Priority Education in European Countries: Comparative Conclusions

Abstract

In the paper, the measures as applied in European countries are assessed that should enhance the chances of disadvantaged pupils and that of discriminated groups in European countries. First, the national target groups in seven countries are described, on behalf of national reports as well as comparative international databases. Then, the applicable measures are categorised as 'priority measures to enhance the individual chances of disadvantaged pupils' and as 'priority measures to fight the exclusion, segregation and discrimination of certain groups', in relation to national, regional, local and educational policy aims. Most research on the measures and their effects consists of local case studies. Examples were discussed in the national reports and the preceding papers. Promising measures are found in the case studies. These are reported. A general comparative conclusion is not allowed - positive effects as observed on measures or cases cannot be generalised beyond their own frames, process and conditions. As far as such positive effects were observed, the conclusion can be and should be that it regards promising and interesting measures or cases that should help the relevant actors such as schools and school teams on the one side and the educational policymakers on the other to develop appropriate priority measures of their own. Apart from this retained comparative conclusion one should keep in mind that 'Europe' has taken serious European responsibility for the fight against exclusion, segregation and discrimination, e.g. on behalf of article 149 of the European treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The responsibility was underlined by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in its landmark judgement of 13 November 2007 against special Roma schools in the Czech Republic. Through the judgement, the European institutions are presumably forced to take direct responsibility against outplacement mechanisms towards special education on behalf of social or cultural grounds.