Efficiency and equity in European education and training systems

1
Efficiency and equity in European education and
training systems
Budapest 2 June 2007
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Preliminary remark
Pivotal but paradoxical role of education in
relation to inequalities and exclusion Education
may be the main (sometimes the only) vehicle by
which they can be reduced, but on the other hand
it may often perpetuate exclusion.
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Context and objectives

• Mandate 2006 Spring European Council Conclusions
• To select policies enhancing both efficiency and
  equity
• To avoid the so-called trade-off between the two
• To base the policy proposals on robust evidence
• To select policies with a consensus in the
  research community
• To have a lifelong learning perspective
• To deal with all levels of education

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The costs of inequities

• In the US
• Symposium at Columbia University
• Costs of a drop out 500.000
• In the EU
• UK figures Costs of a drop out in terms of
  productivity
• REF Study on the benefits of investing in Roma
  Education in Hungary

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Definitions

• Equity equitable systems ensure that the
  outcomes of education and training are
  independent of socio-economic background and
  other factors, and that treatment reflects
  individuals specific learning needs
• Efficiency systems are efficient if the inputs
  produce the maximum outputs

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Efficiency and equity in lifelong learning
strategies

• The life-cycle of ET requires a long-term
  approach

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Strengthening efficiency and equity in ET
policies

• Pre-school education Focusing on learning at an
  early age
• Early schooling produces the highest economic and
  social outcomes
• This applies to all countries irrespective of
  their level of development
• It requires a strong educational content
  qualified teachers and parental involvement

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Strengthening efficiency and equity in ET
policies

• Primary and secondary education Improving the
  quality of schooling for all
• Early-tracking systems reinforces inequities
  without enhancing performance
• Teacher quality is essential in particular for
  disadvantaged pupils
• Vocational education and training
• Public training programs targeted at the
  disadvantaged and the unemployed are often
  inefficient since unable to respond to labour
  market needs
• Need for partnership among key stakeholders
  public sector, social partners and community

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Designing policies

• Development of a culture of evaluation
• Building of a statistical infrastructure to
  collect data and measure progress
• Creation of an interface between researchers,
  practitioners, policy-makers
• Development of comprehensive and integrated
  strategies
• Need for cross-sectoral approaches since ET
  cannot solve everything
• Coordination within education and training
  systems and with other policies

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Follow up

• Member States have the main role
• Key challenge use of structural funds
• Exchange of practices at EU level
• Education and Training 2010 Cluster on Access
  and Social Inclusion

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Thank you!!!