Related document: European Parliament resolution of 6 April 2022 on the implementation of citizenship education actions
The resolution is a big step toward the recognition of Education for Democratic Citizenship/Human Rights Education in the EU context.
The EP members were eager to describe the bigger picture in which education and training are taking place – in a time of socio-political transformation and in the context of “new systemic challenges”, for instance digital transformation (a topic addressed in our project DIGIT-AL), climate change, social/territorial divides.
Moreover, civic competence is understood by EP members as an integrative, transversal dimension of education, an insight that we hope will gain prominence in the EU Commission.
As a European network, DARE welcomes also the perception, that formal, non-formal and informal and as well lifelong citizenship education plays a systemic role “whereas the Commission has failed to undertake any substantial initiative of a systemic nature in this strategic field”.
We welcome the request for a shared understanding of citizenship education, from Portugal to Hungary, and also that the European and global dimensions of socio-political developments should be reflected more substantially in citizenship education policies and activities. Especially more investment in quality citizenship education, more national commitment and more recognition are crucial conditions for unlocking the potential of Education for Democratic Citizenship/Human Rights Education.
The EP takes up an old DARE request – more substantial research on the impact and quality of citizenship education would help policy and also the educational fields to understand quality, relevance, impact and potentials of citizenship education better and to apply approaches and methodology better to the social needs and to the needs of specific learner groups.
We also think, that the Key Competencies for Lifelong Learning should include citizenship more than symbolically, at the moment it is only implicitely included in the EntreComp framework on entreprenership education (at least aspects of active citizenship and active participation). And for sure, it is latest time to advocate for more coherence also with the groundbreaking work in the Council of Europe’s Directorate General of Democratic Participation on Competences for Democratic Culture or Digital Citizenship Education.
DARE network especially appreciates that the EP is underlining the role of European networks, as it “encourages civil society organisations, institutions, experts and practitioners working in the field of civic education to increase cooperation and develop synergies through open transnational networks”.
It is now up to the member states and the Commission to pick up the thread, look within themselves and examine how they can respond to the deficits of the past years with drive and democratic élan. As the EP members demand from the actors in the field of education, DARE is ready to help strengthen the role of CE and increase its relevance and impact. Maybe we could find or create together opportunities to support citizenship education by the Commission a bit more energetic than in the Comission’s response?
- Find the text of the resolution here: PDF