Eurocommissaris Vassiliou benadrukt belang volwassenenonderwijs (en)
Androulla Vassiliou i , EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, launched the implementation phase of the European Agenda for Adult Learning at an event in Brussels on 28 February.
The Agenda was formally adopted by the Council in November 2011 and focuses on providing second-chance opportunities for low qualified adults by strengthening their basic skills, such as literacy, numeracy and digital knowledge. The event brings together stakeholders and Member States to explore possibilities for co-operation and to bring learning opportunities to the attention of a maximum number of adults.
"The rapid pace of change in the world means that education can no longer be a concern only for the young. Learning has to be life-long to make sure that everyone can keep up with rapidly changing labour market needs", said Commissioner Vassiliou. "Improving the knowledge, skills and competences of adults is a priority for the Commission because it would greatly benefit not just these individuals but also society as a whole."
The Agenda predicts that, by 2020, adult learning systems will be faced with a strong demand for access to high-quality lifelong learning opportunities and an enhanced role for local authorities, employers, social partners, civil society and cultural organisations. Among the issues targeted for action in the Agenda are improved quality assurance, viable funding, accessible information and guidance, validation of non-formal and informal learning and a focus on well-developed learning provision for seniors to support their active ageing and enable them to contribute to society for longer.
The European Union target for average participation in lifelong learning across the EU is 15% by 2020, for adults aged 25-64. The average participation in 2010 was 9.1%, which means that more than 25 million adults (aged 25 -64) participated in a learning experience that year. However, adult participation in lifelong learning varies greatly; for example, in Denmark over 32% of adults participate, while in Bulgaria the figure is just 1.2%.
More information
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-European Commission: Adult learning