compatible with the needs of the labour market, such as strategies for reducing early drop-out rates, increasing the number of graduates and enhancing student mobility. Member countries should attempt to target at least 2% of GDP as an investment in higher education and 3% for research, in an effort to compete with the new economic superpowers in the world. As a means of creating access to higher education on an equal basis, MEPs also call on member states to look at how they could develop the idea of small study grants that are easily accessible at a pre-university stage. They also support student mobility and recommend, in this connection, greater attention being paid to language skills, with greater access to training and improving teacher exchange programmes. Finally, the EP is recommending more value being placed on preschool teaching, which is recognised as being the most important stage in individual development and the social development of young people. (IL/transl.fl)