Debate: The future of European education in the context of Covid-
Date: MONDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Ylva Johansson
Language: EN

Major and impressive efforts have been made by educational institutions, their staff and learners. Still, many learners were lacking suitable devices, appropriate tools, reliable internet connections and interaction. Educators and teachers were struggling to ensure a structured process and to keep students engaged. Teachers were not adequately prepared to use digital technologies. Teaching practices varied significantly, leading to uneven quality.  Initial findings estimate that the closure of schools has negatively affected learning outcomes. The lack of social interaction between pupils has also had a negative impact on the well—being of children and pupils. School—leaving exams and enrolment in higher education institutions have also been a major challenge and Member States’ approaches varied significantly. Most importantly – and most alarmingly – the pandemic has affected vulnerable learners most, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and unsupportive home environments. As for the lesson learned from this crisis, Member States managed to switch to online learning quickly, but it’s clear that there is room for improvement. First and foremost, the shift to distance learning raised significant challenges in terms of equity and quality. We need to overcome the suboptimal practices leading to inequalities and learning losses. Second, the digital skills of learners and the capacity of educational institutions to provide quality and inclusive education remotely need to improve. Third, we also learned that the effectiveness of the response at national level was linked to the level of preparedness in terms of infrastructure, tools, content and teachers. The adaptation to the crisis was easier for those Member States that had national digital education strategies in place and had made efficient use of relevant EU funds. Regarding your next questions on education policy priorities in response to the crisis, the recent Commission communication on the European Education Area takes the lesson learned from the pandemic fully on board. Inclusion and equality are indeed at the heart of the European Education Area. It recognises and reinforces the role of education and training in the recovery and represents an ambitious answer to Member States’ call for cooperation at EU level to build resilient and forward-looking education systems. Dedicated initiatives in various areas, such as inclusion, building capacities for the digital transition or supporting teachers are vital to achieve this goal. While the pathways to the school success initiative will address the risk of dropout and low achievement, the proposed Erasmus teacher academies will promote cooperation between existing teacher education and training institutions.  The new Digital Education Action Plan also addresses the lessons learned from the ongoing COVID—19 crisis and the more structural challenges linked to the digital transformation of education and training. It looks at what is needed to enable and foster the development of a high—performing digital education ecosystem and it also aims at enhancing digital skills for the digital transformation. Last but not least, the future, more inclusive Erasmus Programme aims to provide a wide range of opportunities for institutions, learners and educators to be better equipped for digital learning and for overcoming social dividers.  The European Education Area and the Digital Education Action Plan, together with the emblematic Erasmus Programme, contains the geist of the Commission’s vision for EU education policy. Indeed, education is the foundation for personal fulfilment, employability and active and responsible citizenship. The Union is resetting its growth strategy with the green and digital transitions as its transformative drivers. Education is at the heart of these transitions, strengthening the social market economy and democracy with freedom, diversity, human rights and social justice.