In a resolution adopted on Wednesday 17 May, MEPs say that the member states must do more to meet the objectives set out in the in the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (EQF).
The text was adopted by a large majority at the European Parliament. It begins by regretting the lack of member states’ ambition, lack of transparency in qualifications and the low level of recognition of foreign qualifications. It regrets, for example, that only the Netherlands and Sweden have introduced specific procedures in their respective EQFs in an effort to include informal qualifications.
It also criticises the fact that no member state has any specific procedures for informal learning within their respective EQF.
In this context, the MEPs are calling on the Commission to encourage the member states – those responsible for education – to push forward towards the implementation of the EQF. They then call on them to check whether the three horizontal fields (knowledge, skills and competencies) in the EQF – the objective of which is to increase the comparability of qualifications between the national systems – should be revised to make them “better appreciated and recognised in a clear and accessible manner”. The MEPs suggest that the Commission should develop a self-assessment tool for employers so that more efficient use of the EQF is guaranteed.
Parliament is also calling on the Commission to revise its policy for promoting a results based financing system for vocational education and training, higher education, as well as for the education costs involved in the modernisation programme, “in order to safeguard the social role of education and training systems and ensure access to qualifications”.
All the amendments submitted by the ENF group that emphasise the national character of the education and training systems were rejected.
For further information: http://bit.ly/2qsawVM (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)