Inclusive education for children with disabilities

Subject: Inclusive education for children with disabilities

Inclusive education is the most effective way to give all children an equal chance to go to school and to learn and develop the skills that they need participate in society. Everything starts with education and it is therefore essential that our education system includes students of all backgrounds and provides the necessary assistance and facilities for persons with disabilities to ensure that everyone has equal opportunities in life.

Moreover, children with disabilities should be integrated into the general education system and provided with necessary assistance in the best interests of the child.

Can the Commission clarify what actions it is taking in order to promote equal and fully inclusive access to education and lifelong learning without discrimination and in the best interests of the child in all Member States?

Answer given by Ms Gabriel on behalf of the European Commission

(26 May 2020)

The Commission supports and complements Member States' obligations (1) and efforts in the area of inclusive education through policy cooperation and funding programmes.

The strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020) (2) facilitates cooperation among Member States to promote inclusive education policies.

The Commission will propose in September 2020 a new education and training cooperation framework with the Member States within the context of creating a European Education Area by 2025.

Furthermore, the Commission proposed a recommendation on promoting common values, inclusive education and the European dimension of teaching, which the Council adopted in 2018. (3) Under the European Semester, the Commission monitors the situation of Member States in the area of inclusive education.

People with disabilities benefiting from mobility under Erasmus+ receive additional assistance and/or financial suppor t (4). Through the Erasmus+ programme, in particular under the specific call on ‘social inclusion through education and training’, the Commission funds a number of projects (5). Erasmus+ also provides an operating grant to the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (6).

The European Social Fund (7) can also be used to enhance access to education and training systems for pupils and students with special needs in accordance with the overall strategic objectives and Member States’ priorities.

⋅1∙ All EU Member States are parties to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of

the Child

⋅2∙ http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52009XG0528(01)&from=EN

⋅3∙ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32018H0607(01)&from=EN

⋅4∙ https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/resources/programme-guide_en

⋅5∙ https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects_en

⋅6∙ http://www.european-agency.org/

⋅7∙ http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/social-fund/