The EU Commission has called for changes to the education and training systems of all member states to help achieve more jobs, growth and social cohesion.
In its Communication, the Commission argues that modernisation of education and training systems is driven by the search for efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
It says that although this is one measure of success, member states should also be aiming to raise the average skill level in the whole of the population, narrowing the gap between the best and worst qualified individuals and improving the life opportunities of those most in need.
“Efficient education and training systems can have a significant positive impact on our economy and society,” said Ján Figel, European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture, and Multilingualism.
“But inequities in education and training have huge hidden costs which are rarely shown in public accounting systems. If we forget the social dimension of education and training, we risk incurring huge corrective costs later on.
“Today’s Communication challenges the member states to step up their efforts to improve both the efficiency and the equity of their education and training systems, to ensure that every citizen, especially the disadvantaged, can play their full part in society and the economy.”
Along with promoting pre-primary education and encouraging greater funding of higher education through both public and private sources, the Commission is also urging member states to create a ‘culture of evaluation’.
This requires member states to understand what is happening in their education and training systems – including the need for a statistical infrastructure capable of collecting appropriate data, and mechanisms to assess progress, measure success and share best practice.
