For the fourth and final time during the Croatian Presidency, the Ministers of Education of the Member States of the European Union discussed the impact of Covid-19 on their area of expertise and the lessons learned from the crisis. The purpose behind the informal videoconference was to inform them about the Digital Education Action Plan that the European Commission will be presenting in September and which is currently out for public consultation.
Towards a European Education Area
At the press conference, Education Commissioner Mariya Gabriel emphasised the fact that the pandemic had highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of the current model, and said that her aim was to put forward “a number of strategic actions to support the well-being of the younger generation”.
Both she and the Croatian minister placed great emphasis on the idea of “blended education”, which combines physical and virtual attendance in education. “This will be a key aspect of Erasmus+. Students will start with online collaborative activities and then continue with a period abroad at a later stage”.
The impact of Covid-19
The Croatian Minister of Education, Blaženka Divjak, stated that the purpose behind the videoconference was to review the lessons learned from the crisis, look ahead to the next school year and reflect on future developments. She summed up by saying: “We should focus our efforts on digital transformation while also ensuring fairness in opportunities for access and guaranteeing the well-being of our students and teachers”.
Addressing the impact of Covid-19, she said that there was currently no indication that the gradual reopening of the education system had led to further contamination. “But it is still too early to draw any definitive conclusions”, she said, acknowledging that educational activity had not yet returned to full capacity. She reported that Member States were preparing for next academic year by developing action plans in line with their changing epidemiological situations.
To read about the Commission's Action Plan, go to: https://bit.ly/37TGVZ1 (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)