Brussels, 24/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - According to a study by Van Dijk Management consultants, made at the request of the European Parliament, the European schools put great emphasis on the teaching of languages and sciences and appear to prepare students for an often international educational and career path. The model is totally appropriate to the reference criteria set out by the European Commission to better equip secondary school graduates when entering the workplace. In this context, the European Parliament organised a public hearing on Thursday 19 March, chaired by Erna Hennicot-Schoepges MEP (EPP-ED, Luxembourg), on the subject of “The European Schools System: a Model for Mobility and Multilingualism”. The hearing aimed to provide all stakeholders with an insight into the ongoing reform process within the European schools and the significant challenges they face regarding infrastructure, funding and teaching staff. The opening of the European schools to the whole population and the possible transposition of the model to national schools were also subjects of discussion. In conclusion, everyone agreed about the urgency of reform and called on member states (the only agencies with the appropriate remit in this area) to provide a necessary boost to the process within a framework of subsidiarity.
Successive enlargements of the European Union have made the current system obsolete, explained Commissioner Siim Kallas, Vice-President of the Commission and in charge of administrative, auditing and anti-fraud questions. Kallas stressed that if they were able to find a political boost now, they would be able to establish a real European education system in Europe in the future. According to the Commissioner, reform should focus on three vectors: 1) adapt the way the European schools work in response to increased demand; 2) take into account the costs needed to improve infrastructure and teaching staff; 3) rationalisation of decision-making process. Ms Hennicot-Schoepges stated that “this hearing is just a stage in the process of the European Parliament's gradual involvement in reform”. She also thanked the Czech vice minister, Jakub Dürr, who was representing the presidency of the Council at the hearing, for his “firm commitments” to multilingualism and better coordination of European education policies. The MEP also said that she hoped that there would be closer cooperation in the future legislature between the Parliament and stakeholders. (I.L./transl.rh)