At its plenary session in Strasbourg on Tuesday 12 September, the European Parliament adopted a report signalling a “profound need for reform” of the European Schools System (ESS). For the rapporteur, Ilana Cicurel (Renew Europe, French), the system could serve as an example within the EU, but it suffers from a number of shortcomings.
A potential model...
The text praises the “high-quality, multilingual education with a strong European dimension” provided by the European Schools, and calls on the European Commission to encourage exchanges between the ESS and local, regional and national educational ecosystems.
Indeed, the rapporteur believes that drawing inspiration from the ESS can contribute to the creation of a European Education Area (EEA). For example, she explains, “the European Baccalaureate could be used to permit the mutual recognition of school diplomas” (see EUROPE 13128/19).
... Provided its shortcomings are remedied
However, Ms Cicurel also points to the difficulties of the EES, in particular those linked to its system of governance and funding.
In particular, the rapporteur considers that the intergovernmental governance model governing the ESS has its virtues, but that it has reached its limits and lacks flexibility in the face of the rapid development of European schools. In her view, schools and teachers should enjoy “a greater degree of autonomy to enable them to better respond to specific needs and situations”.
She also calls on the Member States to fulfil their obligations to provide qualified teaching staff and appropriate infrastructure for the European Schools. She would also like to see the introduction of “a binding system of direct financial contributions to ensure greater flexibility and security for [...] the ESS”.
Finally, Ms Cicurel advocates modernising school curricula, particularly in terms of environmental issues and digital technology.
The report was voted through with a large majority, with 530 votes in favour, 67 against and 30 abstentions.
To see the text that was adopted, go to https://aeur.eu/f/8if (Original version in French by Hélène Seynaeve)