Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Communication from the Commission: Review of reactions to the White Paper "Teaching and learning: towards the learning society"` (98/C 95/16)

On 3 June 1997 the Commission decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned communication.

The Section for Social, Family, Educational and Cultural Affairs, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 18 December 1997. The rapporteur was Mr Koryfidis.

At its 351st plenary session (meeting of 28 January 1998), the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 53 votes in favour, one against and one abstention.

1. Introduction

1.1. The document under discussion here sets out to distil the main policy signals received by the Commission last summer, as a result of the debates following publication of the White Paper on education and training 'teaching and learning - towards the learning society`.

1.2. According to the Commission, the discussions - which involved the Community institutions, the Member States, experts, trade unions and employers' organizations, university and other educational institutions, and other NGOs - identified the following general points:

- the need for an awareness among European citizens that they must update their knowledge and their occupational skills throughout life;

- the connection between individuals' knowledge and occupational skills and their access to employment and, beyond this, their integration into social life and the exercise of their rights as citizens;

- the link between the learning society and Europe's future competitiveness, and its future awareness of itself and its values;

- the necessary groundwork for highlighting education and training as 'the key to a blueprint for society`: this constitutes the White Paper's greatest political contribution to Europe's present and future.

2. General comments

2.1. In its opinion on the White Paper on education and training, the Committee:

- described the White Paper as 'being of the greatest importance as a starting point for discussion and examination of problems relating to the current situation in Europe and the outlook for the future`;

- it also said that it 'provides an accurate picture of European social and economic developments, as well as of what is needed to bring about a smooth transition from the present situation to the learning society of the future`;

- lastly, the Committee stressed that 'the aim of achieving a learning society cannot be reached by the Member States pursuing separate paths or strategies, or by summit-level discussion, investigations or choices. The only way to bring this about is a comprehensive and consciously systematic social effort. This social effort must possess a common and acceptable vehicle for coordination, common and acceptable procedures for reconciling opposing views and common, clear and acceptable subordinate objectives. Only the EU and its bodies, particularly the Commission, can coordinate this social effort to bring about a learning society`.

2.2. The ESC welcomes the fact that:

- the Commission has presented a communication reviewing and providing information on the White Paper and the measures ensuing from it, something which it has not generally done and for which it deserves particular credit;

- the results of the discussions confirm the general, and many of the specific, points and positions expressed in its opinion.

2.3. At the same time, the ESC:

- feels that not enough time has elapsed since the communication on the White Paper was presented for final conclusions to be drawn;

- but continues to insist on the need to open up the dialogue to ever broader sections of society - at all times under the Commission's responsibility and with practical measures being taken by groups who have already been made aware of these issues.

2.4. The Committee believes that the climate and conditions in the Member States are now favourable in this respect. Groups and individuals who took part in the dialogue already look to the White Paper as a reference, and view it as a source of ideas and arguments to back up views and investigations relating to the future of education and training, or for mapping out the path to the information society. This state of affairs must be turned to full and immediate advantage by the Commission.

2.5. The Committee agrees with the Commission's view, expressed in the document, that the main themes and aims of the White Paper were confirmed during the discussion. It agrees with the economic dimensions and effects of the links between education, training and employment, and with the need for equal status for the purely educational, affective, moral, spiritual and cultural dimension of education and training when drawing up syllabi and programmes.

2.6. The Committee would again stress the risks inherent in the transition to a new world where there will be unlimited access to knowledge, unimaginably fast dissemination of information and completely different conditions and means of communication.

2.6.1. The emergence and growth of new and deeper divisions, both within societies and internationally, between information haves and have-nots is the most likely outcome unless efforts are immediately stepped up to involve, if possible, all Europeans in every aspect of change.

2.6.2. This is also the reason why the ESC places such emphasis on the need for policies to be formulated immediately to prevent the marginalization of large sections of the population, in particular of high-risk groups which for various reasons do not have access to new technologies and thus to new knowledge.

2.6.3. These preventive policies include developing the concept of lifelong learning in practice and in its widest possible sense, ensuring that all European citizens have the opportunity to use and benefit from new information and communication technologies, and, in general, creating an environment in which the learning society can be actively achieved, step by step, by the citizens.

2.6.4. For these major policies to be developed successfully, the ESC feels that there must be cooperation between the centre and the regions (EU, Member States and local government), between individuals and society, and between the public and private sectors.

2.6.5. It also feels that the Commission and the other EU institutions should become the driving force in instituting and completing the processes that will lead to the creation of a learning society in the European Union.

2.7. As regards securing the resources needed to develop programmes leading to the learning society, the ESC would emphasize the following:

2.7.1. It believes that expressing the political will to fund and develop programmes leading to a learning society represents the most important policy option currently facing the European Union, Member States and regional authorities.

2.7.2. For this policy option to become reality, it is essential that all the organized social forces of the EU be asked to play their own important role. The public and private sectors, social partners (trade unions and employers' organizations), businesses and experts, educators and NGOs concerned with these issues each have an opportunity to contribute their views and efforts to the process of transition.

3. Specific comments

The ESC has the following comments on the experiments provided for in the White Paper, with reference to points made in the Commission communication under consideration:

3.1. Objective I: accreditation of skills and the principle of the 'personal skills card`

3.1.1. The first general objective of the white paper is entitled 'Encourage the acquisition of new knowledge`, for which the following support actions are proposed:

- recognition of skills

- mobility;

- multimedia educational software.

3.1.2. In its opinion on the White Paper and with reference inter alia to the first general objective, the ESC makes the following points:

- it agrees with the Commission that the advent of the learning society calls for measures to promote the acquisition of new skills;

- it sees open horizons for the European dimension in education and its role in complementing the education systems of Member States, and regards as serious and acceptable the Commission's efforts to urge Member States to provide resources for learning, open up new methods of recognizing skills, support mobility and introduce new communications technologies in education.

In its opinion, the ESC makes the following comments on the actions proposed by the Commission at European level:

- it agrees that a different (simple and modern) approach to skills recognition is needed, among other things, and supports the proposal to establish a European skills recognition procedure. But it notes that care should be taken to ensure that the basis of certified knowledge and skills is genuine and substantive, and points to the role that the social partners can play in achieving this;

- it observes how students have benefited from the mobility created under the Erasmus programme, and suggests that existing funding be increased and used more rationally with a view to boosting the number of students taking part in such programmes. At the same time, the ESC proposes that a special mobility programme be developed for students and instructors in vocational training and apprenticeships;

- as regards 'multimedia educational software`, the ESC highlights the need for the Community as a whole to overcome existing obstacles and take decisions on acquiring European educational multimedia and training educators in the new technologies, so that they can use them and teach other people how to use them.

3.1.3. In the Commission communication on the review of reactions to the White Paper, Objective I is limited to the accreditation of skills and establishing the principle of the 'personal skills card`. But even within this limited scope of the White Paper's first general objective, the debate has evinced reservations and disagreement regarding the accreditation of skills outside the education system, especially by means of the automated validation process using computerized multimedia techniques. However, the ESC is interested to note the Commission's experiments with skills accreditation for basic subjects such as mathematics, natural sciences, languages, etc., for technical and professional skills such as banking, law, IT, etc., and for 'key skills` or transferable skills.

3.1.4. The ESC recalls that it agrees in principle with the Commission's views on skills recognition, but again would draw the Commission's attention to the way in which this concept is promoted. In this respect, it considers as positive the Commission's observation in the communication that 'the accreditation of skills is not intended to take the place of the traditional formal qualifications nor to devalue the recognition of qualifications issued by the school system, and certainly not to install a new tier of European bureaucracy`. It proposes that the dialogue should be pursued in order to dispel any misunderstandings that have arisen, and to seek a consensus and specifically a system of skills accreditation that is acceptable to those concerned who require it. In addition, it proposes that the dialogue should be opened up to include broader sections of society so that the whole process, by virtue of its actual substance and transparency, gains acceptance in society. This acceptance is needed to allay any minor disagreements existing between the various interest groups, but also to progressively find solutions that are acceptable to all parties.

3.2. Objective II: bringing schools and the business sector closer together and developing apprenticeships

3.2.1. The second general objective of the white paper is entitled 'Bringing schools and the business sector closer together`. This objective is a function of the now pressing need to establish links between schools and businesses based on their complementary roles with respect to learning and employment.

The White Paper lists the following as conditions for bringing schools and the business sector closer together:

- opening up education to the world of work;

- involving companies in training ventures, not only for workers but also for young people and adults;

- developing cooperation between schools and firms.

The White Paper identifies the following bases for reinforcing the links between schools and the business sector:

- apprenticeships;

- vocational training.

3.2.2. In its opinion on the white paper the ESC points to the importance of links between schools and the world of work to achieving the learning society. It stresses that these links must benefit both parties - businesses and schools - and specifically calls on SMEs to 'see the importance of high-quality education for the range, quality and competitiveness of their products` and consequently 'the need to invest in education in general`, and especially in schools in their area.

3.2.3. The Commission communication mentions inter alia the following preliminary conclusions from discussions of the White Paper:

- recognition of the need to bring schools and the world of work closer together, but not in a way that would result in 'gearing education to the sole requirements of the business sector as a matter of course`;

- acceptance of the idea of establishing a European framework for apprentices as a reference instrument to smooth the way for mobility and emphasize the need for high-quality apprenticeships;

- the need to further strengthen and define the conditions for the success of the education partnership based on apprenticeship arrangements.

The Commission has taken the following action to achieve Objective II:

- developing transnational programmes, in particular for young people (workers, trainees and students);

- supporting the development of apprenticeships and sandwich training at the level of tertiary education;

- enabling 500 teachers to do in-company placements specifically to strengthen links between general education and the world of work.

3.2.4. Among the specific positions stated in its opinion on the white paper on enhancing vocational training, and encouraging, modernizing and promoting apprenticeships and sandwich training, the ESC considers that a change in the way both the business sector and schools see their relationship will be a key factor in bringing the two closer together. It therefore also supports all decisions and measures taken by the Commission that aim to change prevailing attitudes and reward action on both sides to promote links, on the basis of constructive dialogue.

The ESC agrees that the European dimension of vocational training and apprenticeships can facilitate mutual recognition of skills and help develop mobility and improve the overall quality of apprenticeships, provided that it complements, and does not conflict with, the relevant national systems and also offers programmes with the scope to really meet existing needs. The ESC notes that to date very little has been done in practice to develop apprenticeships at the European level, and considers the budget appropriations earmarked for this purpose to be very small.

Finally, the ESC observes that the purpose of enhancing vocational training and promoting apprenticeships and sandwich training at the European level is to improve Europe's ability to respond to the challenge of continuous growth and competitiveness, and to improve the ability of Europeans to meet the demands of the nascent learning society. The ESC underscores the importance and significance of this goal for Europe's future as a whole, and asks the Commission to step up its efforts to abandon any dogmatic positions with respect to the goal itself or to how it should be achieved. To this end, its analysis that 'there is no single model of apprenticeship which should be considered as the only channel leading to vocational training` is certainly constructive.

3.3. Objective III: combating exclusion through education and training

3.3.1. The third general objective of the white paper is entitled 'Combat exclusion`. The Commission's rationale for identifying and pursuing this objective is the fact that many sections of the population are excluded from the labour market and consequently marginalized. The Commission reports that many important measures are being taken to combat these problems, both by the Member States and by the EU, and proposes the following supplementary measures:

- 'second chance` schools ();

- European voluntary service.

3.3.2. The ESC makes the following points on the third general objective in its opinion on the White Paper:

- it agrees that a second chance of social integration should be given to young people who have been, or are likely to be, excluded from the education system, and it considers the Commission's proposal to set up 'second chance` schools to be a 'desirable and acceptable solution`;

- it points out that the education system must be flexible so as to also provide a 'second chance` to adults with a low level of education, thereby removing the risk of their being socially excluded on these grounds alone;

- it considers 'second chance` schools to be only a stopgap solution, and points to the importance of strengthening 'first chance` schooling;

- it refers to its opinion with detailed positions on 'European voluntary work for young people`.

3.3.3. The Commission Communication states that 'everything must be done to fight against exclusion`, and again refers to the concept of the second-chance schools as an experimental project. It also explains that this project has not been set up because of any doubt that ordinary schools can cater for all children, or indeed because of the need to 'improve the quality of initial education and training systems in order to forestall failure`. The aim of these schools is to socially and economically reintegrate young people facing major difficulties after school-leaving age, an undertaking that demands partnership at local level between all those concerned with young people's problems and, of course, publicand private-sector companies.

The Committee believes that the relevance of this initiative will be illustrated through setting up and using a wide network of contacts to make the most of the experience gained in the Member States.

3.3.4. The ESC has the following comments on the third objective (combating exclusion through education and training):

- It considers the Commission's consideration of 'second-chance schools` - the people concerned and how such schools fit into the educational system - to be important. However, it sees problems with the aspect of the programme referring to cooperation between these schools and the social partners, and therefore asks the Commission to ensure that the whole system involves the social partners and that they share responsibility for it on a transparent basis and through recognized and accepted procedures.

- Even though, thanks to the Commission's efforts, the programme has been accepted by those bodies that are already involved in it, the ESC considers the pace of development of the programme to be unsatisfactory.

- In any event, although it is not against the development of second-chance schools, the ESC considers that intervention on such a limited scale (in terms of number of schools and cost) does not amount to a campaign to combat social exclusion through education and training. Combating exclusion through education and training can only be effective if education systems are modernized and generally upgraded, and by ensuring that they function pre-emptively to prevent the marginalization of individuals and social groups. The Commission must continue to play its own important role in achieving this.

- Finally, the ESC is surprised that the communication does not report at all on European voluntary service for young people.

3.4. Objective IV: proficiency in three Community languages and awarding a European quality label

3.4.1. The fourth general objective of the White Paper is entitled 'Proficiency in three Community languages`.

According to this objective, Europe's citizens must be proficient in several Community languages if they are to benefit from the professional and personal opportunities afforded by the large, border-free internal market. To this end, the Commission proposes that people should learn two Community languages in addition to their mother tongue. It is desirable to begin learning the first foreign language at pre-school level, and then for it to be taught systematically in primary education. Teaching of the second foreign language should begin at secondary school, and on completing his or her initial training, every European will have to have completed the cycle of study in two Community languages in addition to their mother tongue.

The following support measures at European level are proposed to achieve this objective:

- defining a 'European quality label`;

- support for exchanges of language training materials geared to different categories of learners

- encouraging early teaching of Community languages, notably through the exchange of teaching materials and experience.

3.4.2. In its opinion on the white paper, the ESC mentions the need to address Europe's communication/language problem, but also points to the inestimable value, cultural and otherwise, of linguistic diversity in Europe.

In this context, the ESC agrees with - but considers ambitious - the objective of enabling every European to communicate in two Community languages other than his or her mother tongue, while at the same time combining protection of European linguistic diversity with promotion of the idea that certain subjects at secondary school should be taught in the first foreign language learned.

3.4.3. The Commission communication stresses the importance of every European citizen being able to communicate in two Community languages other than their mother tongue, as a way of promoting European citizenship and access to jobs. But it also mentions misgivings expressed during the debate that the whole undertaking might compromise the need for people to have a thorough grounding in their mother tongue. There were also misgivings that the European quality label might ultimately perpetuate rather than attenuate existing disparities.

The above reservations led the Commission to propose that the label be awarded only to innovative language-learning initiatives, a proposal that was approved by the Council at its meeting of 6 March 1996.

In addition to the above-mentioned issues, the debate identified a series of problems relating to teachers, learners (young and old) and the tools for teaching foreign languages - especially new information technologies. The Commission is addressing - or is going to address - these issues on account of their importance and far-reaching implications.

3.4.4. The ESC has the following comments on the outcome of discussions and the Commission's action on the fourth objective, in addition to those made in its opinion on the White Paper:

- Firstly, it considers that the major linguistic problem facing all European citizens is learning to express themselves correctly (orally and in writing) in their mother tongue. Knowledge of their mother tongue, among other things, enables people to express and communicate cultural values, i.e. the product of highly complex human activities, intellectual and otherwise. A good knowledge of one's mother tongue is thus a prerequisite for effective communication with other people, but it is also essential to understanding the codes underlying any system. Given the challenges presented by the advent of the learning society, the Commission thus has the task of examining and identifying the difficulties faced by a large number of Europeans when it comes to learning their mother tongue. The Commission must also investigate the reasons for this problem, and the ways in which it can be addressed. It goes without saying that having a good knowledge of one's mother tongue makes it easier to learn to communicate in other languages.

- As the ESC has noted, the White Paper's objective of enabling every European to communicate in two European languages in addition to their mother tongue is significant but also very ambitious. The ESC's observation does not mean that it rejects this objective, but simply that a lot of work and a major effort - which must always be coordinated - will be needed to achieve it.

- One thing that has to be done is to understand the problem, which means pinpointing and identifying its various aspects. Defining terms, e.g. language knowledge, or statistics, such as the number of Europeans who know a second or third Community language, are aspects of the problem that the Commission must explore and report on.

- Another task is that of incorporating the teaching of foreign languages into national education systems, which can be further promoted through bilateral exchange agreements between Member States in which different languages are spoken. These types of agreements protect the linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe, while creating the conditions for better access to employment and promoting a European identity.

3.5. Objective V: putting tangible investment and training investment on an equal footing

3.5.1. The rationale for the fifth general objective of the White Paper, entitled 'treat capital investment and investment in training on an equal basis`, is the need for education and training to be treated as an investment and not as operating expenditure. This would mean that education and training would not depend so heavily on the evolutions and fluctuations of the economic cycle. With this aim in mind, and recognizing that investment in skills is crucial to competitiveness and employability the Commission proposes:

- consolidating the levels of funding granted from all sources in connection with education and training - which implies measuring them - developing direct and indirect incentives to promote investment in human resources and improving accounting and expenditure monitoring arrangements;

- adapting accounting and fiscal approaches to training expenditure.

3.5.2. In its opinion on the White Paper, the ESC makes the following points, inter alia, on the fifth objective:

- it considers motivating and supporting people (young and old, whether employed or not) to constantly invest in knowledge and skills to be an essential responsibility of the Member States, and also of the EU;

- it also believes that businesses have a large responsibility, for the sake of their own future and the competitiveness of their products, to review the question of investment in research, knowledge and skills;

- it agrees with the Commission's proposal to consolidate funding levels in connection with education and training, while considering the role of the EU, and in particular that of the Commission, to be crucial to realizing the fifth general objective.

3.5.3. The Commission Communication 'Review of reactions to the White Paper` sets out the following initial conclusions arising from discussions on the fifth objective:

- the objective is endorsed, but there are calls for new policies of investment in knowledge and skills;

- expenditure should be redistributed between the different players and a new relationship should be developed between tangible investment and training investment;

- there must be a change in approach, behaviour and even mentality, particularly for companies and those who determine public and private investment, in order to redress the balance towards intangible investment, a factor which plays an increasingly central role in modern economies.

The Commission notes with regard to implementing this objective that:

- an important step has been made with the agreement between Member States to take part in a first publication offering a comparative approach to funding the different levels of education;

- an inventory should be drawn up of the fiscal and accounting practices and arrangements used by Member States to encourage investment in training;

- a cost-effectiveness assessment should be carried out of incentives to promote training.

3.5.4. In its opinion on the white paper the ESC described the fifth objective ('Putting tangible investment and training investment on an equal footing`) as the most distant and least accessible objective, since it associates this objective with attitudes and mentalities that have prevailed over centuries and which do not favour a policy of generous investment in education and training.

Having stated its position, the ESC is satisfied with the results of discussions on the above objective. It is a good sign for the future of education and training that this goal has been accepted and that positive views have been expressed on:

- cost-sharing between the various players

- the development of a new relationship between capital and labour

- the need for changes in method, attitudes, and mentality, in order to achieve a balanced approach to intangible investment.

The ESC also believes that the Commission has followed the right course in highlighting the need to achieve this goal.

The fact that the Member States have accepted its proposal to carry out a comparative study on funding for various levels of education is undoubtedly a significant step forward and will give new impetus to education. The same applies to the work of compiling a digest of fiscal and accounting practices and provisions used by the Member States to encourage investment in training, and to the cost-effectiveness assessment of incentives to promote investment in training.

The ESC feels that the above developments could provide the basis for a different policy of investment in education and training: a policy that will not make spending on education and training dependent on the economic cycle; a policy that will put investment in education and training on an equal footing with other productive investment; a policy, finally, that will make Europe and its citizens more competitive and at the same time more aware of their history, values and prospects for the future.

Brussels, 28 January 1998.

The President of the Economic and Social Committee

Tom JENKINS

() The Committee wishes to point out that 'second chance` education and training is a more suitable expression.