RESOLUTIONof the Council and of the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council,of 3 June 1985containing an action programme on equal opportunities for girls and boys in education(85/C 166/01)

THE COUNCIL AND THE MINISTERS FOR EDUCATION,MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL, Having regard to the Treaties establishing the European Communities, Having regard to the resolution of the Council and of the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, of 9 February 1976 comprising an action programme in the field of education (1) , Having regard to Council Directive 76/207/EEC of 9 February 1976 on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women (2) and in particu- lar Article 2 (4) and Articles 3 and 4 thereof, Having regard to the Council resolutions and those of the Council and of the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, dealing with equal opportunities for women (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) , Having regard to the Council recommendation of 13 December 1984 on the promotion of positive action for women (8) , Having regard to the various European Parliament resolutions in favour of women (9) , and in particular the resolution of 17 January 1984 (10) on the situation of women in Europe, Bearing in mind that educational establishments are a particularly suitable forum for effective action to achieve equal opportunies for girls and boys; Whereas education and vocational training are among the prerequisites for achieving equal opportunities for men and women in working life and whereas education should therefore contribute to eradicating stereotypes, encourage acceptance of the principles of fair sharing of family and occupational responsibilities and prepare young people adequately for working life; Bearing in mind the importance of involving all participants in the educational process in implementation of any policy to foster equal opportunities in order to achieve the necessary change in mentalities and attitudes; Whereas the decisive influence of parents is widely recognized in connection with stereotype-formation, the perception of social roles of men and women and also as regards the duration of schooling and educational and career choices; Bearing in mind the commitment of teachers and their associations to the achievement of equal opportunities for girls and boys in the school system; Whereas, in addition to policies concerning equal access for girls and boys to all forms and levels of education, positive action is necessary to bring about equality in practice; Taking note of the report of the Conference on Equality of Opportunity for Girls and Boys in Education (Brussels, 27 and 28 November 1984) , organized by the Presidency in conjunction with the Commission, HEREBY ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION: I The Council and the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, give their agreement to an action programme which will be implemented within the scope of constitutional possibilities and having regard to the economic, social and cultural context of each Member State, to the funds available and to their respective educational systems. The measures envisaged under this programme are necessary in order to: - ensure equal opportunities for girls and boys for access to all forms of education and all types of training in order to enable each individual to develop his or her own aptitudes to the full; -enable girls and boys to make educational and career choices, in full knowledge of the facts and in good time, affording them the same possibilities as regards employment and economic independence; -motivate girls and boys to make non-traditional choices and to follow courses leading to qualifications so that they may have access to a far more diversified range of jobs; -encourage girls to participate as much as boys in new and expanding sectors, within both education and vocational training, such as the new information technologies and biotechnology. The Council and the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, accordingly agree that these objectives can be attained if the educational and career choices of girls and boys are made without any restriction as to sex. The action programme is as follows: 1. Promoting awareness among all the participants in the educational process (1) of the need to achieve equal opportunities for girls and boys (a) Encouraging the eradication of sex stereotyping through coordinated action to raise awareness such as information campaigns, seminars, lectures, debates and discussions; (b) encouraging exchanges of information on innovatory projects in this field and ensuring that it is as widely disseminated as possible; (c) preparing and distributing at national level texts bringing together results of experience, recommendations and practical guidance aimed at achieving equal opportunities. 2. Educational and vocational guidance as a service to all pupils to encourage girls and boys to diversify their career choices (a) Ensuring that information is given as early as possible on working life and delay the introduction of options, since premature specialization leads to a preference for traditional course options and maintains segregation; ensuring that information, counselling and guidance services are available to all pupils throughout their school career and in particular at all the key points at which course options are decided; making it possible to switch courses during the school career, e. g. by means of bridging classes; (b) encouraging diversification of girls' and boys' educational and career choices, particularly by: - introducing both girls and boys to new technology from the end of primary school in all educational establishments, -training guidance officers in the specific aspects of educational and career guidance relating to girls (encouraging diversity of choice, in particular new careers connected with new technologies, and providing follow-up and support for girls who take non-traditional options, etc. ) , -ensuring effective cooperation between school guidance services and parents and teachers as well as between school and vocational guidance, training and job-vacancy services. 3. Opening up schools to working life and the outside world, in particular by organizing, at all levels, pupil contact with working life, especially where non-traditional work for women is being promoted, and with the outside world in general (associations of young people, occupational bodies, etc. ) . 4. Extending the possibilities for effective access by both girls and boys to all vocational training options and supporting, through suitable measures, girls and boys who have chosen non-traditional openings. 5. Including the question and pedagogics of equal opportunity in teachers' initial and in-service training. Teachers' courses could for instance include the components needed to encourage girls to take up the natural sciences and mathematics, and information on the vocational opportunities offered by these disciplines. 6. Reinforcing co-educational practices in mixed educational establishments In mixed educational establishments encouraging all pupils to participate in school and extra-mural activities, including activities traditionally considered as being either for the male or female sex and stimulate in particular equal participation by girls and boys in technical and scientific options. 7. Developing a balance between men and women holding positions of responsibility in education Encouraging children to develop a positive perception of equality of the sexes by promoting a balanced distribution of men and women working in the educational sector; to this end, encourage action aimed at improving the balance in terms of postings, promotion and training. This improved balance should cover both the subjects taught and the levels of the posts occupied. 8. Eradicating persistent stereotypes from school textbooks, teaching material in general, assessment materials and guidance material (a) Creating structures or using existing structures for equal opportunities for girls and boys with a view to establishing criteria and drawing up recommendations aimed at eliminating stereotypes from school books and all other teaching and educational material, with involvement of all the parties concerned (publishers, teachers, public authorities, parents' associations) ; (b) encouraging gradual replacement of material containing stereotypes by non-sexist material. 9. Special measures helping the underprivileged, particularly girls who receive very little encouragement from their families to pursue school activities and the children of migrant workers (prevention of illiteracy, language training) . These measures are aimed at pupils, teachers and parents. They are particularly concerned with informing migrant workers of the educational options available in the host country. 10. Introducing specific measures to encourage the promotion of programmes for equal opportunities for girls and boys, with a view to: - encouraging the implementation in schools of specific measures based on guidelines agreed at national level; -drawing up annual reports on action taken; -encouraging the training of school advisers specifically appointed to make recommendations, give advice, suggest initiatives and assess measures taken; -reviewing the text of regulations (such as circulars) with a view to eradicating discrimination and stereotypes from them; -encouraging the use of existing agencies with expertise in matters concerning equal opportunities for girls and boys in monitoring progress in this area. II The Commission of the European Communities will take the necessary measures to: - promote the principle of equality between girls and boys in all Community action and policies connected with education, training and employment policy, and in particular promote a spirit of enterprise among girls as well as boys in order to facilitate their transition from school to working life, -extend the programme of study visits to include teacher training staff, guidance officers, inspectors and administrators with particular responsibility for equal opportunities for girls and boys at school, in order to broaden their practical and vocational experience, -provide supplementary data, particularly through studies on equal opportunities for girls and boys in education, circulate the results and improve the exchange of information on positive action by using the EURYDICE network, -ensure close cooperation with teachers' associations organized at European level in implementing and promoting measures for equal opportunities for girls and boys, -in collaboration with parents' associations organized at European level, launch information campaigns on the choice of school courses and the division of tasks between girls and boys and aimed at eliminating stereotypes, -set up a Working Party composed of those having responsibility at national level for matters concerning equal opportunities for girls and boys in education and of representatives of the competent bodies (experts, equal opportunities boards) to pool Member States' experience and follow up and assess the implementation of the action programme; this Working Party to report to the Education Committee, -support, on the basis of specific criteria (e. g. transferability to other Member States) , certain action undertaken by Member States, particularly the launching of innovatory programmes or projects, and actions which foster exchanges between Member States, -support Member States in drawing up and circulating practical recommendations aimed at achieving equal opportunities, particularly by preparing Community guidelines. III The Council and the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, call upon the Commission to give careful consideration, in the framework of the rules governing the Social Fund, to applications relating to the training of instructors and guidance counsellors undertaken in the context of positive action to ensure equal opportunities for girls and boys in education. IV The Council and the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, call upon the Education Committee to submit, in two years' time, a first progress report on action taken by the Member States and the Community to foster equal opportunities for girls and boys in education. V Community funding of the action outlined in section II and the extent thereof will be decided in accordance with the Community's budgetary rules and procedures. VI This Resolution will be forwarded to the European Parliament and to the Economic and Social Committee. (1) OJ No C 38, 19. 2. 1976.

(2) OJ No L 39, 14. 2. 1976.

(3) Resolution on the promotion of equal opportunities for women (OJ No C 186, 21. 7. 1982) .

(4) Resolution concerning vocational training measures relating to new information technologies (OJ No C 166, 25. 6. 1983) .

(5) Resolution concerning vocational training policies in the European Community in the 1980s (OJ No C 193, 20. 7. 1983) .

(6) Resolution on measures relating to the introduction of new information on technology in education (OJ No C 256, 24. 9. 1983) .

(7) Resolution on action to combat unemployment amongst women, and in particular section II(b) thereof (OJ No C 161, 21. 6. 1984) .

(8) OJ No L 331, 19. 12. 1984.

(9) OJ No C 50, 9. 3. 1984 and OJ No C 149, 14. 6. 1982.

(10) OJ No C 50, 9. 3. 1984.

(1) In particular, children, parents, inspectors, heads of educational establishments, teacher-training staff, teachers, educational counsellors, guidance officers, local authorities.