Now in
\nits fourth edition, the European Union’s Education and Training Monitor
\ncaptures the evolution of Europe’s education and training systems and the way
\nin which they impact the socio-economic background. By and large, the document
\nstipulates that investments are still needed, to render education more
\ninclusive, and also to stimulate social
\nmobility. Therefore, one of the most natural investments is the one in
\neducation, by earmarking a bigger sum from the state budget. This is one of the
\nconclusions highlighted by the head of the European Commission Representation
\nin Bucharest, Angela Filote.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Angela Filote: Another
\ncorrelation we could notice is the one between the budget earmarked for education
\nand the performance of the sector. And as regards this chapter, Romania is at
\nthe bottom of the list across the European Union, with a tendency of reducing
\neven further the budget for education. I hope that this tendency, which in no
\nway honors Romania, will not continue. I’d also like to see that the budget for
\neducation is used in an efficient and effective way, since many times we see that
\nthe main problem is how the money is used. And there’s yet another
\nimportant thing about education. This field impacts not only the economy, but
\nalso society in its entirety. A population benefiting from an adequate level of
\neducation is less likely to run the risk of being faced with marginalization
\nand social exclusion. There’s a saying in Romania, which goes something like
\n‘No schooling, no fair share of anything’. And in Romania, there are a great
\nmany children who don’t have their fair share of books. Such a phenomenon is
\nrampant in rural areas, in the underprivileged as well as in the Rroma
\ncommunities. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
School
\ndropout rate indicators also reflect the condition of people in the rural
\nareas, all the more so as school dropout occurs because of the gap between the
\nrural and the urban environment. In this respect, Romania is placed above the
\nEuropean average, with 18.1 %, as against 11.1%, and the situation is much
\nworse in the rural areas, as compared to the urban ones. Actually,
\nsocio-economic and educational disparities between the city and the village in
\nRomania make an invariable indicator in the aforementioned report.
\nUnfortunately, such disparities are in no way balanced out by better
\neducational results. PISA tests have revealed that pupils under the age of 15
\nstand at a lower level when it comes to reading, accounting for 37.3 %, as
\ncompared to the EU average level of 17.8%, for pupils in the same age bracket.
\nThe same goes for Mathematics, 40.8%, as against the 22.1% average across the
\nEuropean Union, or Sciences, 37.3% as compared to the European average of 16.6 %. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Apart
\nfrom the recommendation to implement the strategies that have been already
\ndeveloped, the European Commission also had other messages for Romania. With
\ndetails on that, here is a member of the European Commission’s Directorate
\nGeneral for Education and Culture Florin Popa. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Florin Popa: Inequality, socio-economic and educational disadvantages are correlated.
\nInequity starts quite early, and most of the times it is passed from one
\ngeneration to another, and, unless it is remedied in due time, it gets worse.
\nIt is not the kind of problem that would find
\na solution by itself, in time. On the contrary, it gets worse.
\nSocio-economic and educational
\nindicators are not only correlated, but this correlation is even more
\nintense in the case of underprivileged categories, who are in a vulnerable
\nposition. Therefore, the main point of intervention should be early education,
\nstarting even before pre-school. It is there that the most effective
\ninterventions can be made with regard to bridging social gaps. The second
\nmatter is that of political accountability. We do have a regulatory framework,
\nbut this just lies in the background if it is not given
\nthe opportunity to become the desired element of change. Again, it’s about the
\ncoherence and complementarity between various strategies.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Recently
\nappointed Education Minister, Adrian Curaj, the former Director General of the
\nExecutive Unit for Financing Higher Education, Research, Development and
\nInnovation (UEFISCDI), believes that innovation could be a solution, even for
\nbridging educational gaps. According to him, innovative educational policies
\nare needed, able to combine the autonomy of education institutions with
\ngovernmental strategies. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Adrian Curaj: The
\nidea of bridging gaps is something amazing. It translates into the perseverance
\nof seeing something through, step by step. I would like to find the innovation
\nor invention that would help me achieve this. But apart from ability, of which
\nwe think we have plenty, we also need the willingness to experiment. And while
\nI strongly believe in Romanians’ ability to be creative, I am not that sure of
\nour entrepreneurial skills. Romania’s chance is creativity and education. These
\ntwo can make a difference, together with the competitiveness generated by
\npeople’s strength and resourcefulness.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Another conclusion of the EU Education
\nand Training Monitor is that Member States should work together and exchange
\n‘know-how’ in order to improve their response to the challenges in their
\neducation systems. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The European Union’s Education and Training Monitor captures the evolution of Europe’s education and training systems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":141701,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42997],"tags":[43515],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-141700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-society-today","tag-education-and-training-monitor"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n