Minister of Education, Children and Youth, Claude Meisch, was in Brussels on Wednesday 24 February 2016 to attend the 'Education, Youth, Culture and Sport' Council meeting.
The Council began with the adoption of a resolution on the promotion of socio-economic development and inclusion through education. This resolution, by centering around guaranteeing actual investment in education, remedying gaps in skills, education for citizenship and social inclusion, is expected to significantly contribute to the European Semester 2016.
Ministers further held a policy debate of the establishment of "links between education, the labour market and society in order to better understand and highlight the urgency of many issues related to the development of skills". The results of this debate will form part of the basis of the European Commission's new strategy for skills in Europe, announced for May, which aims to promote the investment in people throughout their lives and, in so doing, improve employability.
Claude Meisch emphasised the necessity of education in preparing young people for the labour market, as well as for life, by helping them to develop social and personal skills alongside other key competencies. The Minister also highlighted the added value of European cooperation, including the open coordinate method which he claimed should be reactivated in areas of education and employment whilst respecting the principle of subsidiarity.
Ministers also exchanged views on ways of promoting citizenship and core values through education. During the debate, which followed the Paris Declaration adopted in March 2015, the Council was invited to take stock of concrete follow-up actions take at the national, regional and local level over the year. In this context, Minister Meisch presented the new 'Vie et Société' ('Life and Society') course that will be included in secondary school curriculae in Luxembourg from September 2016.
Photo by European Union (Claude Meisch)
