Resolution of the Council and of the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, of 3 June 1985 containing an action programme on equal opportunities for girls and boys in education
Date: 1985-06-03
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: education policy, educational guidance, gender equality, teaching curriculum, vocational guidance













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41985X0507

Resolution of the Council and of the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, of 3 June 1985 containing an action programme on equal opportunities for girls and boys in education  


Official Journal C 166 , 05/07/1985 P. 0001 - 0004 Spanish special edition: Chapter 05 Volume 5 P. 0006  Portuguese special edition Chapter 05 Volume 5 P. 0006  





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.