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Commission and OECD boost co-operation on improving education and care for Europe's youngest
The European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are stepping up their cooperation on policy initiatives to improve the quality and accessibility of early childhood education and care across Europe.
One of the first examples of their enhanced collaboration is a high-level meeting taking place today in Oslo (Norway), where politicians, policy-makers and researchers will explore how to make policies for the youngest work in practice.
The European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, Androulla Vassiliou, said: "I very much welcome the fact that the Commission is reinforcing its cooperation with the OECD to help our Member States improve education and care for our youngest children and make it more equitable. Investing in our youngest citizens is the best investment that we can make for our children and for Europe's future."
The Commission is represented at today's meeting, which is jointly hosted by the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and the OECD, by the Commission's Director-General for Education and Culture, Jan Truszczyński.
Compulsory education for youngsters starts at the age of 5 or 6 in most EU countries, though earlier in Cyprus, Luxembourg and Northern Ireland (UK). The level of services provided for young children up to the start of compulsory education varies considerably across Europe in terms of funding, governance and staffing.