Social inclusion a priority of education agenda
People with a low level of education are up to four times more likely to wind up in poverty. Education and training can help to break the vicious circle of poverty. That was the premise of the conference on social inclusion and education held on 28 and 29 September.
Over 200 policymakers, experts, researchers, education and training providers and representatives of civil society gathered in Ghent.
An important message of the conference was that education and training is often regarded as the ideal way to achieve social mobility, yet educational systems themselves often aggravate social inequality and reinforce the vicious circle of inequality.
Inclusion at all levels of education
Flemish Minister for Education Pascal Smet and European Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou jointly opened the conference. For a day and a half, the central topic was the important role played by all levels of education: from preschool to compulsory years of education through adult education. Other aspects emphasised were:
- The importance of investing in preschool;
- Combating early departure from school;
- The democratisation of higher education;
- Making vocational training and education more attractive.
Breaking the vicious circle together
The vicious circle of inequality is more prevalent in some countries than others. Greater European cooperation can therefore contribute to breaking the circle. This may involve, for example, sharing good practices and identifying common challenges.
The Belgian Presidency will incorporate the results of the conference in preparation for a ministerial debate on equity at the EU Education Council on 19 November.
All presentations plus background documentation are available at www.education2010.be.
