Page 94 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 94
ear ly school leaving: contempor ary european perspectives
strategy for tackling ESL (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop, 2014). The Plan
states the educational authorities should implement special action plans
in areas with high ESL rates (identified as those with large immigrant or
Roma populations and economically deprived areas) (Nevala et al., 2011).
The Plan was followed by the “Programme to reduce ESL in education and
training” (Programa para la reducción del abandono temprano de la edu-
cación y la formación), put into practice by the Autonomous Communities
with the Ministry of Education’s collaboration (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/
Cedefop, 2014). Related to the plan and the programme’s framework, Spain
has taken different actions to tackle ESL, including work on prevention,
intervention and compensation measures (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop,
2014; Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, 2015). The 2013–2016
Strategy for Entrepreneurship and Youth Employment also states that cut-
ting ESL levels is one of its main objectives, which includes giving financial
aid to early leavers to return to education (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop,
2014). Still, Spain spends less on education at all levels than the EU-27 (in
GDP terms) and the differences are much higher in secondary education (it
spends 26% less) than in primary education (5% less) (Fernández-Macías,
Antón, Braña, & De Bustillo, 2013).
Due to decentralisation, measures may vary in each Autonomous
Community, although measures that have proven to be most effective
spread quickly and each Community has emphasised measures that ad-
dress the (educational, social and economic) circumstances with the great-
est influence on ESL within their territory (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop,
2014). Some progress came when implementing the new educational
schemes that aim to increase the quality of primary and secondary educa-
tion and cut ESL rates in the process. But only limited progress has been re-
corded in the area of enhancing the guidance given to groups at risk of ESL
(EC, 2015).
As a preventive measure, Spain the length of compulsory schooling,
reformed the curricula, and implemented new types of study pathways and
changes in teaching methods (Nevala et al., 2011). According to ET Monitor
(2013), measures to counter ESL at the national and regional level have been
put in place in recent years, including the “Plan to fight ESL” (preventive
and intervention measures such as analysis, awareness raising, follow up of
ESLers to support their reintegration into the education and training sys-
tem), PROA (a guidance and support programme) and PCPI (an initial pro-
fessional qualification programme). The Ministry of Education has been
94
strategy for tackling ESL (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop, 2014). The Plan
states the educational authorities should implement special action plans
in areas with high ESL rates (identified as those with large immigrant or
Roma populations and economically deprived areas) (Nevala et al., 2011).
The Plan was followed by the “Programme to reduce ESL in education and
training” (Programa para la reducción del abandono temprano de la edu-
cación y la formación), put into practice by the Autonomous Communities
with the Ministry of Education’s collaboration (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/
Cedefop, 2014). Related to the plan and the programme’s framework, Spain
has taken different actions to tackle ESL, including work on prevention,
intervention and compensation measures (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop,
2014; Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, 2015). The 2013–2016
Strategy for Entrepreneurship and Youth Employment also states that cut-
ting ESL levels is one of its main objectives, which includes giving financial
aid to early leavers to return to education (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop,
2014). Still, Spain spends less on education at all levels than the EU-27 (in
GDP terms) and the differences are much higher in secondary education (it
spends 26% less) than in primary education (5% less) (Fernández-Macías,
Antón, Braña, & De Bustillo, 2013).
Due to decentralisation, measures may vary in each Autonomous
Community, although measures that have proven to be most effective
spread quickly and each Community has emphasised measures that ad-
dress the (educational, social and economic) circumstances with the great-
est influence on ESL within their territory (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop,
2014). Some progress came when implementing the new educational
schemes that aim to increase the quality of primary and secondary educa-
tion and cut ESL rates in the process. But only limited progress has been re-
corded in the area of enhancing the guidance given to groups at risk of ESL
(EC, 2015).
As a preventive measure, Spain the length of compulsory schooling,
reformed the curricula, and implemented new types of study pathways and
changes in teaching methods (Nevala et al., 2011). According to ET Monitor
(2013), measures to counter ESL at the national and regional level have been
put in place in recent years, including the “Plan to fight ESL” (preventive
and intervention measures such as analysis, awareness raising, follow up of
ESLers to support their reintegration into the education and training sys-
tem), PROA (a guidance and support programme) and PCPI (an initial pro-
fessional qualification programme). The Ministry of Education has been
94
