Göteborg, 24/09/2009 (Agence Europe) - At their informal meeting on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 September, European education ministers discussed the quality of primary school education. Swedish education minister, Jan Björklund, who chaired the meeting, referred to member states' long-standing refusal to have the EU consider educational issues. The reason for this, he said, was that the school system was seen as part of each country's cultural identity. The challenges of the 21st century, however, required a partial change of attitude on this matter, he argued. While there was no intention to give the EU any legislative powers in education, it was time, he went on, that Europe consider its schools and teachers. The issue of the recruiting high quality teaching staff and teacher training was, then, central to ministers' discussions. Referring to the Lisbon Strategy, the aim of which is to lift the EU into global first place in terms of competitiveness and knowledge, Björklund said that if Europe wanted to be competitive, then schools had to have a central position.
Discussions, therefore, highlighted the importance of teachers and school heads on the front line of education. Stressing the crucial role of teachers, Björklund said that the quality of a school could never exceed the quality of its teaching staff. This, he went on was the problem: today few good students elect to become teachers, he stated. This was a trend that was apparent throughout Europe, he said, and was due to the fact that, in many countries, conditions for admission to teacher training had been lowered, making this kind of training les attractive.
Reviewing the factors that had brought about this loss of status for teachers, he not only criticised the quality of their training, but also the lack of support or induction for teachers only freshly out of university. Salary and discipline were also factors highlighted. While education ministers may not yet have solutions to these issues, Björklund at least welcomed the unity of vision on the problems that prevailed among his colleagues and on how to correct them. “Nobody wants the EU to legislate in this area, but we are facing common challenges which we have to discuss so that Europe can continue to be competitive in the 2000s,” he said.
The European Commission intends to do its bit, especially through the support it can give to the exchange of best practice, said Education Commissioner Ján Figel'. He stated that, thanks PISA surveys, Europe had examples of education systems that were doing well - in Finland especially - providing experience to be shared. Exchanging best practice was, he said, one of the best ways to bring improvement, he opined. Europe could bring financial support. Education and lifelong learning and €7 billion allocated over seven years made education the fourth highest EU expenditure, the Commission noted, calling for increased funding. Asked to set out the main educational challenges to be faced by Europe, Figel' said access to education and, echoing the ministers, improving the quality of education. On access to education, he highlighted the fairness of educational systems which should allow everyone, including those from minorities, migrants and people on the margins of society, to receive an education of high quality. On harmonisation of educational systems in Europe (education is a matter reserved to member states) he said he was against harmonisation per se, but argued for compatibility. “Our different systems should be compatible,” he said, citing the example of issues of recognition of qualifications and transfer of skills, the aim being to allow people to “organise their mobility”. (S.B./transl.rt)