Flanders weighs pros and cons of entrepreneurial learning
As the Flemish government inches closer to a deal on its action plan to promote teaching of ‘soft skills in schools’, questions remain about how and if it should be implemented
Learning for new age
The government of Flanders already has a plan in place on entrepreneurship in education, but it has been working away at another one that it hopes will give entrepreneurial learning a bigger role in schools. The plan is in keeping with the government’s broader policy to develop entrepreneurship in the region and boost youngers’ employability, thereby helping them better contribute to the labour market.
At the same time, the European Union has highlighted the need for entrepreneurial learning in its latest skills agenda published in June. Giving entrepreneurial learning such a high profile highlights how important it is for member states to get this relatively young education theme going – and to get it right.
According to a recent report by the European Commission’s education agency Euridyce, less than 23% of EU residents said they had engaged in entrepreneurial learning at school, defined as turning ideas into action and developing a project. Another study showed that a large proportion of 15-year-olds lack basic problem-solving skills.
Work in progress
“Learners of all ages need entrepreneurial skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and action planning,” says Elin McCallum of Bantani Education. “These are skills that are important for being an active citizen, setting up a community activity or simply being more employable.”
The Brussels-based start-up has been working on projects and collaborations for entrepreneurial learning policy and practice. “Entrepreneurial skills and mindset,” McCallum continues, “are often recognisable as skills that everyone needs for life and work, not only for starting an enterprise.”
As a mother, I want my children to have entrepreneurial skills, such as creativity and resilience, to adapt to a life that may be a lot different from mine
According to Euridyce, Flanders deserves a pat on the back for its use of entrepreneurial learning in general education. It noted that Flemish schools already offer practical, entrepreneurial experience as part of the regular curriculum and that Flanders as a region that is trying to adopt a more strategic approach to entrepreneurial learning.
According to the government, the goal of its latest draft plan for 2015-2019 is to stimulate entrepreneurial education, and inspire and support educational providers. “There have been many teachers and lecturers working on entrepreneurial education,” the plans reads. “Their approach is to be given a wider anchor, so that it does not disappear as soon as the teacher or lecturer concerned takes on another job.”
The plan includes a proposal for the development of a network to facilitate knowledge-sharing between schools, in addition to subsidies for activities that allow students to engage in entrepreneurial learning. The government said it would also seek clarification of the role of entrepreneurial learning in the on-going parliamentary debate on secondary school graduation requirements (eindtermen).
Funds needed (or not)
Flanders’ approach to entrepreneurial education is not without its critics. The education board, Vlor, said in response to an earlier draft that it did not want entrepreneurial learning to be obligatory and that it did not see the need for an additional budget to offer schools that want to develop a vision for entrepreneurial learning.
Vlor also called for a broad definition of entrepreneurial learning to be maintained and said that, in general, it was not convinced it would be “desirable or feasible to pursue entrepreneurial skills for all students” and that it “sees no added value in the development of a professional qualification for ‘entrepreneur’.”
Those in favour of adopting entrepreneurial learning and making it mainstream in schools have expressed concern about the lack of additional money for the plan and the fact that there is no obligation for educators in Flanders to implement it. Across Europe, few countries have an additional budget for entrepreneurial learning, but, according to the Euridyce report, “stable and comprehensive funds” need to be developed.
“The strategy asks for active engagement from educational institutions,” says McCallum. “Without this the vision cannot be achieved. It is crucial that school leaders are supported in building a common understanding needed among all staff and stakeholders.”
As for whether schools should adopt it as a mainstream educational approach, McCallum says: “As a mother, I want my children to have entrepreneurial skills, such as creativity and resilience, to adapt to a life that may be a lot different from mine. This is so important, and I hope it becomes compulsory for every teacher to help young people learn these skills through exciting and innovative learning experiences.”
Photo courtesy Bantani Education
Educational system
million school-going children in 2013
million euros Flemish education budget for new school infrastructures in 2013
percent of boys leaving secondary school without a diploma
- Education in Flanders
- Secondary education reform
- European Encyclopaedia on National Education Systems
