Brussels, 08/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - Priority should focus on maintaining quality education in every possible way, asserted EU 27 education ministers at the end of their informal meeting on 4-5 October last, in Nicosia. They stressed that the current crisis should be considered as an opportunity for change, through innovative action that looked to the future. European Union education and training policies, as well as their relationship to economic development and the increasingly thorny problem of illiteracy were the main issues examined during this session.
The Nobel Peace Prize for economics, Christopher Pissarides, was the guest at this meeting and he confirmed how important it was to invest in education as a means of consolidating the European economy, saying “education could erase the consequences of economic crisis by reducing its long-term effects on growth and by helping to consolidate the latter. It therefore makes sense to invest more in times of recession”. The Cypriot minister for education, George Demosthenous, declared that they needed to transform these certainties into action and promised to pursue this task, saying: “The Greek presidency is now ready to move to action. You can be sure that it will take into account all your opinions and proposals expressed when it elaborates the draft conclusions to be submitted to the Council next November, in Brussels”.
The Cypriot presidency is particularly keen on attaining all the common objectives that will help to build a better Europe for future generations, based on fundamental values. In the area of education and training, the Cypriots would more specifically like, through cooperation, to develop reflection and a contribution from all member states in the promotion of European policies that are beneficial to Europe's future and its citizens. This is an important approach towards promoting economic development, the social cohesion and well-being of EU citizens, particularly in this period of economic difficulty. Demosthenous asserted that, “communication and cooperation are the only means to make progress and develop. We need to find common solutions and make decisions together”. Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, in charge of education and training, approved the declarations from the education ministers and Cypriot presidency. She highlighted the European Commission objectives set out in the field of education for 2020, namely reducing the number of pupils leaving school prematurely and increasing the proportion of higher education graduates. She also highlighted the need for urgent action necessary for tackling illiteracy in European Union countries, a problem that was still not being tackled effectively. (IL)