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Investing in human and social capital: new challenges - TUAC Statement to the meeting of the OECD Education Policy Committee at Ministerial Level - Paris, 4-5 November 2010

25/10/2010

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Introduction

Over recent years, education, training and learning have become increasingly important items on the agenda of trade unions across the OECD member countries. Unions have spread the learning message in a broad variety of actions, predominantly through social dialogue and collective bargaining with employers, through formal representation in the governance of VET systems as well as through innovation, like the establishment of union learning representatives in order to motivate and support workers in taking up training opportunities as well as to rise employers provision of training and demand for skills. Thus, TUAC welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the deliberations of Ministers of Education at their meeting at the OECD. The following outlines TUAC’s views and recommendations regarding the issues on the agenda of the 2010 Education Ministerial. The key messages we would like to bring to the attention of Ministers are summarized below. The text subsequent to the summary outlines our views and proposals in more detail.

Right at the outset TUAC would like to express concerns regarding an excessively utilitarian view of the purposes of education. TUAC maintains that it is essential that the broader value of education in enhancing the ability of individuals to contribute to the wider cultural, political and civic life of the society within which they live must underpin the development of policy across the education and skills sector. Government policy on education must not neglect the right of all individuals to enjoy learning as an intrinsically worthwhile activity. For this reason, TUAC emphasizes that policies to promote education, training and lifelong learning must go beyond a focus on employability; they must continue to be guided by a broad vision of the purposes and benefits of education.

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The full statement is attached