EAEA statement: European Commission’s initiatives on key competences, common values and digital education

The EAEA response addresses the three initiatives published by the European Commission in January:

EAEA appreciates the update of the key competences framework and is pleased that a number of the organisation’s recommendations have been taken on board. EAEA is happy to see that civic competences have been strengthened and that sustainability has become part of the framework.

When it comes to the Council Recommendation on common values and the Action Plan for digital education, EAEA believes that there are several missed opportunities.

EAEA calls for the revision of the initiatives and the acknowledgement of the significant role of adult education and learning.

“Both documents are based on a very narrow and formal understanding of education and thereby miss the opportunity to link formal, non-formal and informal learning as well as creating more ambitious and holistic strategies that take learners of all ages into account,” the response states.

EAEA calls for the revision of the initiatives and the acknowledgement of the significant role of adult education and learning.

“Adult education has a significant role to play; the evidence for which as well as the good practice across Europe is well documented.”