Informal video conference of education ministers, 16 March 2022

Main results 

European education ministers, in the presence of Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, attended a video conference chaired by the French Minister for National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, on Wednesday 16 March in order to exchange views on how the European Union can provide concrete assistance to Ukrainian pupils, teachers and education staff.

Since 24 February, more than three million Ukrainians have left Ukraine, half of them children. In view of the influx of refugees, a coordinated response by education ministers is being set in motion.

At the invitation of the presidency, the Ukrainian Minister for Education and Science, Sherhiy Shkarlet, opened the meeting.

European education ministers expressed their solidarity with the Ukrainian people and more specifically with children and all education staff.

While the European education area is being strengthened, there is a need to establish real European coordination to promote the exchange of good practices and thus provide a joint response for the schooling of Ukrainian children in the EU.

Keen to foster the link between these children and their country, the 27 wish to propose tailor-made solutions in cooperation with the European Commission and the Ukrainian Ministry of Education.

The member states and the Commission have discussed closer cooperation among national authorities to better coordinate initiatives in order to connect all EU ministries as soon as possible.

• First work strand: this focuses on the sharing and pooling of digital educational content to facilitate continuity of education in Ukraine and within the European Union.
• Second work strand: to ensure pupils’ wellbeing at school and support teachers taking responsibility for them in a crisis situation, countries have also agreed on the need to have common arrangements in place for welcoming Ukrainian pupils. This work strand will also cover the best educational practices for approaching the situation in Ukraine in the classroom.
• Third work strand: using the experience gained during the health crisis in terms of remote learning, the member states will be able to work on making best use of existing platforms.

The eTwinning programme will also be used to support teachers.

The ministers will meet on 5 April at the Council of education ministers in Luxembourg to discuss how they can continue to collectively support Ukraine.