33 Amendments of Petra KAMMEREVERT related to 2022/2149(INI)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the European Schools System (ESS) is a unique system that has demonstrated its strengths and qualities since its creation in the 1950s, as shown, for example, by the recognition of the European Baccalaureate in all Member States and the continuous growth in the number of Accredited European Schools (AES); whereas access to quality education is a fundamental right; whereas every EU citizen shouldmust have the opportunity to benefit from such an education; whereas the ESS should increase its focus on accessibility for all pupils, regardless of their socio-economic background;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the ESS, in combining the educational systems of Member States – through parallel language sections – with a strong European dimension, multilingual education and a focus on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics, as well as pedagogical innovations, represents a laboratory for educational reform, including forin support of the creation of a European Education Area (EEA), as well as for reflecting the vision set forth by the Digital Education Action Plan and the European Parliament’s resolution on shaping digital education policy;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas the ESS embodies core European values, sets high standards for education across Europe and contributes to building a European sense of belonging, and should therefore be expanded with the view of establishing a European school in every Member State and recognized schools in all EU regions;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the current system of teacher recruitment in the ESS has serious shortcomings, resulting in understaffing, a mismatch between the needs on the ground and the actual staff seconded by the Member States, issues with yearly recruitment plans and precarious working conditions for locally recruited teachers; whereas teachers’ working conditions, methods and modules for professional development of teachers, including training, should be improved across the ESS and additional resources allocated towards teachers’ continuous professional development; whereas schools face shortages of staff for teaching lesser used languages;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas there have been recent complaints to the effect that some countries' conversions of the grades achieved by pupils in European schools lead to their being systemically disadvantaged in national systems;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
E a. whereas some classes are faced with serious challenges due to overcrowding, that require immediate resolve; whereas the ESS is also confronted with a lack of social diversity among pupils;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
E b. whereas psychological support for pupils in need is essential for ensuring mental health and a harmonious development path; whereas psychological support does not benefit from sufficient resources and there is a persistent shortage of psychological staff in several schools across the ESS;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas parents play a key role in delivering extracurricular activities and providing transport and other services, however, in many cases, this results in high financial burden for parents, resulting in pupils not pursuing extracurricular activities due to unaffordability;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
F a. whereas the school transport services offered to pupils have addressed distance issues for many young people that do not live in proximity of their school; whereas school buses should be affordable for all; whereas the school transportation system needs to adopt more green solutions;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas EU resources account for the bulk of the ESS budget, for which reason Parliament shouldmust more strictly scrutinise the management and running of the ESS;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
G a. Whereas EU objectives and investments may be better reflected in ESS investments such as fostering active citizenship or on another level, including the digital transformation, and notably blended learning, as well as the green transition;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
H a. Whereas there is a need to increase the visibility and awareness on European schools and the ESS as a whole, and to reinforce its attractiveness, notably among the teaching community;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses the need for a critical, in- depth assessment of all aspects of the ESS, and for reform to future-proof the system, expand its outreach, and ensure that it serves as a model for the exchange of good practices across educational systems; emphasises on the need to urgently resolve critical issues related to infrastructure, overcrowding, teacher understaffing and uneven working conditions;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the European Schools’ Board of Governors (BoG) to update the mission, principles and objectives of the ESS in the form of a new ‘ESS Charter’, to be introduced by the end of 2024, that is fit for the 21st century and provides a reinvigorating vision for the system and realistic objectives against which it can be assessed; calls on the BoG to equally assess the opportunity of extending the scope of the ESS to all member states and to set in place, in this regard, concrete steps towards more flexible procedures and requirements for accreditation of schools; calls for the integration of the widening principle in the designation of Board and staff with responsibilities within ESS;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to assess the role of the ESS in the establishment of the EEA, including with regard to language learning and a strong European dimension of learning, and in the automatic mutual recognition of diplomas across the EU, based on the established model of the European Baccalaureate; calls for more visibility regarding the European Baccalaureate and its promotion by the Commission across the Union; reiterates the need for more efforts in promoting, offering and teaching all EU languages; calls for a more integrated role of the Commission in the educational aspects of ESS taking into consideration also the recommendations addressed by the European Parliament and expresses its explicit wish that the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture be strongly involved in the Commission’s dealings with the ESS;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for increased accountability around the ESS, tighter parliamentary scrutiny and control, and improved visibility and understanding of the ESS and the European Baccalaureate in the Member States; calls for the integration of the European schools in the local environment and educational ecosystem through the development of common programs and activities;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to perform an in-depth review, by the end of 2024, of the governance and management structures across the EES and at each individual school in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary-General of the European Schools (OSG) and the Member States, and for this review to examine the roles and structures in place at all levels and assess the independence of functions and potential conflicts of interest, the respect of the widening principles and potential conflicts of interest; stresses that the in-depth review should also take into account areas with regulatory bottlenecks that impede clear understanding of roles, responsibilities and methods to address incumbent issues;
Amendment 79 #
6. Insists on the need to streamline and increase the flexibility of the BoG’s decision-making and action, including through an alternative voting system, to enable the BoG to better respond to the needs of schools; calls for clear responsibilities, annual performance appraisals, and training and development plans for all senior and middle management staff, including structured induction, at central and school levels; calls for creating improved communication methods with parents, teachers and pupils, in order to ensure the system reflects the needs on the ground;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the BoG to: a) clarify the applicability of primary and secondary EU legislation to the ESS, including on compliance matters for critical issues such as safety, digital transformation and health in schools; b) amend the staff regulations and the General Rules of the European Schools, including to explicitly clarify the competences of the Complaints Board vis-à-vis national courts; and c) put in place an independent ombudsperson to address complaints about maladministration and mediate in conflicts;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Requests a reinforced mandate for the European Court of Auditors and the Commission’s Internal Audit Service to provide periodic opinions and recommendations on various aspects of the ESS;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Requests that the Member States meet their obligations vis-à-vis the ESS in full, particularly with regard to the secondment of qualified teachers and the provision of adequate infrastructure (suitable premises, maintenance thereof and upgrades thereto), and calls for a binding system of direct financial contributions to ensure greater flexibility for both the ESS and the Member States; calls on host Member States to ensure high standards in terms of health, safety and security on the schools’ premises;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the BoG to resolve ongoing teacher shortages and ensure a stable and fair employment situation for all by retaining staff and reducing turnover, thereby avoiding a brain drain; calls, in this regard, for additional resources to be allocated and a strengthened employment package for seconded and locally recruited staff alike, with competitive remuneration, more equal salaries for nursery, primary and secondary teachers, clarity about employment status and stability, continuous professional development (CPD) and further career prospects in and beyond the ESS; calls for predictability in working conditions for non-local recruited teachers and ensuring equally beneficial working conditions, as well as steady transitions in their career path for situations such as teachers’ relocation or return to the country of origin; calls for the establishment of a system of periodic assessment and update of teaching methods and teachers professional development modules, especially in view of the green and digital transitions;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls for a degree of autonomy to be ensured for teachers and schools alike, for additional middle management posts focused on high-quality teaching methodologies and curricula to be introduced at schools, and for all recruitment procedures to be more transparent and open; calls, furthermore, for an urgent review of the enrolment arrangements and school fees, ensuring that the system is affordable and accessible for all pupils, and for the full potential of the AES to be exploited, including to address overcrowding; calls for greater affordability of school transportation and for the adoption of more green solutions for school buses;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Calls for more resources to be allocated for extracurricular activities in order to ensure their affordability and relieve the financial burden for parents; calls for better management of extracurricular activities and more inclusiveness in their design; encourages to expand the range of extracurricular activities, through mutual programs between ES and AES;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the BoG to strengthen educational and pedagogical standards by: a) creating a task force with relevant pedagogical expertise by mid-2024 to review and update the quality assurance approach put in place as part of the 2009 European Schools reform; b) introducing an enhanced and accountable inspection regime, including permanent chief inspectors, subject-specific inspections and follow-up processes that include AES; c) reinforcing the role of the OSG’s Pedagogical Development Unit and the Joint Teaching Committee; and d) ensuring ESS participation in EU programmes and initiatives such as the Erasmus+ Teacher Academies and the EEA; calls for the updated quality assurance approach to focus on clear indicators, monitoring and evaluation frameworks; stresses that the quality assurance process should be updated periodically, including also internal evaluations;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. calls on the Commission to promptly assess, whether, following the implementation of the new grading system in European schools, all conversions of European school grades to those of national systems are consistently in line with the principle of equal treatment, such that these respective conversions cannot in any way result in the systemic disadvantageous positioning of European school pupils with regard to their peers in the respective national system on account of the conversion formula applied; if any such unequal treatment is shown to exist in a given national system, calls on the Member State concerned to promptly address this situation by readjusting its national conversion system if appropriate;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the BoG and the OSG to develop a CPD strategy for teachers throughout the ESS by the end of 2024 and an induction programme for new teachers, and insists on the importance of collective efficacy and formal structures that support teachers in designing, implementing, evaluating and exchanging pedagogical best practice and materials across classrooms and the system as a whole; emphasises that the CPD strategy should take into account a broader range of subjects for teacher training and contribute towards more flexible career paths for teachers;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for the BoG to establish clear guidelines in order for ESS teachers to become trainers and mentors in national systems and emphasises the role that should be played by the ESS in establishing a European teachers’ module, to be included in the initial training of teachers across the EU;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Requests the BoG and the OSG to boost inclusion and improve educational opportunities for all students, with a focus on class size and better catering for students with particularspecial educational needs, including by considerably increasing the number of educational and psychological support staff in place and the provision of orientation and mentorship services, by ensuring an appropriate number of psychological counsellors for each educational unit, and the provision of orientation and mentorship services; stresses that each school should be properly adapted and accessible for pupils with special educational needs and calls, in this regard, on a comprehensive assessment of each educational unit;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Asks the BoG and the OSG to assess the inclusion of vocational education and training (VET) modules in the ESS, establish partnerships with VET institutions and explore the possibility of an accredited European VET schools to be established across Europe;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Insists on the need to deliver a high-quality educational experience for all students, including those without a language section (SWALS); calls for the inclusion of less used European languages in the ESS; calls for an update of existing curricula with a view to further strengthening the European dimension, including through the teaching of history of all European nations and citizenship education, entrepreneurship and soft skills in order to enhance critical thinking and active citizenship, as well as an increase in the number of ‘European Hours’ at all educational levels, with a focus on the importance of European values and digital and green skills; emphasises the importance of correlating the ESS with the Digital Education Action Plan and the respective position of the European Parliament and calls, in this regard, on further integrating digital education in the ESS; stresses that the curricula should be periodically updated so as to reflect skills and competences relevant for the labour market; calls, furthermore, for the automatic recognition of qualifications, in order to increase mobility between the ESS and other school systems and in view of aligning the ESS with the EEA;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. ACalls for more stability in the allocation of resources for the ESS and asks for the financial contributions from the EU to the ESS to feature as a separate budget line in future EU budgets, in order to increase transparency and to ensure more predictability and strategic planning so as to avoid recurring issues such as teacher understaffing, infrastructure, accessibility, and to facilitate parliamentary scrutiny, including under the discharge procedure, and requests that the ESS be included in the development of the EEA;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Expresses its wish that the ESS will become a beacon for high-quality multilingual and multicultural education in Europe and beyond, demonstrating that being ‘united in diversity’ can also be a living reality in the educational sphere; asks for all stakeholders to work towards that aim and to become co-creators in this process, including through enhanced collaboration with the AES, whose inclusion and development are key for the whole system;