Digital skills and education package

Key points

The EESC:

• supports the Commission and the upcoming Belgian Presidency's commitment to safeguard digital inclusion for all; highlights the importance of promoting lifelong learning and ensuring that all individuals have access to quality and inclusive lifelong learning at every stage of their career and life;
• recommends the Commission to support Member States in launching large-scale information campaigns on digital learning opportunities to reach all individuals, and to allocate dedicated funding and resources to support the digitalisation of VET and adult learning;
• recommends the Commission to encourage Member States to focus on equal access to digital education and training and digital tools, amongst which by ensuring access for learners and teachers with disabilities, eliminating urban-rural and other geographical divides and eliminating bias in algorithms; action by social partners and CSOs aimed at improving digital skills, eliminating digital exclusion and closing the digital gap in society should be supported by improved access to EU and national funding;
• underlines that digitalisation in schools needs to ensure the social interaction of learners and teachers/trainers, to help learners improve key competences, particularly social competences;
• calls for solutions to increase motivation and access to online training, with the support of training accounts and vouchers for job seekers and those in need of up- and reskilling, by providing quality career guidance and guaranteeing recognition of training courses;
• points at the need to provide teachers, trainers and school heads with a broader access to high-quality and relevant continuous professional development on digital skills and competences, curricula development and assessment, AI and IT skills; points at the need to tackle teacher shortages and to take measures to make the teaching profession more attractive;
• underlines the importance of developing knowledge and skills on AI in order to avoid digital gaps and to strengthen the EU's competitiveness.