The Standing Conference of European Ministers of Education Meeting in Kristiansand, Norway

The Minister of Education and National Culture, the Hon. Evarist Bartolo, participated in the 19th session of the inter-ministerial conference along with ministers of education from forty two countries. The standing conference of European ministers of Education meets every three years. In his interventions Minister Bartolo spoke in favour of schools with democratic structures providing space for all and excluding nobody. Minister Bartolo also spoke of the need to provide second opportunity education to those who have learning difficulties.

The theme of this year's conference was "Education 2000: Trends, Common issues and Priorities for Pan-European co-operation". The conference passed two resolutions and drafted a joint message to be forwarded to the committee of (foreign) ministers of the Council of Europe.

Amongst the main preoccupations and consequential recommendations of the conference, one notes :

the need for equal status of the academic and vocational areas. It was recommended that institutes of higher education continue to diversify with a view to ensuring equal access for young people and adults from vocational training.

the need for a varied and high quality education with a view to lifelong learning. It was recommended that in the 'Learning Society', limiting education to 'school ages' should be superseded by a new paradigm of lifelong learning and training.

the need for Europeans to be able to cope with the profound cultural transformation brought about by the development of new Information technologies. It was recommended that specific action be taken to enable European youth to perceive and exploit the opportunities provided by Information Technology, rather than dwell on possible threats and problems arising from such technologies.

the need for European schools to cultivate values - the promotion of active, responsible and democraticcitizenship; development of tolerance and solidarity with underprivileged groups; a respect for the rich European cultural heritage, which in its very diversity is a common wealth. It was recommended that teaching programmes should reflect such values.

the need for European education to evolve into a participatory one. It was recommended that students' rights be protected and promoted through legislation, and, that students' participation in school procedures be guaranteed.

the need that young Europeans be equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes which they will need to meet the major challenges of the future. It was recommended that education should move beyond imparting facts and information towards the development of autonomous learning, development of a well balanced and integrated personality, and the development of competencies.

The 20th session of the Standing Conference of European Ministers of Education will be held in Warsaw in 2001, when the conference is expected to review the progress made on the Norway conference recommendations.