As the sun sets in this remarkably mild Brussels winter, the discussions at the Party of European Socialists’ Re:New Convention are far from over.  Next on the agenda within the framework of this afternoon’s theme of ‘Equal Societies’ is the ‘Education Europe: Quality or Efficiency?’ session.

Hosted by the European Youth Forum (YFJ), the workshop gave the space to speakers from the International Falcons Movement – Socialist Education International (IFM-SEI), the European Students’ Union (ESU), the European Lifelong Learning Platform (EUCIC-LLL) and the Irish Minister for Education.

Ruairi Quinn, Irish Minister for Education and Skills was keen from the get go to underline that in Ireland, an increase in funding for education did not result in proportional academic outcomes. Quinn recapitulated that primary and secondary schools need to reinvent curriculums to harness modern technology. This rejuvenation should also allow schools to become more flexible, opening them up to other actors, to increase productivity.

This consequently begs the question - are cuts to education spending actually increasing efficiency?

Absolutely not, argued ESU’s Karina Ufert, who maintained that the spending cuts across the board in formal education have had great effect on students’ ability the diversify and have a greater quality of education. Such diversification, in all areas of education is vital, continued Ana-Maria of IFM-SEI. “If education is to prepare people for real life, then it needs to be reactive. Right now, it needs to react to current trends and equip all peoples will skills to be resilient and weather the crisis” she added.

Given the personalities present, there was disappointingly a lack of commitment in the debate on the added value non-formal education brings as a tool to help foster such skills sharing. Non-formal education is far more reactive than formal structures and can be developed by the beneficiaries themselves, through youth or other civil society organisations. Although most were keen to highlight that a thriving and highly skilled workforce can only be achieved through investing in education, the debate also fell short of providing solutions to improving the transition from formal education systems, into the employment market.

Somewhat dolefully, all present were however in agreement that on the European level, there is a district lack of common education goals, and that there is a real danger of education disappearing as a substantial topic in the European sphere. Gina Ebner of EUCIC-LLL certainly seemed ready to challenge this slump. “We need a strong and coherent vision of a learning Europe – from cradle to grave, with everyone involved” proclaimed Ebner. “We need all aspects of society to have a firm understanding of informal, formal and non formal education.

During the convention, this blog will provide coverage from one workshop from each of the event’s themes (A Fair Economy, Equal Societies, A Just World and Active Democracy), as well as any interviews that can be made. It makes up just one small part of the PES Convention blogging family that is covering the event.

Further blogger coverage can be read on the following sites:

Progress Online
EU Progress
Algérie-Politique
Generation 700

You can also follow all my live coverage on Twitter by following @tjspragg, or by following the general Convention hashtag: #re_new

Photo courtesy of PES Flickr