Migrant children and education: public consultation underlines common challenges across the EU

EU countries face common challenges in adapting their school systems to the changes brought about by immigration. This is one of the key messages received in a public consultation conducted by the European Commission on the issue of migration and education. Respondents identified the need for better co-ordination between education and social policies, more focus on equity and equal opportunities in education, action to prevent school segregation and to provide targeted support to schools lagging behind as key issues to be addressed across Europe. Most respondents to the consultation also found that the EU can play an important role in supporting the efforts of the Member States to develop good policies and in stimulating debates and exchanges in this area.

As the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Ján Figel', underlined , " Children with a migrant background present particular challenges to education authorities, but it is remarkable that from north to south, east to west, the countries of the EU all face similar problems in this area. For me it is therefore clear that by working together, we can achieve lasting and meaningful reforms in our school systems that will ensure the successful social integration and education of children with a migrant background. "

The Commission has now published a summary report and copies of the responses received in the public consultation, which it had launched in July 2008 with a Green Paper entitled 'Migration and mobility: Challenges and opportunities for EU education systems' and which was open until December 2008.

The Green P aper highlighted that the share of pupils of migrant background in the EU has increased, and that many of them suffer from educational disadvantage. This, together with tendencies towards segregation along socio-economic lines, represents a serious challenge for the social cohesion of European societies. The Green Paper also pointed out, however, that migration can be enriching for the educational experience of all, as linguistic and cultural diversity may bring an invaluable resource to schools.

The public consultation received 101 responses, most of them from stakeholders' organisations.

Common challenges

C ontributors to the consultation welcomed the Commission's initiative and highlighted the value added of a debate at EU level. There is a large consensus in the responses received on the nature of the challenges faced. Among the challenges most frequently quoted are:

the need to break the link between socio-economic and educational disadvantage, and

the lack of co-ordination between the different policies addressed to migrant children and their families.

Other fundamental challenges are :

the trends towards school segregation;

the absence of comprehensive equal opportunities policies;

the fact that schools have often still not adapted to the needs of migrant pupils or cannot reach out to their families;

the lack of necessary intercultural skills by teachers; and

the lack of financial resources for addressing these problems.

Policy responses

The policy responses identified in the contributions focus on language acquisition, on intercultural education in schools and on strengthening and adapting teacher education. Schools should develop closer partnerships with parents and migrant communities and systematically provide additional support in the form of mentoring, tutoring, guidance and cultural mediators. Education policies should focus on widening access to early childhood education and care and on preventing and combating school segregation. Increasing quality standards in all schools, together with targeted support to schools lagging behind, are also seen as fundamental policy responses. Supporting measures for newly-arrived immigrant children are crucial for ensuring their rapid inclusion. Moreover, some important policy responses lie outside schools themselves, e.g. in non-formal education or in adult education for the parents of migrant pupils.

Conference on migration and education

As an immediate follow-up of the public consultation, the Commission will hold on 20 October 2009 a European conference in Brussels which will bring together representatives from the Member States , international organisations, local and regional governments, European and national associations and practitioners. Results of the public consultation will be presented in detail together with the latest evidence from research on what works best in the education of migrant children.