Inclusive Education and Lifelong Learning

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

Education and lifelong learning are the bedrock of democracy, binding together our social fabric. But today it is failing to deliver on these promises. This is due to the systematic underfunding of education and lifelong learning systems and the attacks on the popular education system. An underfunded education system is vulnerable to shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This in turn perpetuates socio-economic inequalities and discrimination rather than reducing them and providing equal opportunities for all, especially marginalised communities. When funding is made available for education and lifelong learning, it tends to focus on the skills needed for short-term labour market needs rather than promoting long-term transversal competences and recognising the learning outcomes of non-formal and informal education systems, such as critical thinking.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

Now more than ever, inclusive education and lifelong learning are fundamental to ensuring equal opportunities in life for all. It equips people with the necessary tools and resources to lift themselves out of all forms of poverty and to face today’s challenges related to the climate and environmental emergency, the digital revolution, growing inequalities, and increasing geopolitical tensions. 

Improving the link between education and skills policies, including participation from all stakeholders and increased public funding, is necessary. In this context, Global Citizenship Education and Digital Citizenship Education are essential to empower people to make a difference in their own lives and in society. Similarly, non-formal and informal learning systems should be recognised as drivers for providing inclusive learning opportunities, especially for marginalised groups. Civil society plays a major role in ensuring inclusive education and lifelong learning systems and should be supported as such. 

WHAT IS SOLIDAR FOUNDATION DOING?

Together with its members, SOLIDAR Foundation advocates for:

• Approaching education and lifelong learning from a holistic and value-driven perspective to recognise non-formal and informal learning for people of all ages and background 
• Guaranteeing public funding and investment to ensure that education is preserved as a public good 
• Advancing popular, citizenship and workers’ education to promote on a daily basis the transformative power of learning that is essential to tackle the digital and green transitions in inclusive and democratic ways.
• Defending the civic space
• Promoting global and digital citizenship education, and the recognition and validation of non-formal and informal learning.

Every year, the members of SOLIDAR Foundation select a key topic to be analysed to further our collective knowledge and advocacy to promote our vision for achieving social justice. We do so with policy events, and publications that we present and discuss with the main stakeholders at the EU and national level.