European Trade Union Committee for Education

The Directorate General Communications Networks, Content &Technology (DG CONNECT) of the European Commission has recently published a concept paper on ‘Digitisation, employability and inclusiveness’ (May 2017). The report deals with the impact of digital transformation on the labour market, in particular, with the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation for employability and inclusive purposes.

For ETUCE embracing digitalisation in the education sector is the way forward to enhance digital skills and media literacy of students. This is of particular​ importance in a society that increasingly relies on ICT and in light of labour market changes. The transformation of existing jobs puts at risk especially low-skilled workers.

The report mentions the need for strengthening training and education policies by modernising education systems to provide skills that are better adapted to the growing digital economy, specially to help those negatively affected by changes in the workplace. ETUCE recalls that in order to achieve high quality  innovative education systems adapted to the needs  of students increased public investment is required, including continuous teacher  training to enhance digital skills and competences for inclusive education. After all, economic growth and social economy rely on sustainable and decent jobs.

The ‘ETUCE Policy Paper on the 21st Century Teaching Profession and the Use of ICT’, adopted at the ETUCE Conference in Belgrade sets this forth and reaffirms  among other aspects the principle of professional autonomy of teachers and considers the use of ICT as an added value to teaching and learning, whose use for assessment and evaluation must be aligned to educational purposes.