European education must help students get jobs

Education in Europe must become more inclusive, digital, green and cross-border. The EPP Group wants to fix concrete commitments and a timeline to make the European Education Area a reality, to make learners fit for the labour market.

Michaela Šojdrová MEP, the EPP Group’s Spokeswoman for Education, who is hosting an EPP Group online hearing today on this topic with academia and experts, explained: “European education must help students get jobs. I applaud the vision of a fully inclusive and truly EU-wide study area providing Europeans with study opportunities unlimited by national borders. But visions are not enough. Now it is time to adopt a clear plan for action with deadlines and a monitoring of implementation.”

“We must start with what matters most for the chances of pupils and students: English language, digital skills and full cross-border recognition of diplomas. All children must be provided with sufficient knowledge of English by the end of lower secondary education. We need a common framework on digital competences. Foreign diplomas and learning periods must be fully and automatically recognised, including in vocational education”, added Šojdrová.

Today’s hearing will feed into an EPP Group Report which will propose concrete steps on how the European Education Area can help the education sector face the challenges of COVID-19.

Download the programme of today's hearing here.

Journalists are invited to participate in the hearing online today from 14:00 hrs onwards. You will receive a link to follow the hearing after registering at epp-cult@europarl.europa.eu.