R11: No Future Without Education: Facing Inequalities through Educational Rights

Usually, when we talk about politics, we reflect on the past, we analyse the
present and, most importantly, we envision the future we want. However, when it
comes to building this future, we tend to fail to take a closer look at the most
basic level, education, thereby overlooking the material conditions in which
children and young people are being shaped. Across Europe, it cannot be denied
that children and young people are not being granted full access to the
necessary tools they need to thrive, both as individuals and as a society.

Nonetheless, education systems in Europe are not failing by accident: they are
shaped by political choices. Insufficient and uneven funding, unequal access,
disparities in educational standards across neighbourhoods, persistent social
exclusion and the growing commodification of education are the direct result of
systemic priorities that place the capitalist market logic above social justice
and education. At the same time, these political decisions continue to prevent
students from acquiring essential and valuable knowledge in terms of human
development, such as notions of sexuality, emotional well-being, and democratic
participation.

The first problem is that education can function as a driver of inequality.
However, education can serve as its most powerful remedy. Despite this
possibility, it currently reproduces existing social hierarchies. Whilst formal
access to education is widely guaranteed across Europe, this access remains
deeply unequal in practice. Thus, students from wealthier backgrounds benefit
from structural advantages, ranging from private extra tuition to supportive
learning environments and access to modern technological devices that enhance
their learning process, while others face systemic barriers that limit their
opportunities and prospects from an early age.

When dealing with these inequalities, we should broaden the focus and address
these issues beyond the classroom. In this sense, access to extracurricular
activities, such as sports, arts, or language learning plays a key role in
cognitive development, social integration, mental wellbeing and, ultimately, in
the students' future. However, these opportunities are increasingly shaped by
purchasing power. Hence, children from unprivileged backgrounds are effectively
excluded from spaces that are essential for their personal and social
development, reinforcing class-based inequalities across generations.

A second main problem is the lack of education in key aspects such as education
on diversity, environmental, social values and sex education. Against the far-
right narrative that states that education must be reserved exclusively to
parents, we claim that schools must not only teach knowledge and skills but also
shape humans who can form a better society and co-educate alongside parents.
Inclusion and respect of all kinds of diversity are not instilled in all
centers.

In this sense, sexual education and education on sexual diversity are still not
widely implemented over the EU. There is a conservative push against it: for
instance, the recently developed policy in Italy, which under the Government of
Meloni wanted to ban sex education. In the end the government settled for a
restriction on sex-ed only allowing it when parents give permission. Sex
education should be accessible to all and taught from a young age, starting with
learning to deal with emotions and consent, respecting each other and ourselves
to give children the ability to communicate better and be respectful with each
other.

A third main issue is the lack of history education regarding the most recent
developments and the origin of other countries and cultures. To have a better
understanding of our society and the rich culture of every country, it would be
fundamental to introduce historical teachings of native people‘s culture around
the world. Focusing mainly on European history and neglecting native people‘s
way of life leads to harmful and biased thinking. Fundamental to this is the
teaching of democratic values and respect for other people, their culture and
origin.

A fourth issue is the lack of education about climate change in close connection
with social justice. It is essential to teach children about nature, animals and
sustainability; respect for our planet and its fragile ecosystem. Ultimately,
understanding the balance between nature and climate connects the topics of
social and climate justice. The lack of contact with nature among urban kids is
also a health and education absence that must be solved.

A fifth issue is the persistent educational disparities between rural and urban
areas across Europe. Students attending school in rural regions often face
limited access to specialised teachers, advanced courses and essential
infrastructure. Not only do they have restricted possibilities of accessing
libraries or laboratories but also the internet. In addition, extracurricular
activities such as sports clubs or arts programmes are frequently scarce or
absent, which may restrict both cognitive and social development. Furthermore,
rural schools regularly struggle to attract and retain qualified teachers due to
their remote location, leading to higher staff turnover and interruptions in
learning continuity. Another factor is the lack of reliable public transport in
a high proportion of rural areas, which exacerbates these inequalities, forcing
students to travel long distances to attend day-to-day lessons. Across Europe,
these structural barriers result in a tangible gap in educational outcomes and
future prospects between rural and urban students (without prejudice to the
latter and the structural short of investment in them), thereby further
reinforcing generational inequalities shaped by one’s dwelling.

A sixth issue is the working conditions of teachers, which directly influences
the quality of education. Many educators are underpaid and experience high
workloads, which contributes to stress and a decline in educational quality.
Having overburdened teachers with less time for lesson planning and student
support affects learning outcomes, and this reality should not be overlooked. We
acknowledge that teachers play a huge role in our system and want to ensure that
they are supported and understood, although many issues have to be solved by a
better family policy framework, allowing people to have time for their children
again.

We call for attention to uneven provision of education across Europe,
encompassing disparities in resources, extracurricular opportunities, and
teacher conditions, as well as alarming gaps in instruction on diversity, social
values, sexual education, climate and, ultimately, social justice. These factors
shape the learning environment and determine the extent to which students can
acquire both the knowledge and skills necessary for personal growth and active
participation in society.

CALL TO ACTION:

We Call on the Council of Europe, European Union institutions, Member states and
regional governments to: