Better education for migrant children

Education is a crucial precondition, and plays an especially important role in the successful integration of migrant children, enabling them to contribute to our societies. This was the subject of conclusions adopted by the EU's education ministers on 26 November.

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Certain difficulties may disadvantage migrant children in achieving social success: they tend to leave the school earlier with lower levels of qualifications, and there are fewer students in higher education compared to their peers. In addition, other problems as low socio-economic status, language barriers, insufficient family and community support and discrimination may lead to marginalisation and exclusion.

It is important to reduce the gap between migrant and native pupils and prevent segregation. Steps should be taken to avoid a situation whereby children from migrant backgrounds are clustered together in underperforming schools. This can cause other families to withdraw their children, thereby depriving migrant children of the contact with the host country's language and culture which is vital to their integration.

Education and migration are some of the elements underpinning the European Union's socio-economic development and competitiveness. The conclusions of the Education Council invite EU member states to ensure that all children are offered fair and equal chances and are given the necessary support to develop their full potential. The ways in which this goal can be achieved include removing barriers within the school systems, improving the quality of teaching in schools and reducing the differences between them.

More information:
Council conclusions (pdf)
Council Press release (pdf)
Council webcast of press conference