Rethinking Education Strategy

In November 2012 the European Commission presented a new document entitled “Rethinking Education strategy”. Why? Two reasons were mentioned: high youth unemployability and cuts in the education budgets of member states.

The strategy emphasizes the need for theskills and competences required by thelabour market to boost growth and jobs in Europe. “Education systems need to modernize and be more flexible in how they operate to respond to the real needs of today’s society” (Commissioner Vassiliou). From the perspective of church-based education we should consider what are the “real needs of today’s society”, giving particular attention to the questions of how to create more justice in education and howto help those who cannot competeeffectively in the market. Innovation and entrepreneurship sound good as general aims of education but we should not forget the need for the social competences needed in order to facilitate living together. Anotherinteresting aspect is the value given to the development of “Open Education Resources” (OER) as a tool to provide education for those who are disadvantaged. Find out more under "Rethinking Education Strategy".

By Peter Schreiner