29.04.2003 – 15:00

FEDE - Fédération Européenne des Ecoles

Calling for respect of fundamental educational rights in Europe!: The Fédération Européenne des Ecoles (FEDE) advocates freedom of choice in education

Lyon (ots)

Over 500,000 students were represented this weekend
in Lyon by the Fédération Européenne des Ecoles (FEDE) which was
holding its General Assembly and celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Thanks to its consultative status as an NGO, the FEDE - whose members
are a total of more than 1,500 schools in 15 of the 45 member states
of the Council of Europe - is now the largest European association of
independent schools.

Its president and its committee were re-elected by a large    
majority - and defined the priority objectives between now and 2007:

(1) Diversity, complementarity and free competition in education
       in the 45 member states of the Council of Europe, with the
       consequence of freedom of establishment (for schools) and 
       freedom of choice (for parents/students).

(2) Strict application of European legislation on fundamental
       rights to education ... and therefore an end to the state 
       monopoly on education in the last countries concerned and with

increased official control.

(3) Development of quality and European accreditation procedure
       for the FEDE training curriculum, with certification of the

European Diploma and system of equivalence (ECTS). Certificate

of "European citizenship and culture".

(4) Cultural plurality, geographical mobility and international
       exchanges through research projects, teaching and technology
       transfers and training periods in countries other than the    
       country of origin.

Besides the presentation of the brochure "FUNDAMENTAL EDUCATIONAL
RIGHTS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION", published by the FEDE with the support
of the EU, there were two speeches which brought the Congress to a
close:

"THE ROLE OF NGOs AT THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE" by Daniel ZILINSKI,   
 President of the NGO Liaison Committee and

"CONTRIBUTION BY THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION"
by Mrs. Carole REICH, representing the Director for Education,
Training and Teaching of the C.E.

Contact:

FEDERATION EUROPEENNE DES ECOLES (FEDE)
Quai Tilsit 9 - BP 2223
69213 LYON CEDEX 02 (France)
Tel. +334/725'675'35
Fax +334/725'675'30
E-mail: fede@fede.org