13 SCHOOLS FOR THE 21ST
CENTURY
(28800)
11808/07
SEC(07) 1009
| Commission staff working document: "Schools for the 21st century"
|
| Legal base | —
|
| Document originated | 11 July 2007
|
| Deposited in Parliament |
18 July 2007 |
| Department | Children, Schools and Families
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| Basis of consideration |
EM of 20 September 2007 |
| Previous Committee Report |
None |
| To be discussed in Council
| No date set |
| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared; but further information requested
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The document
13.1 The purpose of the Commission's consultation document is
to invite views on ways to improve the education of school-age
children.
13.2 The Commission begins by noting that Member
States are responsible for the organisation and content of their
education and training systems. The EC's role is to support Member
States' activities. The Community is currently doing so in two
main ways: by facilitating the exchange of information on good
practice; and by providing financial support for educational projects
from the Lifelong Learning Programme.
13.3 The Commission stresses the importance of school
education for the achievement of the Lisbon strategy for economic
growth and employment, the well-being of the individual and the
good of society. The consultation document notes, however, that
there are wide disparities between Member States in the provision
of education in schools and that work is needed to improve, for
example, the literacy of boys and to reduce the number of children
who leave school prematurely.
13.4 Against this background, the Commission invites
responses to two questions:
- what action is required in the respondent's Member
State to provide the quality of school education necessary for
the 21st century; and
- on which aspects of school education might cooperation
at European level help Member States to modernise their systems?
The Commission also invites respondents to structure
their comments around some or all of eight issues, such as: how
can schools equip all children with all the key competences they
will need for adult life? Responses are requested by 15 October.
The Commission will hold a Conference in November to discuss the
replies with a view to the production of a Commission Communication
early in 2008.
The Government's view
13.5 The Minister of State for Schools and Learners
at the Department for Children, Schools and Families (Jim Knight)
tells us that:
"The Government is keen to ensure that the
Commission does not use this consultation to try to extend its
responsibility regarding Member States' education and training
systems. We shall therefore use the consultation as an opportunity
to remind the Commission of national competence for education
and training and to identify what actions could usefully take
place at European level. These actions are likely to be limited
to a continued focus on peer learning and networking activities
as well as the gathering of statistics; better use and dissemination
of such networking and statistics; and improved comparison between
the EU and third countries, particularly the leading OECD countries."
Conclusion
13.6 We share the Minister's view that any action
arising from the Commission's consultation document should be
voluntary and driven by the Member States. We recognise, however,
the potential benefits of the exchange of information on the questions
posed by the Commission.
13.7 We are content to clear the document from
scrutiny. We should be interested to see the UK's responses to
it and ask the Minister to provide us with copies.
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