WRITTEN QUESTION E-3677/01 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Technical high schools.
Date: 2002-01-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community support framework, Greece, dropout, education policy, educational reform, educational system, operational programme, secondary education, technical education, vocational training

20.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 147 E/219

For the official languages used at Cedefop the Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its
previous answer to written question P-3015/98 Mr Kaklamanis (4).

(1) OJ L 39, 13.2.1975.
(2) See also answer given by the Commission to written question E-2549/98 by Mr Kaklamanis, OJ C 118, 29.4.1999.
(3) Court of Auditors report on the financial statements of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational

Training (Cedefop) for the financial year ended 31 December 2000.

(4) OJ C 182, 28.6.1999.

(2002/C 147 E/231)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3677/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(17 January 2002)

Subject: Technical high schools

A recent announcement by the Greek Federation of Secondary School Teachers states that technical high
schools are suffering a severe shortage of books, laboratories, specialist teachers and training for teachers
in the new technologies. The problems caused by these failings are resulting in falling numbers of students
at technical high schools, with those who drop out of education suffering social exclusion since, for those
young people, the high schools represent their only chance of acquiring skills and vocational qualifications.
The law under which the technical high schools were set up states that their aim is to integrate young
people into the employment market. In Greece, the youth unemployment and school drop-out rates are
among the highest in the Union.

In the light of the Council’s recommendation concerning the implementation of the Member States’
employment policies, which stressed that the education systems in Greece needed further improvement, is
the Commission aware of the existence of any Greek Government programmes to tackle these problems?
Were any measures incorporated in the first operational programme for education and initial training
their
under
effectiveness? What measures have been planned under the 2nd operational programme for education
and initial training?

the 2nd Community Support Framework? What

the Commission’s assessment of

is

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2002)

During the negotiations with the Greek authorities on the 3rd Community support framework (CSF)
2000-2006, the Commission attached particular importance to the problems of shortages of books,
workshops, teachers or other shortcomings in the workings of technical high schools (TEEs) in Greece. The
Ministry of Education, which is the national authority in Greece responsible for initial vocational training,
is aware of these difficulties.

According to information from this ministry, the number of students registered with TEEs in the academic
year 2001-2002 has increased by almost 7 % on the previous year. In addition, the number of TEE
students is gradually approaching the number attending ‘integrated high schools’. This trend shows that
there is an increasing demand for this type of education, and that considerably more effort should be
devoted to improving its quality.

During the 2nd CSF 1994-1999 for Greece, measures benefiting TEEs were implemented which involved
the introduction of new curricula, the provision of books, training for teachers and courses in the fields of
health and the environment.

C 147 E/220

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2002

In the 3rd CSF 2000-2006 for Greece, and as part of the operational programme (OP) ‘Education and
Initial Vocational Training’ A priority 2 ‘Promotion and improvement of education and vocational training
in the context of lifelong learning’, action 2.3.2 ‘Development of TEEs and Education Laboratories’ includes
measures:

A for setting up and implementing arrangements linking the business sector and the jobs market;

A for improving curricula and introducing innovative teaching methods and tools better suited to new

needs;

A for pilot projects for improving the quality of education after evaluation;

A whereby greater importance is attached to improving organisation and evaluation.

Furthermore, the same programme’s other priorities provide for a whole series of measures to tackle the
problem of people dropping out of school, and to help ensure that this institution functions effectively.

The sum allotted for
determination of the national authorities in this field.

these measures is approximately € 500 million, which shows the level of

The defects and shortcomings referred to by the Honourable Member may be due to the time devoted to
setting up the authorities responsible for running the programmes, as provided for in Council Regulation
(EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1). Even
though the implementation of the projects and measures has been delayed for this reason, the authority
responsible for the OP mentioned above has indicated that the selection of the projects concerned, and
their implementation, is due to begin before the end of 2002, which will thus help towards solving these
problems.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2002/C 147 E/232)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3682/01

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Council

(17 January 2002)

Subject: Education and welfare of gypsies and travellers

NATT is a professional teaching organisation that deals with the education and welfare of gypsies and
travellers. It is a founder member of Efecot, the European Federation for the Education of Travellers (1988)
based in Brussels.

Efecot has received European funding for its programmes, and has also produced a seven-year work plan
at the request of the Commission. The Commision has also asked Efecot to present its working practices
and management of projects in different forums as an example of good practice.

the Commission has organised a system of external evaluators to assess project
Recently, however,
proposals. Since the establishment of
this scheme, projects submitted to the evaluators aiming at
developing and improving the education and training of gypsies and travellers have been consistently
rejected, and the Commission has not intervened to correct this problem.

What action is the Council going to take to rectify this problem and ensure that these projects are given
the due consideration they were formerly allocated?