The project ECO-IN, Algorithm for New Ecological Approaches to Inclusion, has launched two policy documents – ECO-IN Policy Recommendation on School Inclusion and the ECO-IN Manifesto in order to concretely pursue social inclusion at school.
1 – Policy makers and all the actors involved in defining educational strategies to remove barriers to inclusion, are invited to endorse the following EU and national level policy recommendations.
Based on the needs identified across the ECO-IN partners EU member states, and following further research at EU level, the project delivers indicators for monitoring successful inclusion practices, policy recommendations to boost inclusion and training to prepare all education stakeholders (teachers, school heads, policymakers, parents, families) to actively participate in a system that puts the learners’ well-being and development at the centre of their work.
The recommendations are the following:
At the EU level:
- Evidence-based policymaking and assessment of inclusive education to inform and guide inclusive policies
- Create a common definition of special needs
- Promote a positive perception and understanding of pupils with SEN and students with different socio-economic, linguistic and cultural backgrounds among teachers, parents, other students and the school community, and at the EU level
- Promote ecological training and professional development
- Develop EU guidelines for inclusive curricula
- Recognise and promote the contribution of each professional to foster inclusive education
- Involve non- and informal stakeholders
At the national level:
- Develop more flexible and inclusive curricula
- Allocate adequate resources to education and inclusive education
- Design teacher training and professional development
- Create adequate assessment and monitoring systems
Sign the ECO-IN Policy Recommendations here by September 14th, 2023.
2 – The ECO-IN Manifesto on School Inclusion aims to identify and indicate, at the European level, values, principles but above all actions and work tools on which to build and consolidate over time participatory alliances between different stakeholders to promote school inclusion according to an “ecological” approach”. Most European school systems develop forms of cooperation with local authorities, families, associations, groups of experts, etc., which can often have different expectations and demands. The school system is committed to being a point of connection, dialogue, encounter and synthesis for all these differences. Therefore, in order to concretely pursue social inclusion at school, the various stakeholders within the education system and who particularly care about the issue of inclusion at school are invited to sign the Manifesto, with regard to the values and principles expressed therein.
The core values at the basis of the ECO IN project activities and Manifesto are:
- Prosociality
- Participation
- Commitment/Responsibility
- Quality
- Trustiness (Trust and trustworthiness)
Sign the ECO-IN Manifesto here by September 14th, 2023.