Comprehensive policies to reduce early school leaving Adam Pokorny European Commission Brussels, 31 May 2011
Europe 2020 2
Three strategic priorities: Smart, Sustainable, Inclusive growth 5 headline targets: employment, RTD investments, climate change, education, poverty reduction Reducing ESL to 10% by 2020 Demography, migration, social justice Hard-headed economics 3
ESL creates massive long-term problems for young people, increases poverty risk and risk of social exclusion ESL generates huge social and financial costs Decreasing number of low skilled jobs - increasing demand for skilled labour 4
14.4% in 2009 progress, but insufficient 5
Early school leaving refers to persons aged 18 to 24 fulfilling the following two conditions: first, the highest level of education or training attained is ISCED 0, 1, 2 or 3c short, second, respondents declared not having received any education or training in the four weeks preceding the survey (EU LFS). 6
ESL rates in 2009 40 36,8 35 30 31,2 31,2 25 20 15 10 5 4,9 5,3 5,3 5,4 EU-27: 14.4% 16,6 13,9 13,9 14,4 14,5 15,7 14,7 7,7 8,7 8,7 9,9 10,6 10,7 10,9 11,1 11,1 11,2 11,3 11,7 12,3 19,2 0 SK SI PL CZ LU LT AT FI DK SE NL DE BE HU IE CY FR LV EE EU 27 EL BG UK RO IT PT ES MT 7
Change 2000 2009 (%) 60 50 40 30 2000 2009 20 10 0 SK SI PL CZ LU LT AT FI DK SE NL DE BE HU IE CY FR LV EE EU 27 EL BG UK RO IT PT ES MT 8
10% 18% Denmark and Estonia have nearly no early school leavers with only primary education level. Primary Lower secondary Upper secondary (short) 72% In Bulgaria and Belgium 38% have only primary education, in Portugal 40%. 9
Early school leaving is a complex problem 10
ESL is a complex multi-sector phenomenon ESL is a process rather than a one- off event 11
Differences between countries, regions, municipalities, but: Young people from socially disadvantaged, low education backgrounds are especially affected 18,00% 30,00% 16,00% 14,00% 25,00% 12,00% 10,00% 8,00% 6,00% 4,00% 2,00% 0,00% BOYS Boys GIRLS Girls 20,00% 15,00% 10,00% 5,00% 0,00% Natives Natives Migrants Migrants 12
Policies to reduce early school leaving 13
Commission s ESL package (31 January 2011) * Proposed Recommendation on policies to reduce early school leaving adopted with small changes by Education Council, 20 May 2011 * Commission Communication * Accompanying Staff Working Document More information: http://ec.europa.eu/education/school-education/doc2268_en.htm 14
Prevention Intervention Compensation 15
Identification & analysis Monitoring of situation Coordination of policies Prevention Early childhood education and care Measures at level of education/training system Intervention Measures at school level Student focused measures Compensation Second chance opportunities Re-entering entering mainstream education Comprehensive support 16
Identification & analysis Monitoring of situation Coordination of policies Data collection and analysis Monitoring developments Involvement of all policies addressing children, young people, parents, teachers and others working with children Cooperation at all levels and with all relevant stakeholders 17
Prevention Early childhood education and care Measures at E&T system level Increase ECEC participation of disadvantaged groups Ensure good quality ECEC Provide opportunities beyond the age of compulsory schooling Active anti-segregation policy Support for children with different mother tongue Involvement of parents Flexibility and permeability of pathways Strengthening vocational pathways Strengthening link between education and training and the employment sector 18
Intervention School focused measures Schools as learning communities Early warning systems Cooperation with parents and local community and access to external support Teacher training Extra-curricular, nonacademic activities 19
Intervention Student focused measures Mentoring and tutoring Individualised learning support Strengthening guidance and career counselling Social and financial support 20
Compensation Second chance opportunities Re-entering entering mainstream education Comprehensive support Second Chance programmes Re-entering mainstream education Recognition of prior learning Integrating social, financial, educational and psychological support 21
Next steps Member States ensure that comprehensive strategies are in place by the end of 2012 Stronger focus on cross-sectoral approaches and measures targeting groups at increased risk EU level group of decision-makers, peer learning and exchange of experiences and good practice Monitoring of developments at European level via Europe 2020 and ET2020 Comparative studies and research Better targeting of EU funding Conference in Spring 2012 22