Britain cool on language plans

Britain cool on language plans

All pupils in the EU should be offered the chance to learn two foreign languages in addition to their own, EU education ministers have decided. The UK is believed to be unenthusiastic, because some of its schools are unable to offer such a choice. The resolution, adopted by the EU education council, also encourages member states to promote lifelong learning of foreign languages,integrate language learning into professional training, help future language teachers to spend part of their training in a country where the language they will teach is spoken, and put in place systems for assessing linguistic competence. Ministers also invited the commission to come forward, by 2003, with plans to promote linguistic diversity and language learning.

Education ministers resolved that vocational training should have equal status with traditional education, and that the EU Tempus programme of higher-education co-operation with central and eastern Europe should be extended to Mediterranean states which are not EU members. Referring to European Commission proposals for a European area for education and lifelong learning,European commissioner Viviane Reding said: "A continent is not a fortress. It should be open to other continents".

She said that since the proposals were drawn up, last July, the events of 11 September had served to confirm the need to build bridges with other parts of the world.

Ministers agreed that 2004 should be named the European Year of Education through Sport. Ministers meeting later in the EU Youth Council adopted a resolution on the importance of young people being involved in voluntary work. Mrs Reding said voluntary work was important for the development of society, yet only seven per cent of young Europeans were involved. "We need to show that voluntary work is cool," she said.